How to Rent a Car in Jeju Island: Step-by-Step Guide from Jeju Airport

I’ve visited Jeju Island three times now — my first two trips were by bus, and my most recent trip was by rental car.

I personally enjoy traveling by bus, but having a car did provide more freedom to explore Jeju’s coastlines, waterfalls, and viewpoints on our own schedule.

The process was straightforward, but there were a few things we wish we’d known beforehand that would have helped.

This guide covers how to rent a car in Jeju, what to expect at the airport, the documents you’ll need, and what driving on the island is really like, including gas refills and returns.

➡️ Whether you choose to rent a car or getting around by bus, make sure to choose the right area to stay in Jeju.

Book before you visit Jeju Island:

🚗 Private car tour — great for seeing harder-to-reach spots

🏨 Best discounted hotels — great locations and solid reviews

🎟 Local-led Jeju tours with stops + insight you won’t find alone

🚘 Rent a car in Jeju if you want to drive yourself

Table of Contents

Where to Book Your Jeju Rental Car

A covered pedestrian walkway leading to the rental car shuttle area, with signs in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. Several travelers are walking with suitcases, heading toward the designated shuttle pickup points.

To keep things easy, book your car online before you arrive so you can go straight to the shuttle cars that’ll take you to your chosen rental company.

I recommend using Discovercars to compare prices and companies in one place and filter by car specifications and rental brands.

You choose to pay the rental in full or partial for now.

For 3 nights in Jeju with full coverage we paid $122 USD and around $30 USD for a full tank of gas.

👉 Check prices & book your Jeju rental car

Picking Up Your Rental Car at Jeju Airport: Step-by-Step

This section is based on renting from Lotte company and navigating the airport setup. The process is similar for other companies, but the exact lot name and logo will change.

1. After You Land: Find the Rental Car Shuttle

Once you grab your luggage and exit the arrivals area:

Facing the airport exit doors, walk to the right.
Head toward Gate 5 (outside). You’ll cross the street to the right-hand side and follow the signs for rental cars.

A blue public bus labeled “332” is seen exiting a rent-a-car facility under an overpass, with a crosswalk and traffic cones in the foreground. The background features a high-security fence, urban buildings, and clear weather with a bright sky.

Inside the rental shuttle office before you head to the back parking lot, you’ll see a screen with different company logos and lot names:

A digital arrival board inside an airport showing the real-time schedule for car rental shuttle buses. The sign lists company names, pickup zones, and expected arrival times in Korean, with additional Japanese, Chinese, and English translations.

Here’s the slightly confusing part:

Some companies don’t have their name written in English, just a logo.
For example, with Lotte, you’ll look for the Lotte logo rather than “Lotte Rent-a-Car” written out. You can also use Google Translate or Papago app to scan it to English.

Once you find your company on the screen:

Note the area/lot number (e.g. “Area 1–4”)
Go to that corresponding shuttle waiting zone outside. There will be a signboard with that number.

A sidewalk sign outside a shuttle stop with information for Lotte Rent-a-Car, including shuttle bus hours and business hours. A QR code and contact number are displayed, and the sign is positioned in a sunlit glass shelter near a curb.

The shuttle bus:

Has space for large luggages inside the bus.
Will take you to the separate rental car center where all the offices and pick-up lots are (about 10 minutes to Lotte).

The interior of a nearly empty shuttle bus with handrails, grab handles, and designated spaces for passengers with disabilities. The view faces the front of the bus, where the driver's area and screen are visible, and large windows show palm trees and a sunny day outside.

👉 Check prices & book your Jeju rental car with Discovercars

2. At the Rental Office

A modern self-check-in area inside a car rental office with four touchscreen kiosks lined up along a wall. Signage in Korean and English directs customers, and a red banner overhead provides additional instructions for walk-in users.

Once you arrive at the rental car center (e.g. Lotte’s car rental office):

In our case, we grabbed a number from the self check-in kiosk.
Wait until your number appears on the screen above (there was be a “foreigner” counter help desk that took our number).

A car rental counter labeled for “Foreigners” in Korean, English, and Chinese, with a digital queue number display above. A staff member is seated behind the desk, ready to assist international travelers, and a flight information screen is partially visible on the right.

When it’s your turn, go to the desk and show:

Your passport / ID
Your driver’s license
Your International Driving Permit (they required the physical, original card/booklet).

At the counter you:

Confirm the booking details, read the terms, and sign.
Pay for the remaining rental if you didn’t prepay.
They’ll give you a paper slip or contract with your car information and parking spot.

Keep that slip handy—you’ll need it to find your car in the pick-up lot.

A Lotte Rent-a-Car agreement showing vehicle and rental details, including the model "Morning," return date and time, fuel type options (gasoline, diesel, EV), and insurance information. Important notes warn against fuel mixing, encourage using full-service gas stations, and list emergency contact numbers and branch business hours.

👉 Ready to book? Check prices for Jeju rental cars

Finding Your Car & Leaving the Rental Lot

A covered car rental return area with several white vehicles parked in a row, where staff members are inspecting and processing returns. The pillars are marked with red signs that read "반납" and "Return," indicating the designated return area for rental cars.

3. Locate Your Car in the Pick-Up Zone

The slip will tell you:

Which lot to go to
Your car’s space number

Once you find your car:

Double-check the license plate matches your paperwork.
Even if you added full coverage, take a minute to walk around the car and take photos of:
- Any existing scratches or dents
- The wheels
Take a photo of the gas gauge before you leave.

The open trunk of a white compact hatchback rental car, showing a small cargo space behind the back seats. A pink suitcase sits nearby on the ground, and other vehicles are parked in the background under a covered structure.

4. Connect Navigation Before You Drive

Important: Google Maps doesn’t work properly for driving directions in South Korea.

Instead:

Bring a phone USB charger cable to connect your phone. The car has built-in navigation, but punching in addresses in English is quite difficult.
Instead, use Naver Map or KakaoMap (you’ll want these apps installed beforehand) once you connect your phone).
Naver often can detect addresses in English, or you can copy and paste the Korean address often added to the Google Maps location details.

Set your first destination and get familiar with the route before you start the engine so you’re not struggling with your phone while trying to exit the lot.

What It’s Really Like to Drive in Jeju Island

Large wind turbines stand tall against a clear blue sky near the coastline, surrounded by golden grasses and traditional-style pavilions. A group of people gathers near the shoreline, adding a sense of scale to the open landscape. The scene blends renewable energy infrastructure with natural and cultural elements.

Driving in Jeju is totally doable, but there are a few things that might surprise you if you’re used to driving in North America or Europe.

Here are some things we came across:

Speed limits – In many areas, it’s around 50 km/h, though many locals don’t follow it especially on highways. The car may continue beeping at you if you go over the limit.

A car navigation system screen showing a driving route in Jeju with an estimated arrival time of 1:41 PM, a distance of 4 km remaining, and a travel duration of 9 minutes. The interface displays local landmarks, speed limits, traffic cameras, and app shortcuts at the bottom of the screen.

Roundabouts – There’s quite a bit of roundabouts, and they can be confusing at first. The navigation will show you want exit to take.
Speed bumps – There are many real speed bumps, plus some fake speed bumps meant to make you slow down. The speed bumps were marked on the navigation screen, along with right lanes to take in pink.

Another car navigation display mid-route in Jeju, showing 274 meters until the next turn with clear lane guidance and arrows. It includes a speed limit sign, camera alert, and detailed road map with local businesses and landmarks identified in Korean.

Yellow lights – Some intersections have what feel like “fake” or very quick yellow lights. Locals sometimes treat these a bit like a free-for-all; just stay alert and don’t feel pressured to rush.
Night driving – It can get quite dark at night, especially when driving south or in more rural stretches. If you’re not comfortable driving in the dark, try to plan your day so you’re back at your hotel before it’s dark outside.
Hotels usually have designated parking spots.

👉 Ready to book? Check prices for Jeju rental cars

Gas Stations in Jeju: How to Refuel

A wide view of a self-service gas station pump setup in Korea under a covered structure. The pump features multiple colored nozzles and Korean signage, including “셀프 서비스” (Self Service), along with a green anti-static handpad, and a surrounding area with safety bollards and a vending display.

For our three nights in Jeju Island, we used one tank of gas and didn’t need to refuel until right before returning the car at a nearby station.

Refueling in Jeju can be a little confusing the first time, especially if:

Instructions aren’t in English
Your credit card is foreign

A close-up of a self-service gas pump screen in Korea displaying transaction details, including the total cost (₩14,788), volume filled (8.271 liters), and price per liter. The screen includes various buttons, a QR code, and Korean instructions, with a blue diesel nozzle and a slot labeled "Fuel Cap Storage" below.

Here are a few things to know:

Many gas stations have one staff member outside whose job is to help.
Not all stations have air pumps for tires, so don’t count on topping up your tires everywhere.
If you’re self-serving, pump instructions may not be in English. Use Papago or Google Translate app to scan the text to English.

A smartphone using Google Lens to translate Korean text on a gas pump screen to English. The translated message advises customers to touch an anti-static pad for safety and instructs that the pump is for IC credit cards only, prompting the user to use the IC reader.

If your non-Korean card doesn’t work at the pump, usually, the staff will come out to help and process your card manually.

On one Jeju rental, a full tank cost about 40,000 KRW and covered roughly 260 miles (around 420 km). Your mileage will vary depending on the car and how much you drive, but that gives you a rough idea.

A digital car dashboard showing the vehicle is in park with a remaining range of 527 km. It displays trip details since last refueling, including a 1.9 km distance, 18-minute duration, and an average fuel efficiency of 7.3 km/L, with the odometer reading at 11,716 km and exterior temperature at 19°C.

Returning Your Rental Car in Jeju

When it’s time to return your car:

Head back to the same rental center you picked it up from (follow the company’s address in Naver Map).
Staff usually direct you into a return line or lane.
Park, turn off the engine, and start taking your personal items out of the car.
A staff member will:
- Ask if everything was okay
- Check the fuel level (they expect it to be full unless your contract says otherwise)
- Do a quick walk-around to look for any damage
- Collect the keys
Then you’ll hop on the shuttle bus back to the airport.
While returning the car (few minutes) and taking the shuttle didn’t take long, make sure to leave enough time before your flight check-in.

Documents You Need to Rent a Car in Jeju

An International Driving Permit issued by the United States through AAA, valid from November 16, 2023, for one year. The document is held in someone's hand and clearly states that it is not valid for driving in the United States, with an official signature and permit number at the bottom.

Before you travel, make sure you have:

Your valid driver’s license from your home country
A physical International Driving Permit (IDP)
Your passport or ID
A credit card for any deposits + payment

Even if you’ve added full coverage via your booking (e.g. through Discovercars):

Still take photos of the car when you pick it up and when you return it.
Keep your paper slip/contract until the rental is fully closed.

👉 Check prices & book your Jeju rental car

Is It Worth Renting a Car in Jeju?

A collage of landscapes and attractions from Jeju Island.

Again, I enjoy getting around by bus and would do so again, but you may want to rent a car if:

You’re limited on time and aren’t joining tours that provide transportation
You’re traveling with a friend
You want to explore multiple coasts
You get bored easily on buses or waiting for buses

If you’re ready to plan your trip to Jeju, you can start here:

👉 Search rental cars for Jeju Island on Discovercars

Then bookmark this post for when you land—so you know exactly what to do from the moment you pick up your luggage to the moment you return the car at the end of your trip.

Big thanks to my friend who drove on our trip to Jeju!

👉 Book your Jeju rental car today to get the best picks