Foreign License Conversion in Japan: Gaimen Kirikae Guide

Who can apply for foreign licence conversion?

Foreign licence conversion is formally an application for a Japanese licence with part of the ordinary examination potentially exempted. The application is made to the prefectural police authority responsible for your registered address in Japan.

• Your foreign driving licence must be valid.
• You must show that, after the licence was issued, you stayed in the issuing country or region for at least three months in total.
• You must apply in person. An agent cannot complete the application for you.
• Foreign residents normally need to be covered by Japan's Basic Resident Registration system and provide a residence certificate containing the required specific details.

What changed from October 1, 2025?

Japan revised the conversion procedure nationwide. The most visible change is the knowledge check:

The skills check was also tightened and includes additional assessment of safety around pedestrian crossings. Applicants should prepare for Japanese observation routines, lane position, stopping points, signals and pedestrian priority—not only basic vehicle control.

Core document checklist

The National Police Agency lists the following core items. Your prefecture may request extra records depending on the issuing country and the appearance of your licence.

1. Application form and medical-condition questionnaire.
2. One application photograph, generally 3.0 × 2.4 cm, taken within six months.
3. A residence certificate showing registered domicile or the required specific matters for a foreign resident.
4. Identity document such as a My Number Card or passport.
5. The original valid foreign driving licence.
6. An accepted Japanese translation of the licence.
7. Evidence of at least three months' stay after the foreign licence was issued.
8. The applicable prefectural fee.

Common extra requests include an official driving history, a first-issue certificate, previous licences, old passports, or documents explaining licence classes and restrictions.

Typical step-by-step process

1. Check your prefecture's rules. Use the licence centre for your registered address, not whichever centre is most convenient.
2. Book the document review or interview. Some centres have long waiting periods and separate appointments for review and testing.
3. Obtain the Japanese translation. Do this early, but keep the foreign licence valid.
4. Attend the document review. Staff may ask when and how you learned to drive, where you lived, and which vehicles you drove.
5. Complete the eyesight and other aptitude checks.
6. Take the knowledge and practical checks if required. Some issuing jurisdictions qualify for exemptions, but the exact treatment must be confirmed with the prefectural police.
7. Pay issuance fees and receive the Japanese licence.

Cost and processing time

There is no single nationwide total because prefectural fees, retests, transport and practice lessons vary. A major fixed cost is the licence translation. JAF states that, from July 1, 2026, a translation intended for conversion costs ¥6,600, plus a small printing fee where applicable.

JAF's stated average translation time is around 2–3 business days for certain listed licences and around 5–10 business days for many other countries or regions. The conversion appointment itself can take much longer because licence centres may have limited interview and skills-test capacity.

Mistakes that delay applications

• Applying with an expired foreign licence.
• Bringing only an International Driving Permit instead of the national licence.
• Using a translation from a provider not accepted under Japanese law.
• Failing to prove three months in the issuing country after the licence was granted.
• Assuming rules and appointments are identical in every prefecture.
• Not obtaining proof of the original issue date when the card shows only the latest renewal date.
• Practising general driving but not Japan-specific test routines.