Simplify Your Drive: A Foreigner’s Easy Guide to Converting to a Japanese Driving License in One Go!

*This article applies to those who hold their country license and want to convert to a Japanese driving license.

Getting a driving license in Japan can be a daunting task, especially for foreigners. The process is meticulous, and statistics show that many individuals take multiple attempts to pass.

In this post, I would like to share the step-by-step journey to obtaining a driving license in Akashi city, Hyogo, Japan, and share valuable tips on how to ace the exam on your first attempt.

First of all, the application for the Japanese Driving License was separated to be 2 groups.

1. Convert directly without the requirement to take the knowledge test or skill exam. Available for those who obtain the license from these countries:

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

2. Convert with the requirement to take the knowledge test and skill exam. Country other than the one mentioned above. (Congrats, you are the lucky one. really! ;D)

Here are the steps you may find during converting your license into a Japanese one.

And let’s get started!

1. Translate Your License: Ensure your license is translated into Japanese. At Akashi Center, they allow to translate under these organizations/companies.

  1. 1.) A translation by the embassy or consulate(for a Taiwanese driver’s license, a translation by the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association)

2.) A translation by JAF (Japanese Automobile Federation

3.) A translation by ZIPLUS, Inc.(They are capable of translating following countries’ driver’s license; Taiwan, the United States, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and Philippines)

4.) A translation by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e.V.)

I did the translation with JAF as the application is available on the website and we would also receive the translation by printing it at the nearest convenience store.

2. Prepared the necessary document

  • A photo (3 × 2.4 cm)
  • A valid foreign driver’s license
  • A Japanese translation of the above-mentioned foreign driver’s license
  • A Japanese Driver’s License (only a driver who has valid license or held one before)
  • Certificated of residence ( Zaiyu card 在留カード/ My number card, etc)
  • Passport (Bring all of the passport you have including the old ones)

Fee: Total 4,600 Yen for Regular vehicle (2,550 Yen paid when applying, and 2,050 Yen paid after the license was issued)

3. Book Your Date Some center allows the test taker to walk in without pre-booking. As of 2024, the Hyogo Akashi driving license center requires you to schedule your exam date. The reservation date I got was almost 2 months waiting in line, so be sure to call early! Here is further information.

4. Application submission

They will ask you to come to the driving center at 10:30 AM. You can be there early as they receive applications before that time too (Also less crowded). Go to 7番 Windows with all the prepared documents.

The officer will call you in and start interviewing. They may ask where you obtained your country license, Did you go to driving school, Who taught you to drive, How long have you been driving, whether Have you ever driven in Japan etc.

To my surprise, they really checked every detail of arrival and departure in my passport including all the countries outside Japan. Be sure to bring translator with you if you cannot speak Japanese. However, the officers are real nice, and some even able to speak other languages apart from English. (Yeah! I heard one officer speak Spanish!)

5. Eye Test: Don’t forget to wear glasses or contact lenses. The eye test will include eyesight and color tests.

6. The Knowledge Test Officer will hand you 10 questions and a passing score requires 8 correct answers. After passing the paper test, they require you to pay the handling fee of 2,550 Yen.

7. Skills Exam reservation: The officer will ask you to go to 8番 window to book your practical exam date. I know it is not done in one day, but you will receive a driving course map and get a glimpse of what the practical day will be like! Also, the reservation may take a month!

8. Skill Exam: Come early with all your documents received from the first day and go to 7番. The officer will again review your documents and conduct an eye check (again).

Then they will ask you to go downstair to 8番 and receive the course map that you will take with the examination number.

  1. The course will be open to walk and inspect from 11:30-12:50. This is very important time that could help you pass the exam! Familiarize yourself with the course; visualization is key.

I would also recommend using Google Maps to visualize the route before the course walk starts, in case you find something to kill time. I found it helpful since we can really see the road signs and the lens rather than from the paper map.

  1. Before the exam begins, you will be asked to wait for the explanation. If you are not the first person to do the exam, then you will get to observe the one before you by sitting in the back of the car. And then it will be your turn to show what you’ve got!

See the full guide on how to pass the skill exam on the first try!

  1. 9. Immediate Feedback: You will receive your results right after the exam. If unsuccessful, the proctor will let you know what needs to be improved. If successful, you will ask to wait for others to finish for a collective confirmation.

In conclusion Getting a Japanese driving license, especially in Hyogo, may seem challenging, but with meticulous preparation and understanding the process, you can increase your chances of passing on the first try.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so embrace the challenge, stay focused, and soon you’ll be navigating the roads of Japan with ease! Good luck!