Useful Information

Drive in Japan

2022.11.26

Drive in Japan

There are three ways to drive a car in Japan.

  1. Get Japanese driver’s license
  2. Get international driver’s license
  3. Use your country’s driver’s license with its Japanese translation (This way is only available for some countries.)

Let’s learn in detail!

To get driver’s license in Japan

You can get Japanese driver’s license by graduating from Japanese driving school or transferring your country’s driver’s license to Japanese license. In Japan, you can get your driver’s license for car from 18 years old, and for motorbike from 16 years old.

  • Driving school

You can learn traffic rules in Japan especially for driving at driving schools. You can also practice driving technique there. Although most driving schools use Japanese to teach, some of them provide other language services such as English, Chinese, Portuguese, or Vietnamese.

However, even when foreign languages are available at a certation school, it may just mean that they have foreign staff for assistance and the classes and driving practices themselves are done in Japanese. You will have to be careful of this point. Not every school provides foreign language services.  Please check about it in advance.

  • Transfer your country’s driver’s license to Japanese one

You can also get Japanese driver’s license by transferring your country’s driver’s license to Japanese one. There needs a procedure to transfer your driver’s license.

  • Where to make an application

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Center in your prefecture

  • How to transfer
  1. Submit application documents
  2. Take an aptitude test (Visual acuity test and color perception test)
  3. Take a knowledge test (Traffic rules)
  4. Take a technique test (Drive a car in a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Center)

If you pass every test, you can get Japanese driver’s license. If you are from specific countries, you can be exempted from taking 3rd and 4th test. For detail, please visit the following website.

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.html

  • What you need for application
  1. Application form (available to get at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Center)
  2. Your photo

This picture should be newer than 6 months ago. The size is 3cm×2.4cm.
You should not wear a cap. The background is blue or white. The picture should be taken from the front.

  1. A copy of the certificate residence with your permanent domicile.
    If you do not have a certificate residence, please bring your passport.

4. Personal Identification
Please bring your health insurance card, “My Number Card” or residence card.

  1. Your country’s driver’s license
    You must have lived in your country more than three months after you get your driver’s license in the country. Also, the license should be within its valid period.
    * An international driver’s license alone cannot be used to transfer to a Japan driver’s license.
  1. Japanese translation of your driver’s license in your country
    The embassy, consulate of your country, or JAF (Japanese Automobile Federation) provide the translation service. Other institutions may also be able to provide the service depending on languages.
  1. Passport
    The passport to certify that you have stayed in your country more than three months after you get your driver’s license is needed. If you renew a passport, you may need to show your previous passport. If you do not have the previous passport, you may need to show other certifications which prove your emigration and immigration record.

8. Costs
The procedure fee depends on the type of license. Issuing commission is also required.

  1. Previous Japanese driver’s license (If you have it)
    If you have previous Japanese driver’s license, please bring it.

Tests

  • Knowledge test

You will have to take the knowledge test about traffic rules. You can take the test in Japanese, Arabic, Indonesian, Urdu, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Bengali, Portuguese, Malaysian, Burmese, or Russian. For example, in Hyogo prefecture, English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Vietnamese tests are available in some driving centers.  Not every center has the test in foreign languages. Please check about it in advance.

  • Technique test (Driving test)
    This test may be held on another day of the knowledge test.

Get an international driver’s license

If you have an international driver’s license, you can drive a car in Japan for the validity period (maximum for one year). Once you get out from Japan and come back to Japan within three months, you will not be able to drive a car with your international driver’s license.

Use your country’s driver’s license and its Japanese translation (This way is only available for some countries.)

If you are from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, you can drive a car in Japan with your driver’s license in your country with its Japanese translation. The translation document can be issued at embassies, consulates of your country, or JAF (Japan Automobile Federation). There may be other institutions which also be able to issue the translation documents. The length of period you can drive a car is one year after arriving at Japan or within the valid period of your license (shorter one).

International and foreign driver’s license are valid for only one year. If you are going to stay in Japan for more than one year, I recommend Japanese driver’s license.

  • The followings are references. Information may be updated. Please check them out. (mainly written Japanese, partially in English)

https://www.npa.go.jp/policies/application/license_renewal/have_DL_issed_another_country.html

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.html

https://jaf.or.jp/common/kuruma-qa/category-drive/subcategory-another-country/faq181

https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/foreign-nationals-license (English)

https://www.police.pref.fukuoka.jp/kotsu/unshi/013.html

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.files/gaikiriqa.pdf

 

  • Please also refer to the following page

How to buy and use ICOCA　https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/icoca20221123en/

How to ride on a bus https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/bus1123en/