Korean driver's license photos use the same 35×45mm format as a Korean passport photo — 413×531 pixels at 300 DPI, white background. The driver's license (운전면허증) shares its photo specification with the Korean passport and the Resident Registration Card. One set of correctly-sized photos covers all three documents.
Korean Driver's License Photo Specifications (35×45mm)
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Print size | 35×45mm |
| Digital size | 413×531 pixels |
| Resolution | 300 DPI |
| Background | White (RGB 255,255,255) |
| Glasses | Allowed (must match actual driving condition) |
| Smile | Not allowed |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed |
| Issued by | Driver's License Examination Office (운전면허시험장) |
| Processing time | Same day (at exam office) |
| Validity | 10 years |
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Same Photo Format as the Korean Passport (35×45mm)
The Korean driver's license and the Korean passport use identical photo specifications.
| Specification | Driver's License (운전면허증) | Korean Passport (여권) |
|---|---|---|
| Print size | 35×45mm | 35×45mm |
| Digital size | 413×531px | 413×531px |
| Background | White | White |
| Recency | Within 6 months | Within 6 months |
A passport photo taken within the past 6 months is valid for a driver's license application. Keep a spare copy when you go to the passport office. It saves a separate photo session.
This alignment across Korean documents is useful. The passport, the Resident Registration Card (주민등록증), and the driver's license all use 35×45mm. Korea has standardised on one format, unlike China and Japan, which each use multiple photo sizes across their government documents.
Getting Your Photo at the Exam Office
For new licences, the Driver's License Examination Office (운전면허시험장) typically photographs applicants on-site. After passing the written and practical tests, you're photographed at the office before the licence is produced. The licence is issued the same day.
You can bring your own photo instead — user-submitted photos are accepted at most exam offices. If you bring your own, it must be a 35×45mm colour print taken within the past 6 months, with a white background and a neutral expression.
Bring one to two prints. The office will tell you how many they need, but having a spare avoids being turned away for a minor defect in one copy.
Korean Driver's Licence Renewal and Photo Requirements
Korean driver's licences are valid for 10 years. Renewal requires a visit to a Driver's License Examination Office or a designated renewal centre (일부 경찰서 및 도로교통공단 운전면허시험장).
The renewal process captures a new photo on-site in most cases. Some renewal locations accept a user-submitted photo. Either way, the specification is the same: 35×45mm, white background, within 6 months of the renewal date.
After age 65, renewal periods shorten to 5 years. After age 75, they shorten further to 3 years. The photo requirement does not change — same spec at every renewal regardless of age.
Can You Wear Glasses in a Korean Driver's License Photo?
Glasses are allowed on Korean driver's license photos — but with an important condition. The photo must match your actual driving condition.
If you wear corrective lenses while driving, your licence will carry a condition requiring corrective lenses. Your photo should show you wearing those lenses. If you wear glasses in your everyday life but not while driving, you may photograph without them.
Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed in the photo.
Reflective glare from glasses is a common rejection reason. Choose frames with anti-reflective coating, or position yourself so the light source is frontal and even rather than at an angle that causes reflection.
Check your photo before heading to the exam office — the checker confirms dimensions and background match the 35×45mm specification.
Korean International Driving Permit Photo Requirements
Korean residents or citizens driving abroad may need an International Driving Permit (국제운전면허증, IDP). The IDP uses a separate 35×45mm photo — the same specification as the regular licence. Bring an extra copy to the issuing office (Driver's License Examination Office or some police stations) when applying for your IDP.
The IDP is valid for 1 year from the date of issue and must be carried alongside the Korean domestic licence when driving abroad.
Foreigners Converting a Foreign Licence
Foreign nationals in Korea on a visa can convert their home-country licence to a Korean driver's licence without re-sitting the full exam, depending on reciprocal agreements between Korea and the issuing country.
The conversion process is handled at the Driver's License Examination Office (운전면허시험장). The office photographs you on-site. You don't need to prepare a separate photo for the conversion, though bringing a 35×45mm print as backup is sensible in case the on-site camera is unavailable.
The Korean driver's license photo is 35×45mm — the same as the passport and the Resident Registration Card. One photo format, three documents. Get a set taken, keep the spares, and you're covered for every major Korean government document that requires a photo.
Expression and Appearance Rules for Korean DL Photos
The driver's licence applies the same biometric expression standard as the Korean passport:
- Mouth closed — no teeth visible, lips together gently
- Neutral expression — no smiling, no frowning
- Eyes open — both eyes fully visible, looking directly at the camera
- Glasses allowed — clear prescription glasses permitted if they match your driving condition; no tinted lenses or sunglasses
- Hair away from face — forehead visible, hair should not cover eyes
- Head coverings — only for documented religious reasons; face from chin to forehead must be visible
- Ear visibility — at least one ear should be visible for Korean identity documents
Common Korean Driver's License Photo Rejection Reasons
Glare from glasses. The most common issue for Korean driver's licence photos. Position yourself so light falls evenly from the front. Anti-reflective coated lenses help. If glare is visible in the photo, the exam office will ask for a retake.
Non-neutral expression. Smiling — even a slight smile — will be flagged. Korean biometric photo checks are strict on expression neutrality.
Background not pure white. Off-white, cream, or grey backgrounds fail. On-site cameras at exam offices use a controlled white backdrop, but if you bring your own photo, ensure the background is correct.
Photo older than 6 months. The recency rule is enforced. Don't reuse photos from a previous document session if more than 6 months have passed.
Wrong size. Must be 35×45mm. The 30×40mm size used for the Alien Registration Card is different — don't confuse the two formats.
All Korean Documents Compared: DL vs Passport vs ARC
| Document | Size | Background | Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver's Licence (운전면허증) | 35×45mm | White | Allowed |
| Korean Passport (여권) | 35×45mm | White | Allowed |
| Resident Registration Card (주민등록증) | 35×45mm | White | Allowed |
| Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증) | 30×40mm | White | Allowed |
Note the Alien Registration Card uses a smaller 30×40mm format. If you're a foreigner in Korea needing both a driver's licence and an ARC, you need two different photo sizes.
Quick Checklist for Korean Driver's License Photos
- Size: 35×45mm (413×531px at 300 DPI)
- Background: white (RGB 255,255,255)
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, no smile
- Glasses: allowed if matching driving condition (no tinted lenses)
- Photo taken within 6 months
- One to two prints if bringing your own photo
See the South Korea country page for a full overview of Korean document photo requirements. Verify your photo with the passportsize-photo.online checker before your exam office visit.
