Q:

I live in Aichi Prefecture. I would like to convert my current driver's license issued in my home country to a Japanese license. I've heard that the system has changed starting in October -- what should I do?

 

A:

To convert a foreign license to a Japanese license, you need to undergo an examination at a specific location.

There are two examination locations in Aichi Prefecture:

• Hirabari Driver's License Examination Center (Address: 3-605 Hirabariminami, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya; Phone: 052-800-1352)
• Higashi Mikawa Driver's License Center (Address: 2-7 Kanaya Nishimachi, Toyokawa; Phone: 0533-85-7181)

 

Requirements to take the examination are as follows:

• You stayed in the license issuing country for a total of at least three months after obtaining your license.
• Your current driver's license is valid in the issuing country.
• You are a registered resident of Aichi Prefecture.　　　

→Starting October 1, 2025, submitting a Jumin-Hyo (Certificate of Residence) has become required. The Jumin-Hyo you submit should contain details such as your nationality, type and duration of residence status, and your residence card number.

　　

To take the examination, you need to make an advance reservation through the Aichi Prefectural Police Website.

Please make a reservation and confirmation with the help of someone who understands Japanese.

★Advance Reservation Website (Japanese): https://ttzk.graffer.jp/pref-aichi-police

★How to use the advance reservation website (Japanese):

https://www.pref.aichi.jp/police/menkyo/topics/images/yoyakuhouhou02.pdf

 

Once your reservation is complete, the process will proceed in the following order:

Document screening → payment → aptitude test and knowledge confirmation/examination → practical skills test.　

If you pass all the examinations, you will be issued a Japanese driver's license.

★A Japanese translation of your foreign driver's license is required for application screening.

★The knowledge confirmation/examination is available in 20 languages. The available languages vary depending on the day of the week. (As of October 1, 2025, Turkish is no longer supported.)

★As of October 1, 2025, the knowledge confirmation/examination has been revised to consist of 50 questions, with a passing score of 90% or higher.

★Also starting from October 1, 2025, the knowledge confirmation/examination is now held only once per day, starting at 1:30 PM (Hirabari Driver's License Examination Center).

 

*If your driver's license was issued in certain states in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, or certain other countries or regions, you may be exempt from the written and practical examinations.　

 

★There are various other conditions for converting a foreign license to a Japanese license.

For more details, please be sure to check the following Aichi Prefectural Police websites.

https://x.gd/rhGMn