Foreign Licence Conversion Document Checklist

Core national checklist

• Valid original foreign driving licence.
• Japanese translation prepared by an authorised person or organisation.
• Residence certificate (jūminhyō) with the required registered domicile or specific foreign-resident details.
• Identity document, such as a My Number Card or passport.
• Application photograph, generally 3.0 × 2.4 cm and taken within six months.
• Current and old passports relevant to the licence history.
• Proof of three months or more in the issuing country after the licence was granted.
• Application form and medical-condition questionnaire completed at or for the centre.
• Fees required by your prefecture.

How to prove the three-month requirement

The rule is based on time spent in the issuing country or region after you received the licence. Useful evidence can include:

• Passport entry and exit stamps.
• Official immigration movement records.
• Old passports.
• Employment or school records showing physical presence.
• Tax, social-insurance, utility or residence records.
• An official licence history showing the original grant date.

Documents should be internally consistent. For example, a licence card showing a 2025 renewal date does not by itself prove that you first received the licence in 2012.

When the licence does not show the first issue date

Many licence cards display the latest renewal or replacement date. Ask the issuing authority for a certified driving record, licence history, first-issue certificate or equivalent document. Some licence centres will not infer the original issue date from the class or card design.

Translation requirements

The translation must be prepared by a person or organisation recognised under Japanese rules and must clearly state the permitted vehicle categories, licence validity and restrictions. A translation by an ordinary private translator may not be accepted merely because it is certified in another country.

JAF, designated providers, relevant issuing authorities and some consular offices may be available, depending on the licence.

Prefecture-specific and country-specific documents

Licence centres may request additional materials to interpret a particular country's system. Examples include a licence subpage, an official receipt, a certificate from the issuing authority, or a document explaining vehicle classes. Always use the checklist published by the prefecture where you are registered.

Before booking, send or read the exact front and back details of your licence when the centre provides a pre-check system. Do not crop, edit or cover information on licence images used for translation.

Printable final check

Print this page and tick each item before leaving:

• Appointment confirmation.
• Original licence and all relevant old licences.
• Translation.
• Residence certificate issued within the period required by the prefecture.
• Residence card / My Number Card / passport.
• All old and current passports.
• First-issue and licence-history evidence.
• Photo.
• Glasses or contact lenses used for driving.
• Payment method accepted by the centre.
• Interpreter or language support arranged, if needed.