Home › Countries › United Kingdom

UK license in Japan (gaimen kirikae): no written test

Written test: no. Practical driving test: no. An UK 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?

CheckUK 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 the United Kingdom:

  • Embassy of the issuing country in Japan
  • JAF
  • ZIPLUS (UK listed in MPD JA common list, Dec 2025 file; omitted in the older EN file)

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.

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); MPD: Required Documents (All applicants) (EN PDF) (page date: file dated December 4, 2025 (PDF metadata); older than the JA file - its ZIPLUS list omits the UK; checked October 25, 2026)

Documents for UK licenses

The Tokyo MPD list of documents by country (Reiwa 8 August / 08/2026) has no row for the United Kingdom. no country-specific note on the MPD list (checked 2026-10-25)

  • The MPD list has a row 'European Countries' (stay-proof documents if the passport has no stamps, etc.). The UK is not named in it; whether it applies to the UK is not confirmed and not assumed.

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.

We are an independent study tool. We do not help with applications, bookings or documents.

Other countries

All countries · United States · Philippines · Vietnam · Nepal · India · China · Brazil · Indonesia · Sri Lanka · Myanmar · Thailand · Canada · Australia · South Korea · Taiwan

Sources

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