Croatia on a South Korean Licence — IDP Required & Ticket Tolls

Croatia’s Adriatic coast is an increasingly popular self-drive trip for South Korean travellers, and the driving itself is straightforward — same side of the road as home, modern motorways, clear signs. The one thing to arrange before you leave Korea is the permit.

Get the IDP before you fly

A South Korean licence on its own will not secure a rental car in Croatia. You need an International Driving Permit with it, issued at a Korean driver’s licence agency or police station before departure — there is no way to obtain one once you arrive. Carry the IDP, your Korean licence and your passport together; the licence is good for stays of up to 12 months. Confirm the requirement on the Driving Permit Checker before you finalise the trip.

Tolls like an expressway — but no Hi-Pass for tourists

The motorway system will feel familiar from Korean expressways: you take a ticket at the entry barrier on the A1 to Zadar and Split or the A6 to Rijeka, then pay by distance at the exit. The differences are that it is priced in euros (Croatia joined the eurozone in 2023) and there is no Hi-Pass-style tag for a short-term rental — you queue at the booth. In peak August those coastal exit booths back up for half an hour, so allow for it.

Alcohol and speeds

The alcohol limit rises to 0.05 BAC from Korea’s 0.03 — more lenient on paper, but coastal summer breath checks are frequent and penalties heavy, so treat it as close to zero. Speeds are 50 km/h in town, 90 on the open road and 130 on the motorway, above Korea’s 110, and camera-enforced; a 10 km/h overshoot costs around €65, which you can estimate on the Speeding Fine Calculator. Petrol is roughly €1.65/litre, the car must carry a warning triangle, vest, first-aid kit and spare bulbs, and the emergency number is 112. The main friction is summer congestion in old towns like Split and Dubrovnik — park outside the walls. Full local detail is on our Croatia driving guide.