How do I convert my foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one?

If you know how to drive and already have a driver's license from your home country, this is the fastest step but not the easiest way in getting your driver's license converted into Japanese one unless you have the knowledge of Japan Rules of Road and / or attended a 2~4 hours practical lesson at any driving schools in Japan.

For some talented or even lucky people, they can pass the practical exam in 1~2 shots but for the rest, it took ages wasting time and money going back and forth to the driving center.

• What are the screening procedures?

• Interview and Documents checking. Must be done in person and in Japanese. Ensure you understand the communication or have a translator with you to assist you throughout the screening interview.

• Pass the written exam of fifty (50) True or False questions by getting a score of 45 or more.

• Pass the practical exam at the driving center's indoor course. Depending on the license center, this may be on the same day after passing the written or requires an appointment to take the exam on other day. Please inquire to your local driver’s license center.

• If you passed both, you get your Japan driver's license, and it will be on the same day when you took and passed your practical exam.

  
  

• What are the requirements?

• Your valid foreign driver's license

• Any documents to serve as a proof you stayed in the country or region where you obtained the foreign license exceeding three (3) consecutive months (e.g. passport - even expired one if it states the information there).

• A translation of your foreign driver's license from Japan Automobiles Federation (JAF) or your embassy.

• Official copy of your "Jyuminhyo" (Resident certificate) with your Nationality record on it.

• Your "Zairyu card" (Residence card).

• A recent photo of yours with 3 cm x 2.4 cm size.

• Payment: approximately 2,600 yen for regular motor vehicle.

• Other required documents: https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.files/kunibetu.eg.pdf

• Qualifications

• 18 years old or older

• Regular (ordinary) motorcycle license: 16 or older

• You must have stayed in the country or region where you obtained the license for a total of three months or more since you got it.

• Visual Acuity (Japanese scale)

• Ordinary motor vehicle license/motorcycle licenses: 0.7 or better (both eyes) and 0.3 or better (each eye); or If the vision of one eye is under 0.3 or one eye has no vision, the visual field of the other eye must be 150 continuous degrees or more along the horizontal meridian and its vision 0.7 or better.

• Where to go?​

• Tokyo: Samezu Driver's License Center

• Tokyo: Fuchu Driver's License Center

  Make a reservation: Online reservation for Tokyo

• Saitama: Saitama Driver's License Center Make a reservation: Online reservation for Saitama

• Chiba: Chiba Driver's License Center

• Office Hours:

• ​08:00 ~ 15:00 (closed between 11:00 to 13:00)

• Exemptions

The list of countries below are exempted from written examination and practical driving skills.

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Kingdom of Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United State of America (States of Ohio, States of Oregon, States of Colorado, States of Hawaii, States of Maryland and Washington only), and Taiwan.

(アイスランド、アイルランド、アメリカ合衆国（オハイオ州、オレゴン州、コロラド州、バージニア州、ハワイ州、メリーランド州及びワシントン州に限る）、イギリス、イタリア、オーストラリア、オーストリア、オランダ、カナダ、韓国、ギリシャ、スイス、スウェ－デン、スペイン、スロベニア、チェコ、デンマーク、ドイツ、ニュージーランド、ノルウェ－、ハンガリー、フィンランド、フランス、ベルギー、ポーランド、ポルトガル、モナコ、ルクセンブルク、台湾)

If you need a driving training prior to your practical examination, please make a booking from our online system and select the appropriate service needed. Check this link https://www.eds-jp.com/book-online for details.

If for some reason, the Driver's License Center did not allow you to proceed converting your foreign license, contact us to inquire about acquiring your Japan Driver's License attending driving lessons such as classroom-based and behind the wheels.

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