Can a South Korean Drive in Romania? — IDP + the Rovinieta Vignette
South Korea
Romania
Yes, with an International Driving Permit, which Romanian law demands from licence holders of states outside the 1968 Vienna Convention, Korea included. No side switch.
A South Korean licence holder can drive in Romania, with one condition written into Romanian law. Under article 82(3) of the road traffic ordinance, a driver whose licence comes from a state outside the 1968 Vienna Convention must hold an International Driving Permit as well. Korea signed that convention but never ratified it, so the condition applies. The Korean permit, issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, does the job; sort it out in Korea before you fly, and keep it with the licence and your passport.
The reassuring part: South Korea drives on the right, and so does Romania. There’s no side switch and no reversed roundabout instinct to retrain — you can drive much as you do at home. Two other things, though, are genuinely different.
The first is alcohol. Romania enforces zero tolerance, 0.0 BAC, tighter than South Korea’s 0.03. There is no margin for a single drink — if you’re driving, don’t, because penalties are severe.
The second is the rovinieta road vignette. Instead of toll booths, Romania charges for national-road use through an electronic vignette you buy online or at a petrol station before joining a main road, with cameras checking it by number plate. A rental car often includes it, so confirm with the desk; if it doesn’t, this is the one purchase you can’t put off.
Then there are the roads themselves. Romania’s motorway network is still limited, so most of a trip runs on two-lane national roads. Surfaces vary, and outside the cities you’ll genuinely share the road with horse-drawn carts, slow trucks and unlit vehicles after dark. The 130 km/h motorway limit seldom applies in practice — rural roads are 90, towns 50 — so overtake with patience and drive to the conditions.
Winter tyres are required in cold-weather conditions, so check the rental is fitted if you travel roughly November to March. A minor speeding fine runs RON 290-725 (about EUR 60-150). The emergency number is 112.
Read the full Romania driving guide, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and see how the rovinieta fits the picture in our guide to vignette countries.
Sources
- Emergency Ordinance 195/2002 on road traffic, art. 82(3) (licences from states not party to the 1968 Vienna Convention must be accompanied by an international driving permit): lege5.ro
- UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Convention on Road Traffic (Republic of Korea signed 1969, not ratified): treaties.un.org
- UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (Republic of Korea a party): treaties.un.org
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Winter tyres in Romania — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Romania whenever conditions are wintry — No fixed dates — required whenever the road is covered in snow, ice or black ice.
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Romania sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: M+S / M.S. / MS / M&S required ("all seasons" alone is not enough; 3PMSF not required)
- Studded tyres: rules could not be verified from an official source
- Penalty: Class IV penalty: 9-20 penalty points plus seizure of the registration certificate (OUG 195/2002 art. 102(1) pt. 28)
In Romanian the rule is anvelope de iarnă, and snow chains are lanțuri de zăpadă — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Checked against national legislation, 1 Oct 2026 · Full Romania tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for tourist stays, provided you also carry an International Driving Permit. Romania's road traffic ordinance (art. 82(3)) requires one where the licence comes from a state that is not party to the 1968 Vienna Convention. South Korea signed that convention in 1969 but never ratified it, and is a party only to the 1949 Geneva Convention, so the Korean 1949 permit is what you need. Arrange it in Korea before you travel.
No. Both South Korea and Romania drive on the right, so the side of the road and roundabout direction will feel familiar from the start.
Zero tolerance — 0.0 BAC, stricter than South Korea's 0.03. No alcohol at all before driving, with severe penalties for crossing the line.