Should I get a driver’s license before coming to Japan?
Yes. Your license is valid only if you have held it for at least 3 months.
The IDP (International Driving Permit) in Japan
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What is an IDP?
With this document and a valid driver’s license from your home country, you will be able to legally drive in Japan for 12 months.
The process to obtain a Japanese driver’s license will take several months (in some cases almost a year) for those who come from areas where you cannot automatically transfer your license to a Japanese one.
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Where can I get one?
This can usually be done at a local office of your home country’s automobile association.
(a) AAA in the United States.
(b) NRMA or RACQ in Australia.
(c) AA in Britain.
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How long is it valid?
An IDP is only valid for one year from your initial entry into Japan.
If you plan on staying and driving in Japan longer than one year, you will need to apply for a Japanese license.
Although your home country may re-issue a new IDP, unfortunately, it is illegal to drive with it unless you have been outside of Japan for more than three months.
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Penalties
Penalties for being caught driving without a valid Japanese license are steep, and could possibly lead to deportation.
You should start preparing to obtain a Japanese license as soon as possible. The process for foreigners is known for taking a really long time. Some JETs have to wait almost half a year to get off the waitlist just for taking the test.
Getting a Japanese Driver’s License
For some JETs obtaining a Japanese license is as simple as a small fee and a quick sight test. However, JETs from other locations (most of the US, South Africa, and Jamaica, for example) are required to take the written and practical tests.
If you have not held a valid license in your home country for at least 3 months before coming to Japan, you are considered to not have a license and must start the process of acquiring one from the beginning like a Japanese national. This will make getting a Japanese license more expensive (upwards of 300,000 yen including driving school) and time-consuming.
Documentation Needed to get a Japanese Driver’s License
A brief overview of the process for switching overseas licenses to a Japanese license is located on the JAF website: http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/switch.htm
In order to obtain a Japanese driver’s license, you will need to provide at least the following:
Translated license (2-3 pages): An official translation of your foreign license can be obtained from JAF for around 4,000 yen (see below).
Unten rekishi shōmeisho (運転歴史証明書): You can request a PDF version of the ‘Lifetime Driving Record Abstract’ by creating an account through your state DMV.
Jūmin hyō (住民票): This is valid for only 3 months so request it last. You can obtain it at your local city/town/village office.
A recent passport photo: Passport style, 3.0 cm x 2.4 cm. You can get this done at the test center
Passport & driver’s license from home country: The driver’s license must be valid for at least three months.
Zairyuu Card (在留カード): Your alien registration/foreign residence card.
**This list is not exhaustive; please check for the specific information pertaining to converting your foreign license. For example, some Americans may have to provide a copy of their driving history in the US (obtainable from the DMV).**
Where can I get my country’s driver’s license translated into Japanese?
License translations must come from an official source (i.e. not your Japanese friend/spouse/co-worker). The easiest option for getting a translation is via the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) that you can do by either mailing or faxing a copy of your license (do not mail the original documents) to a JAF office or by going to the office with your license. By mail a translation will take about 7-10 days. In person, it should take about 30 minutes.
An explanation of how to get your license translated from JAF is located here: https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/foreign-nationals-license
If you plan on sending your documents by mail, click here to search for branch addresses.
How much does a Japanese driver’s license cost?
As of 2023, the fee for getting your license translated is 4,000 yen per document. The application to convert an overseas license costs around 4,000 yen and can be paid for at the licensing center. Additionally, if you are required to take the practical test, it will cost around 3,000 yen each time. In some places you will also have to pay to “rent” the car for the practical exam. Please check these prices at JAF or your prefectural licensing center as they may vary.
The Japanese driver’s license process
If you know you will be relying on a car as your primary mode of transportation, get started on the Japanese driver’s license AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It is encouraged to get the process rolling two to three months after you have settled in. The requirements may vary across driving centers, but in some places, you will need to complete several separate steps:
Present necessary documents + interview regarding your license
Written exam + sight, color (can you differentiate the colors on a traffic signal), and hearing tests.
Driver’s test (this is where you drive a car around the test range with an instructor). Receive your license!
*Safety seminar (sometimes required for the license, sometimes required when renewing a license).
Depending on the prefecture/center, each of these steps may have to be conducted on separate days. Additionally, the wait time could be a month or more between each step. There are ALTs who have had to wait around half a year to get to the first stage. Please start the process early before your IDP expires, especially if you will need to take the practical test portion.
Most licensing offices require applicants to arrive by a certain time. Please check your local center for exact times. The order and necessity of each of these steps will vary based on your country of origin and location of residency in Japan. Please confirm the specifics of your situation as soon as possible, especially if it is necessary to drive for work.
In some cases, you will spend several hours to come to the driving center and submit your documents (see ‘Documentation Needed to get a Japanese Driver’s License’). They will take around an hour to process everything. Then, you go in for an interview. Many testing centers do not have English-speaking staff so they require a native Japanese person to accompany all foreigners. For people with lower-level Japanese, the accompanying individual must be bilingual. In the interview room, they may ask the following questions:
- Did you go to driving school? If so, for how long?
- Did you take a written exam? If so, how many questions was it? What score did you receive? What was the score needed to pass?
- Was there someone in the backseat when you took your driver’s test?
- Did you find out your results for the written exam and road test right away?
- How long did you wait until you received a hard copy of your license?
- Have your ever lost your driver’s license? How long did it take for you to receive a new copy?
- If you lost your license, did you submit a request for a new one by yourself or did someone help you?
This is a multiple-choice test, which should be provided for you in English. All questions refer to the rules of the road in Japan. However, be forewarned that the English is often not translated by a native speaker and the wording can be strange. If you understand enough Japanese, it may be a good idea to double-check the Japanese original at the bottom of the page to make sure you do not misinterpret the meaning. Many test takers have complained about inconsistencies in the test format (i.e. sentences containing double negatives and then asking true or false).
You may also take your eye exam on this day so with the waiting time, account for 2+ hours.
Applicants will have to drive a car through a closed course. Before test time, you will be given a map and allowed to walk through the course. During the test, an instructor rides along with you and gives you instructions throughout the test. Be prepared to understand and respond to the instructions and road markings/signs entirely in Japanese. Before or after driving, or both, you should be allowed to sit in the backseat of the vehicle during another person’s test. Someone will most likely sit in during your test as well.
Is it worth taking a driving class?
Yes. It may cost a bit but even a two hour course will considerably increase your chances of passing the test. Although you may feel comfortable driving and/or have been driving for a long time, the course can feel different and there are some nit-picky rules that an instructor will point out. Many foreigners take a class at the testing center right before going in for the actual test. Those who do not take any course often fail the driving exam.
What if I fail the practical test?
Some JETs, as well as many Japanese people, have failed the practical test numerous times. There are others who have passed the test on their first attempt. If you do fail the test you will be required to make another appointment to retake your practical test. There is usually a waiting period of at least three months.
Finally, if you are not confident in understanding the instructors or road signs/markings in Japanese, please practice more. While some testing centers will allow a translator to accompany you in the car, it is definitely not guaranteed (having a translator help you with paperwork is not an issue however). More importantly, for your safety and the safety of others, you will need to be able to understand and follow information in Japanese while driving in Japan.
There are many driving schools in Japan that will help you get experience interacting with an instructor in Japanese and the course. Some of these practice locations will even have the same model of car as the testing.
What can I fail for?
Each center and officer will have their own specific things they look for when passing or failing applicants. Before taking the test ask other JETs who have taken the test about their experience. The most obvious things are failure to comply with Japanese laws of the road, such as:
Failing to stop at the railroad crossings or intersections.
Not doing appropriate checks before turning or passing.
Exceeding the speed limit.
Leaving enough room on the side of the road for bikes to pass you.
Touching the curb on the S or crank turn. If you fall off the curb while exiting, you may reverse the car up to 3 times and will only have points deducted. If you continue to drive without reversing and fixing the car, it will be considered an automatic fail.
Others are more specific to safe driving habits, like:
Not checking under and behind your car before starting the exam (for bonus points, raise your hand before stepping into the street to check the car–this is how Japanese children are taught to signal they intend to cross/enter the street).
Not adjusting your seat, seatbelt and mirrors before starting the car.
Not putting the emergency brake on when you finish the course.
Wearing open-toed shoes.
Finally, some are specific to having a good attitude (this one is the mostly instructor specific):
Do not chew gum.
Respond politely with 「hai / yes / OK」 after the officer gives you instructions.
For the last point, many instructors will give you more credit–or not fail you–if you are polite. You do not need to have great Japanese and you do not need to overdo it. Simply starting with yoroshiku onegaishimasu and a bow, responding to their instructions with hai or ok, and finishing with arigatou gozaimashita / yoroshiku onegaishimasu and a bow will go a long way.
Do I have to take paid leave to take my driver’s test?
Check your contract and speak to your school/contracting organization. Most contracts do not contain leave for obtaining a license, even if it takes several days. If a driver’s license is necessary for your job, the case can be made for special leave under most contracts. Whether you will be granted that or not is dependent on your CO.
Also keep in mind that some COs offer special leave that can only be used during certain times of the year (most often a few days for use during the summer). Those periods could be a good time to go to the licensing center. Please be aware that school/office is not obligated to give you special leave for the driving test nor is someone responsible for helping you with translation. If someone does, please take the time to thank them and perhaps give them a small gift. It will go a long way towards getting more help in the future.
Finding your nearest licensing center
Most prefectures only have one licensing center that handles switching overseas licenses. Your prefectural advisor or local AJET should have information and directions on how to get to the center in your prefecture. Please note that you must apply at the center in the prefecture where you reside, even if the center for the neighboring prefecture is closer or more convenient.
How do I book an appointment if I do not speak much Japanese?
If you need help booking a reservation with the driving center and there is no one at work that can help you, reach out to your Prefectural Advisor (PA). There are also JETs who have used the Hokkaido Foreign Resident Support Center on Facebook.
