Procedures for a driver's license

A1

Yes. You can obtain a Japanese license by taking examinations while you are exempted from some examinations.

Conditions for conversion

• You must have a valid foreign driver's license.
  You must have a driver's license and passport which can prove that after you obtained your driver's license, you stayed for more than 3 months in total in the country which you had obtained it.

Necessary items

• Foreign driver's license (If it doesn't carry the date of issue, you have to have a certificate of driving experience.)
  a copy of each side of a foreign driver's license
• Japanese certified translation of a foreign driver's license (Translation should be done by the consulate of the country which the license was issued or JAF, the Japan Automobile Federation, TEL:072-645-1300.)
• Passport (If you got it renewed, you might have to have an old passport. We need to confirm how long you stayed in the foreign country where you obtained the driver's license.)
• A copy of passport
• A copy of a residence certificate containing a registered permanent domicile (nationality for foreign citizens)
• One photograph A full-faced, head-and-shoulder photo with no hat on against the plain background that was taken within the past six months Size of a photo is 3 cm ×2.4 cm
  （Please refer to the Criteria for Photograph on the website for further information.)
  Writing utensils：a black or blue ball-point pen
• Fees

• Business day is Monday through Friday except Saturdays, Sundays, National holidays including substitute holidays and the year-end and New Year holidays (from December 29 to January 3).

Please be sure to ask more detail information about procedures before you actually apply for conversion.