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South Korean license in Japan (gaimen kirikae): no written test

Written test: no. Practical driving test: no. A South Korean license is on the list of 29 countries and regions (the page of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), updated September 7, 2026) whose license holders skip both tests. You still need your documents and a Japanese translation of the license, and the license center decides in your case. Checked October 25, 2026.

Do you need the tests?

CheckSouth Korean license
Written knowledge test (50 true/false statements, 30 minutes, pass at 45)Not required
Practical driving testNot required

What the police pages say: Knowledge check and skill check both exempt (29 countries/regions).

Sources: MPD: how to convert a foreign license (page) (page date: updated September 7, 2026 (page states the date); checked October 25, 2026); Kanagawa Police: gaimen kirikae (page date: updated February 6, 2026; checked October 25, 2026); Osaka Police: gaimen kirikae (page date: no update date found in page text; checked October 25, 2026)

Translating your license into Japanese

Every applicant, including those from exempt countries, submits a Japanese translation of the license. Who may make it, for South Korea:

  • Embassy of the issuing country in Japan
  • JAF

Per MPD, the Japanese translation (submitted) must be made by: the embassy of the issuing country in Japan (Taiwan: Taiwan-Japan Relations Association), JAF, ADAC (German licenses), ZIPLUS (listed countries only) or ALADDIN (listed countries only). All applicants, including exempt countries, need it. Korea is not in the ZIPLUS or ALADDIN lists. JAF needs a residence card or juminhyo image for Korean licenses (JAF PDF 2026.7; the JAF site page also allows a passport) and issue takes ~2-3 weeks (JAF PDF; JAF site FAQ).

Sources: MPD: hitsuyo shorui (kyotsu) (JA PDF, incl. translators list) (page date: file dated December 18, 2025 (PDF metadata; no date printed); checked October 25, 2026); JAF: guide to Japanese translation (PDF) (page date: 2026.7; checked October 25, 2026); JAF: translation application site guide (page date: mentions fee change of July 1, 2026; checked October 25, 2026)

Documents for South Korean licenses

Tokyo MPD list of documents by country (Reiwa 8 August / 08/2026): Korean nationals: Certificate of Driver's License and Certificate of Entry & Departure issued by the embassy. Other nationals: depending on documents, those certificates from the issuing authority may be needed, and possibly stay-proof documents.

The license center that handles your application decides which documents it needs. We do not check, prepare or submit documents for you.

Sources: MPD: kokubetsu hitsuyo shorui ichiran (JA PDF) (page date: Reiwa 8 (2026) August (list header); checked October 25, 2026); MPD: List of Required Documents by Country (EN PDF) (page date: 08/2026 (list header); PDF created September 1, 2026; checked October 25, 2026)

Next steps

Want to see how the written test works anyway? Free 50-question practice test.

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Sources

Last checked: . Rules and procedures can change; the license center that handles your application decides.