# How to convert a foreign driver's license in Japan (外免切替) after the 2025 changes

URL: https://japanhow.com/driving/license/convert-foreign-license-japan/
Author: japanhow editors
Updated: Oct 20, 2026

## Summary

You can convert a foreign driver's license to a Japanese one (外免切替) if you stayed at least 3 months in the issuing country after getting it and you live in Japan with a 住民票. Since October 1, 2025 tourists can't convert, the knowledge test has 50 questions with a 90% pass mark, and the driving test is stricter. Licenses from 29 countries and regions skip both tests. In Tokyo, as of October 2026, a regular car costs ¥2,500 to apply plus ¥2,350 to issue.

## Key facts

- Stay rule: 3+ months in the issuing country after issue
- Knowledge test: 50 questions, 90% to pass
- Tests waived: 29 countries and regions
- Tokyo fees (regular car): ¥2,500 + ¥2,350

You can convert a foreign driver's license in Japan (外免切替, gaimen kirikae) if you held it and stayed **at least 3 months in the issuing country after it was issued**, and you now live in Japan with a 住民票 (residence record). Since **October 1, 2025** tourists can no longer convert, the knowledge test has **50 questions with a 90% pass mark**, and the driving test is stricter. Licenses from 29 countries and regions skip both tests. Rules are as of October 2026.

## What changed in October 2025?

The National Police Agency (警察庁) tightened the process from October 1, 2025. Its summary gives three reasons: a government policy asking for stricter checks, accidents by drivers who converted without knowing basic rules, and tourists getting licenses.

| | Before October 2025 | Since October 1, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 住民票, or passport plus a "temporary stay" certificate (一時滞在証明) | 住民票 required, whatever your nationality |
| Who can apply | Residents and short-term visitors | Residents. Short-term statuses such as tourism can't get a license |
| Knowledge test | 10 illustrated questions, 70% to pass | 50 written questions, 90% to pass |
| Driving test | In-course check, 70% to pass | New tasks such as pedestrian crossings, stricter scoring |

Kyoto police add that the knowledge test stays available in **20 foreign languages**, and that regular cars now use one of 3 test courses. Osaka's new course includes railroad crossings and slopes. Gifu police say anyone who passed the old knowledge test before October 1, 2025 must take the new one.

The few exceptions to the 住民票 rule are narrow: diplomats with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs ID, foreign racers in Japan for motorsport events, and Japanese nationals living abroad.

**Renewing your visa? Check your residence card (在留カード) first:** Gifu police say that since October 2025 you can't take the test while your residence card is away for renewal. If your period of stay is about to end, renew first. Our [visa renewal guide](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/) explains the timing.

## Am I eligible to convert my license?

You need all of these, per the National Police Agency and the Tokyo police:

- a **valid** license from the issuing country or region
- **3 months or more** in that country after the license was issued, counted in total (not one continuous stay)
- an address in Japan in the prefecture where you apply, shown on your 住民票
- proof of the stay: your passport with entry and exit stamps

You don't need permanent residency (永住) or a particular visa. What matters is the 住民票, and the NPA notes that stays of 3 months or less don't get one.

If your passport has no stamps from the issuing country, for example because you used automated gates or travelled inside the EU, Osaka asks for proof of residence or an entry and exit record certificate. Gifu accepts documents such as employment certificates, pay slips or utility bills.

You can't convert an international driving permit (IDP). The NPA converts only the license itself. If you just arrived, you may be able to drive on an IDP for a while instead: see [driving in Japan on an international driving permit](/driving/license/international-driving-permit-japan/).

## Which countries skip the tests?

Tokyo and Osaka police list the same **29 countries and regions** whose licenses skip both the knowledge and driving tests:

Iceland, Ireland, the United States (**Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland and Washington only**), the UK, Italy, Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Hungary, Finland, France, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Monaco, Luxembourg and Taiwan.

**Indiana** licenses skip the driving test only. Everyone else, including licenses from the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Nepal, China, Brazil and other US states, takes both tests. You still need the document check, eye test and translation even if you are exempt.

## What documents do I need?

The NPA's national list is below. Each prefecture adds its own items, and Tokyo says all documents must be originals.

- application form and health questionnaire (at the center)
- **one photo**, 3.0 × 2.4 cm, taken within 6 months
- **住民票** showing the items for foreign residents: nationality, status of residence (在留資格), period of stay and expiry, and residence card number. Osaka asks for one issued within 6 months, without your My Number (個人番号)
- one ID, such as your residence card or passport
- your **foreign license** (and an old one if you have it)
- a **Japanese translation** of the license
- **all your passports** covering the 3-month stay
- the fees

Some nationalities need more. Gifu, for example, asks Pakistani applicants for an embassy certificate and asks for a license history certificate from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan and Myanmar. Chinese applicants need extra documents, including 10 years of entry and exit records. Ask your center for its country list before you book.

### Who can translate my license?

Only these translators are accepted, per the NPA:

- the issuing authority, or your country's **embassy or consulate in Japan**
- **JAF** (Japan Automobile Federation), ZIPLUS (ジップラス) or the 訪日運転者支援協会 (ALADDIN), designated by the National Public Safety Commission
- for Taiwan, the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association; for Germany, the German automobile club

JAF charges **¥6,600** including tax for a conversion translation, plus ¥20 per printed page. You apply online only, then print the original at a convenience store or JAF branch in Japan. A PDF or home print is not valid. JAF says most countries take 5 to 10 business days, and its FAQ allows 2 to 3 weeks for Arabic-language, Korean, Thai or Myanmar licenses.

## How do the tests work?

The **knowledge test** (知識確認) now has 50 written questions and you need 90%, the same standard as a new license. Ask for the language you want when you book or at the counter.

The **driving test** (技能確認) is on the center's course. The NPA added tasks such as passing pedestrian crossings and now scores failures to signal and wrong turning methods more strictly. Tokyo says the driving test needs its own reservation and can't be done on the day you hand in documents. Osaka says you must pass while your foreign license is still valid.

Many people practise first. Osaka suggests renting time on the Kadoma course or taking lessons at a designated driving school. Some schools in Tokyo sell conversion practice: see our list of [English driving schools](/driving/schools/english-driving-schools-japan/).

## Where do I apply in Tokyo and Osaka?

| | Tokyo (警視庁) | Osaka (大阪府警察) |
|---|---|---|
| Centers | **Fuchu** (府中) and **Samezu** (鮫洲) for all licenses; **Koto** (江東) for exempt countries only | **Kadoma** (門真) and **Komyoike** (光明池), depending on the issuing country |
| Booking | Online (警視庁行政手続オンライン). Phone only for diplomats and 特定技能 applicants | Phone in Japanese only, in set Friday windows. Kadoma takes exempt-country bookings at the counter since January 19, 2026 |
| Hours | Weekdays 8:30–15:00, closed 11:00–13:00 | Not stated on the conversion page |
| Language | Interpreter may be required | Bring an interpreter if Japanese is difficult |

Outside Tokyo and Osaka, apply at your own prefecture's license center. Waits can be long: Gifu says the document review is about 2 months out and the tests about 5 months after that, and its pre-screening call needs a Japanese speaker.

## How much does it cost?

| Fee (regular car) | Tokyo | Gifu |
|---|---|---|
| Application or test fee | ¥2,500 | ¥3,300 (with test vehicle) |
| License issuance | ¥2,350 | ¥2,350 |
| Each extra license category | ¥200 | ¥200 |

Add the translation (¥6,600 at JAF), your 住民票 and photo. Osaka does not publish its fees on its conversion page. Your new license has a green band and is valid until one month after your third birthday after issue. Tokyo notes the beginner mark (初心者標識) rules may apply for the first year.

**We give general information, not legal advice:** Requirements differ by prefecture and nationality and can change. Check your own license center's page before you book, and ask the center directly if your case is unusual.

More guides: [international driving permit in Japan](/driving/license/international-driving-permit-japan/), [driving camps (合宿免許) for foreigners](/driving/schools/gasshuku-menkyo-foreigners/), [English driving schools](/driving/schools/english-driving-schools-japan/) and [buying a car in Japan as a foreigner](/driving/cars/buying-a-car-in-japan-foreigner/).

## Questions people ask

### Can tourists convert a foreign license in Japan?

No. Since October 1, 2025 you must submit a 住民票 (residence record), and the National Police Agency says people with a short-term status such as tourism cannot obtain a license. Visitors drive on an international driving permit or a translated license instead.

### How many questions are on the Japan license conversion written test?

50 written questions since October 1, 2025, with a pass mark of 90% (45 correct). The old test had 10 illustrated questions and a 70% pass mark. It is offered in 20 foreign languages.

### Which countries don't need a test to convert a license in Japan?

29 countries and regions, including the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, France and most of Europe, plus seven US states. Indiana licenses skip the driving test only.

### Can I convert an international driving permit to a Japanese license?

No. The National Police Agency says it does not convert IDPs. You convert the license issued by your home country, with a Japanese translation.

### How long does the license conversion take in Japan?

It depends on the prefecture. Tokyo books the driving test separately from the document check. Gifu Prefectural Police say the document review is about 2 months out and the tests about 5 months after that.

## Sources

- [外免切替手続の見直し](https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/symbiotic_society/pdf/Initiatives_egarding_foreign_license_conversion.pdf), National Police Agency (警察庁), via Cabinet Secretariat (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国の運転免許をお持ちの方](https://www.npa.go.jp/policies/application/license_renewal/have_DL_issed_another_country.html), National Police Agency (警察庁) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [運転免許 Q&A](https://www.npa.go.jp/policies/application/license_renewal/QA.html), National Police Agency (警察庁) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国で取得した運転免許証を日本の運転免許証に切り替えるには](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国免許証から日本免許証への切り替え手続](https://www.police.pref.osaka.lg.jp/tetsuduki/untenmenkyo/3694.html), Osaka Prefectural Police (大阪府警察) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国免許切替手続に関する制度改正について](https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/fukei/menkyo/documents/kaiseinitsuite.pdf), Kyoto Prefectural Police (京都府警察) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国免許から日本の運転免許証への切替](https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/site/police/453451.html), Gifu Prefectural Police (岐阜県警察) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [About the Japanese translation of a foreign driver's license](https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas), JAF (accessed Oct 20, 2026)