Driving in Japan can be convenient and pleasant as the road conditions are excellent. However, a foreign driver’s license may not allow you to drive legally in Japan. You may require translation or conversion for your license. Read this complete guide on the driving license in Japan for foreigners and learn how to get a Japanese driver’s license.
How to Get Japanese Driver’s License
To legally drive in Japan, you need a valid driver’s license. If you don’t have a driver’s license in the first place, you can apply for a Japanese driver’s license directly. To do so, you must be at least 18 years old and mentally and physically capable of driving, which means you should have good eyesight and hearing. The Japan driving license application process involves the following steps:
Apply for a learner’s license
Before getting an actual driver’s license, you must first apply for a learner’s license. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1. Gather the required documents:
- Certificate of residence
- Resident card
- Two 3×2.4 cm photos
Step 2. Register time for a test with a driver’s license center:
You can use Google Maps to locate the nearest driver’s license center. Contact them and schedule a written test.
Step 3. Pass the written test:
You must pass the knowledge test with a score of 45 out of 50, and you will get a learner’s license.
Complete courses at an English-friendly driving school
You will have six months to pass the practical driving test to get your driver’s license. Even if driving school is not mandatory, during this period, it is advisable to complete courses at a driving school before taking the test, as this will exempt you from the practical driving test. It takes two to three months to finish the courses. In case you don’t speak Japanese, here are four driving schools for English speakers:
- EDS International Driving School (Tokyo Office)
2F, Sakashita 2-33-19 Itabashi-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 030-6325-3311
Website: eds-jp.com
- Nippon Driving School
336-0021, Satama ken Saitama shi Minami Ku Bessho 3-38-13 Green hight building room 101
Tel: 080-3450-7990
Website: nippondriving.jp
- Prabhu Driving School
1 Chome-11-31 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073
Tel: 080-9027-6114
Website: prabhudrivingjapan.com
- Okui Driving School
331-0074 Saitama Prefecture, 84 Horai, Nishi Ward, Saitama City
Tel: 070-5373-9339
Website: ja.okuicorp.com/okui-drivingschool
If you choose not to go to driving school, you should make an appointment with the driving center for the practical driving test. After passing the driving test, you may proceed to the final written test.
Pass the final written test
Schedule time for the final written test. On the day of the written test, bring the following documents:
- Certificate of graduation from a driving school
- Learner’s license
- Residence Card or My Number Card
- Certificate of residence
- One 3×2.4 cm photo.
The test contains 95 questions, and you need to pass with 95 out of 100 points. If you pass the test, you will receive your Japanese driving license on the same day.
Can You Drive with an International Driver’s Permit?
Only international driver’s permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are valid in Japan. Therefore, you must be from one of the 1949 Geneva Convention countries to be able to use an international driver’s permit in Japan. This permit is valid for one year from the date you enter Japan. If you wish to use it for over a year, you should return to your home country for three months before using it again in Japan. Besides, permits from Taiwan, Belgium, France, Estonia, Germany, Switzerland, and Monaco do not have limits on validity but require a translation into Japanese only.
How to Convert to a Japanese Driver’s License
If you have already obtained a driving license in your home country and want to stay in Japan for an extended period, you may convert it to a Japanese one. Twenty-nine countries have reciprocal agreements with the Japanese government that driver’s license holders from these countries are exempt from the written and driving tests when switching their licenses to Japanese ones.
The countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, and United States (specific states: Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, Washington). If your driver’s license was issued in one of the countries above, transferring it to a Japanese one involves the following steps:
Apply for a Japanese translation of your foreign driver’s license
This application can be done on the Translation Application Site. You need to submit a photocopy of your driver’s license front and back and pay a translation fee of 4000 JPY by credit card online or in cash at a 7-Eleven store. It takes about one week for JAF to complete the translation. This document can be printed out at any 7-Eleven store in Japan, with a printing fee of 20 JPY per page. If there is no 7-Eleven store near you, JAF will send you a hard copy of the translation to your mailing address in Japan.
Go through the license transfer process
Search in Google Maps to find your local driver’s license center and submit the required documents:
- Application form from the Japan Automobile Federation website
- One 3×2.4 cm photo
- Residence Card
- Certificate of residence
- Passport
- Driver’s license
- Japanese translation of the driver’s license
- Proof of stay in your home country for three months since obtaining the license (e.g., credit card bills, utility bills, etc.)
Take an aptitude test and eye test
If your country is in the list of exemptions, you are exempted from the written and driving tests and are only required to take the basic aptitude and eye tests to ensure you are mentally and physically capable of driving. The aptitude test is designed to assess your suitability and personality as a driver with no passing or failing grades. Then, you will take an eye test to ensure you can see clearly at far distances and distinguish between different colors. When completed, you will be issued a Japanese driver’s license. The issuance fee is 2050 JPY.
How to Get Photo for Japanese Driving License
When converting your existing driver’s license to a Japanese one, you need at least two 24×30 mm photos for the application. Before you submit the application, it’s important to check the Japanese driver’s license photo requirements to ensure they meet the standards:
- Photo size: The driver’s license photo size must be 2.4 cm wide and 3 cm high. The height of the head should be 21.9 mm.
- Photo recency: The driver’s license must be taken within the last 6 months.
- Photo background: The photo background must be light blue.
- Photo quality: The photo must be in color and have a resolution of 600 dpi.
- Facial expression: Keep a neutral facial expression, with your mouth closed and eyes wide open, and look at the camera directly.
- Eyeglasses: If you wear prescription glasses daily, ensure they do not reflect glares or cast shadows on your face. You can wear clear contact lenses instead. Sunglasses are unacceptable.
- Headwear and accessories: Headwear is not acceptable unless for religious reasons. Accessories such as earrings are allowed if they do not cover your facial features.
- Clothing: Wear casual clothes in colors that contrast with the light blue background, such as beige, white, or black.
You can get a photo for Japanese driving license application with AiPassportPhotos that 100% complies with the requirements. It is a free online driver’s license photo generator backed by advanced AI tech. Upload a portrait photo to this generator, which will crop the photo size and change the background per the official rules, and you can get a standard driver’s license photo within seconds.
What If You Are Not on the Excluded List?
If your driver’s license was not issued in 29 exempt countries, you should take the mandatory written and practical driving tests to get a Japanese driver’s license. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Step 1. Prepare paperwork:
- Application form
- One 3×2.4 cm photo
- Residence Card
- Certificate of residence
- Passport
- Driver’s license
- Japanese translation of the driver’s license
- Proof of stay in your home country for three months since obtaining the license (e.g., credit card bills, utility bills, etc.)
Step 2. Make an appointment:
Register time for a written test with a driver’s license center near you.
Step 3. Take the written test
The test consists of 10 questions that mainly focus on road signs, traffic rules, and common knowledge of driving skills in Japan. The fee for the test is 1550 JPY.
Step 4. Enroll in driving school
Choose a driving school that fits your driving experience and skills, and enroll to practice until you are confident enough and fully familiar with the driving route to pass the driving test.
Step 5. Take the Japanese practical driving test
Make an appointment with the driving center for the practical driving test. If you pass it, you receive your Japanese driver’s license on the same day. The test costs from 4000 to 6000 JPY. If you do not pass, you have to reschedule another test.
FAQs
How long does it take to get a driving license in Japan?
Generally, it takes around one year to obtain a driver’s license in Japan, from going to driving school to taking the tests.
Can I take a driving test in English in Japan?
Yes, you can take the knowledge written test in English. Besides, the practical driving test requires no Japanese.
How much does a Japanese license cost?
The total cost of a Japanese driver’s license involves:
- Issuance fee for the driver’s license: 2050 JPY
- Fee for each test: 2550 JPY
- Vehicle usage fee: 800 JPY.
- Issuance fee for the learner’s permit: 1150 JPY.
How many questions are on the Japanese driving test?
The number of questions depends on what type of license you obtain. The test for the first-ever Japanese driver’s license contains 50 questions. If you already have a foreign driver’s license, this test has 10 questions.
Conclusion
A valid Japanese driver’s license allows you to legally and safely drive in Japan as an expat, even if you have a foreign one already. Although applying for a driving license seems complicated, it will be worth it. With full preparation and enough practice, you will obtain a Japanese driver’s license soon!