Car Rental in Jeju (2026) - Driving Guide & Best Rates
Explore Jeju Island with ease by renting a car-find the best hotels, beaches, and things to do while enjoying the freedom to roam at your own pace.
Driving Requirements
LEGAL REQUIREMENT: Foreign visitors driving in South Korea, including Jeju, generally need a valid International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, carried together with their original national license. Neither document is considered valid without the other. The IDP is recognised for the duration of a tourist stay, typically up to one year from entry, after which long-term residents must obtain a Korean license. Rental companies will typically refuse handover without both documents present.
LEGAL: South Korean law sets the minimum licensed driving age at 18. RENTAL POLICY (varies by company): Most Jeju rental operators require drivers to be at least 21; many set the threshold at 25 or apply a young-driver surcharge for those under 26. Age requirements are not uniform across providers, confirm the specific policy with your chosen company before booking, as assuming the legal minimum applies to rentals is a common and costly mistake.
LEGAL: South Korean law requires all vehicles to carry third-party liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage to others. Rental vehicles must include this coverage by law. RENTAL ADD-ON: Rental companies typically offer optional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) covering the rental vehicle itself, basic CDW is sometimes bundled into the rate but frequently carries a significant deductible. Reviewing exactly what is covered, and what the deductible exposure is, before signing the rental agreement is strongly recommended.
RENTAL POLICY: Most Jeju rental companies require a credit card, not a debit card, to place a security deposit hold at vehicle pickup. The hold amount varies by provider and vehicle category. Some larger international chains may accept alternatives in limited cases. But this is not the norm on Jeju. Verify your specific provider's payment requirements before arriving at the counter, as arriving without an accepted card can result in losing the reservation.
South Korea drives on the right. Speed limits across Jeju are strictly enforced via numerous fixed and mobile cameras, and fines are issued promptly. Posted limits on rural and coastal roads are often lower than visitors expect. Handheld mobile phone use while driving is prohibited by law for all drivers.
Helpful Tips
Jeju International Airport (CJU) has rental counters landside and is the most convenient pickup point for fly-in visitors. But queue times during peak summer weekends and Korean public holidays can be long, pre-booking online with a company that has a dedicated airport desk will save significant time over walk-up rentals in Jeju City.
Before accepting the car, photograph or video every panel, the wheel rims, and the undercarriage lip, Jeju's black volcanic-rock curbs are notorious for causing rim scuffs that get disputed on return. Also confirm explicitly whether the basic CDW policy covers tire and rim damage, as some companies exclude it under a separate surcharge.
Do not rely on Google Maps for in-car navigation in South Korea, legal restrictions on map data export severely limit its routing accuracy. Use Kakao Maps or Naver Maps instead, both of which have English-language modes, give accurate turn-by-turn directions across Jeju, and should be downloaded for offline use before heading into the highland areas near Hallasan where mobile data coverage can drop.
Confirm the fuel type (gasoline/휘발유 or diesel/경유) before leaving the lot, as the pumps are labeled in Korean and misfueling is an expensive mistake; full-to-full is the standard rental arrangement on Jeju, and while stations are plentiful along the coastal ring road (Route 1132), they thin out noticeably in the interior and on the road up toward Hallasan.
Parking at Jeju's most-visited spots, Seongsan Ilchulbong, Manjanggul Cave, and the major coastal viewpoints, fills completely by mid-morning on weekends and public holidays, so arriving before 9 a.m. is the most reliable strategy; Jeju City center uses a mix of metered street bays and paid lots, while most pensions and guesthouses outside the city provide free overnight parking.
Driving Warnings
Right turns at red lights are prohibited in South Korea unless a dedicated green arrow or an explicit sign specifically permits it, the default is a full stop, unlike in the US or Canada. Violations carry on-the-spot fines, and intersections near popular tourist areas such as Jeju City's downtown and Seongsan are monitored.
South Korea's legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.03%, roughly one standard drink for most adults, far stricter than the 0.08% limit in the US or 0.05% common across Europe. At 0.08% BAC you face automatic license suspension and potential criminal charges, and roadside checkpoints operate on Jeju, on weekend nights near resort and restaurant clusters.
Fixed speed cameras are common throughout Jeju, including along Route 1132 (Iljudoro), the coastal ring road encircling the island. Cameras are typically preceded by roadside warning signs. But the speed limits, often 60, 80 km/h on sections that feel open and fast, are enforced with mailed fines that follow rental car registrations back to drivers.
The 516 Road crossing Hallasan is subject to sudden closures during winter snow and ice with little advance notice, pushing all cross-island traffic onto Route 1132 and causing major delays; separately, the eastern stretch of 1132 approaching Seongsan Ilchulbong becomes heavily congested on weekends and during spring cherry blossom season, with parking queues extending onto the main carriageway.