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Gaimen kirikae (外免切替): how to convert a foreign driver's license in Japan (2026)
A written check with 50 true/false questions in 30 minutes (pass: 45) and a practical driving check (pass: 70 of 100). Licenses from 29 countries and regions skip both. An Indiana license skips only the practical check.
Last checked: October 25, 2026 (Aichi details: October 24, 2026). Rules and procedures change. Always read your own prefecture's page before you plan anything.
We are an independent study tool. We are not affiliated with the National Police Agency (NPA) or any prefectural police. This page is information only. We do not help with applications, bookings, or documents, and we never book a test for you. Procedures differ by prefecture, and the license center decides in your case.
The short answer
Gaimen kirikae (外免切替, also written 外国免許切替) means converting a driver's license from another country into a Japanese license. Japanese law lets you apply for a Japanese license with part of the exam waived (NPA). You apply in person at the license center of the prefecture where you live. Proxy applications are not allowed (NPA).
In most cases the center runs two checks (Tokyo MPD):
| Check | What it is | Pass mark | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written (知識確認) | 50 true/false questions, 30 minutes, no picture questions | 45 of 50 | NPA notice 丙運発第59号, Kanagawa |
| Practical (技能確認) | A driving test at the center | 70 of 100 points | NPA notice 丙運発第59号 |
The 50-question format started on October 1, 2025 (Shimane Prefectural Police). A score under 45 means you do not go on to the practical check (NPA notice). See the written test format and what changed in October 2025.
Who can skip the checks
- No written and no practical check: licenses from 29 countries and regions. Tokyo MPD lists them: Iceland, Ireland, the United Kingdom, 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, Taiwan, and the United States for seven states only: Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington (Tokyo MPD).
- No practical check only (written check still needed): a license from the U.S. state of Indiana (Tokyo MPD).
The NPA page does not give this list. Tokyo MPD, Osaka, and Aichi publish the same list. Check your prefecture's page for the current version. Not sure which group you are in? Use our checker: do I need the written test?
Who can apply
| Requirement | What the police and government pages say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registered address (住民票) | A copy of your juminhyo (resident record) is required. Foreign nationals who are not covered by the Resident Registry Act cannot normally apply, except in narrow cases such as diplomats. Since October 1, 2025, short-stay visitors such as tourists therefore cannot convert a license. | NPA, Osaka (overview of the October 2025 changes), Shimane |
| Time in the issuing country | You must have stayed in the country that issued the license for a total of 3 months or more after you got the license. You show this with passport stamps or similar records. | NPA |
| Where you apply | The license center of the prefecture where you live in Japan. For Tokyo online booking, temporary stay counts as living in Tokyo. | NPA, Tokyo MPD |
| Age (regular car) | You can apply from age 17 years 6 months, but a regular license is issued only from age 18. | Tokyo MPD |
| Eyesight (regular car) | At least 0.7 with both eyes and at least 0.3 in each eye. If one eye is below 0.3 or you cannot see with one eye, a different rule applies (field of vision and 0.7 in the other eye). | Tokyo MPD |
| Your own license | An international driving permit cannot be used for conversion. You need the license card itself. In Tokyo, an electronic license alone is not accepted. | NPA, Tokyo MPD (English PDF) |
Documents
The list depends on the country that issued your license and on your situation. Check your own center's list before you go. Tokyo MPD says to bring the originals of all required documents, not copies (Tokyo MPD). Typical items:
| Item | Notes from the police and government pages | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign license card | The valid card, plus past licenses from the same country if you have them. If the card does not show the issue date, you need a document that shows it (for example a driving record). | Tokyo MPD (English PDF) |
| Japanese translation of the license | It must come from an approved source. Tokyo MPD lists: the embassy of the issuing country in Japan (for Taiwan, the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association), the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), ADAC (German licenses), ZIPLUS Co., Ltd. (for the countries named in the PDF), and ALADDIN (for the countries named in the PDF). Tokyo's Japanese page also links the Association for Supporting Drivers Visiting Japan (訪日運転者支援協会). The NPA lists the issuing authority or its consulate, JAF, ZIPLUS, and the Association for Supporting Drivers Visiting Japan, plus the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (Taiwan) and ADAC (Germany). The NPA says a foreign sworn translator is not included. | Tokyo MPD (English PDF), NPA |
| Passport | Current and old passports. They show your stay in the issuing country. If you used automated gates, you may need entry and exit records from the issuing country. | Tokyo MPD (English PDF) |
| Residence record (住民票) | Issued within the last 6 months, with nationality and status of residence (特定事項), without your My Number. Photocopies are not accepted. | Tokyo MPD (English PDF), Osaka |
| Residence card | Listed by Aichi (Hirabari). Osaka accepts it as an ID document when you book at the counter. | Aichi (Japanese PDF), Osaka |
| Photo | One photo, 3.0 cm high by 2.4 cm wide, taken within 6 months, no hat, front view, plain background. | Tokyo MPD (English PDF) |
| Japanese license, if any | Bring a valid one, and old ones if you have them. | Tokyo MPD (English PDF) |
| Country-specific papers | Extra documents depend on the issuing country. Tokyo, Osaka, and Aichi each publish a list or file for this. Aichi says foreign certificates may need an apostille or MOFA authentication. | Tokyo MPD by country, Osaka by country, Aichi |
If you must take the practical test, your foreign license must still be valid on the test day. Tokyo's English PDF advises booking after you renew a license that expires soon (Tokyo MPD). Osaka also warns people whose license expires within 6 months (Osaka).
Steps and timeline
- Check eligibility and collect documents from your prefecture's police page (see above).
- Book. You cannot just walk in. How you book depends on the prefecture (table below).
- Document screening on your booking day. Osaka's order is: document screening, aptitude (eyesight) test, written check, practical check, photo, license (Osaka).
- Written check (if your country is not exempt). In Tokyo it is held once a day in the afternoon on weekdays at Fuchu and Samezu, and the question language can be one of 20 foreign languages (Tokyo MPD: languages, Tokyo MPD: 2025 changes).
- Practical check (if your country is not exempt) on a later day. It is by reservation only and cannot be taken on the day you apply (Tokyo MPD). Tokyo MPD says it is usually 3 to 4 months after you book (Tokyo MPD English PDF). Osaka says the wait can be long because many people apply (Osaka).
- License issued after you pass. The fees are listed below.
How booking works in three prefectures
| Prefecture | How to book | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Online, through the MPD's administrative procedures system. You need 3 months or more in the issuing country after getting the license, and you must live in Tokyo. Phone booking is only for diplomats and their families, and for Specified Skilled Worker applicants. Fuchu and Samezu accept licenses from any country. Koto accepts only licenses from the 29 exempt countries and regions. | Tokyo MPD |
| Osaka | By phone, in Japanese only, on fixed call days for a set booking window. Have all documents and your license ready when you call. A booking cannot be changed. Osaka has two conversion centers, Kadoma and Komyoike. Since January 19, 2026, exempt-country applicants at Kadoma book in person at the counter. | Osaka |
| Aichi (Hirabari) | Online advance reservation. Applicants from the 29 exempt countries and regions can book a separate slot on Thursdays. Aichi residents may use Hirabari or the Higashi-Mikawa center. | Aichi (Japanese PDF) |
Other prefectures have their own pages and rules. See our license center pages for the centers we have checked, or search for your prefectural police's page.
Fees
The NPA page lists the fee as a requirement but does not give amounts. It tells you to ask your prefectural police (NPA). The fees below are for a regular car license and can differ in other prefectures.
| Item | Tokyo (Fuchu, Samezu, Koto) | Aichi (Hirabari) | Osaka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application / test fee | ¥2,500 | ¥2,500 (test fee) | Not stated on the page |
| Test car fee | Not listed on the conversion page | ¥800 (¥3,300 in total with the test fee, for the practical test) | Not stated |
| Issuance fee (license card) | ¥2,350 | ¥2,350 (plastic license only) | Not stated |
| Fee to add to an existing Japanese license | ¥200 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Source | Tokyo MPD | Aichi (Japanese PDF) | Osaka |
Osaka's page lists the fee as something to bring but gives no amount. Ask the center. Fees for translations (JAF, embassies, and others), the juminhyo copy, and photos are separate and set by those offices. We do not list them.
If you do not pass
Most conversion pages do not give a clear retake rule. We list only what we found on government pages:
- Aichi: After you pass the screening, the eyesight test, and the written check, you may apply for the practical test again for 6 months. Aichi says many applicants do not pass within 6 months and must start again from document screening. It also says people who retake the written check may have to wait a certain period (Aichi (Japanese PDF)).
- Osaka: The practical check must be passed while your foreign license is still valid, so take care if it expires within 6 months (Osaka). Tokyo: your foreign license must be valid on the day of the practical check (Tokyo MPD English PDF).
- Tokyo: We found no published retake rule on the conversion pages. Ask the center.
Osaka also advises you to study the traffic rules and practice before the practical check so that you pass the first time (Osaka).
Where to go next
- Checker: do I need the written test?
- Written test format and languages
- What changed in October 2025
- The practical test: scoring and tasks
- License centers: Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka
- Traffic rule topics for the written test
- Try the free 50-question practice test
Frequently asked questions
What is gaimen kirikae?
It is the procedure to convert a foreign driver's license into a Japanese license. Part of the Japanese license exam is waived if you hold a foreign license (NPA).
What are the two checks, and what is the pass mark?
A written check with 50 true/false questions in 30 minutes (pass: 45) and a practical driving check (pass: 70 of 100). Licenses from 29 countries and regions skip both. An Indiana license skips only the practical check.
Can a tourist convert a license in Japan?
No. Since October 1, 2025, you need a juminhyo (resident record), so short-stay visitors cannot apply.
How long does it take?
It depends on the prefecture. Tokyo MPD says the practical check is usually 3 to 4 months after you book. Osaka says it may take a long time.
How much does it cost?
In Tokyo, ¥2,500 for the application plus ¥2,350 for issuance. In Aichi, ¥2,500 plus ¥800 for the test car plus ¥2,350 for the card. Osaka does not state the amounts. Other prefectures may differ.
Do you help with applications or bookings?
No. We only provide information and a study tool. You must apply and book yourself with the prefectural police.
Sources
- NPA: people with a foreign license
- NPA notice 丙運発第59号 (January 8, 2026)
- Tokyo MPD conversion page (updated September 7, 2026) and required documents (English PDF)
- Tokyo MPD: languages
- Osaka Prefectural Police conversion page
- Aichi Prefectural Police Hirabari guide (as of July 1, 2026)
- Kanagawa Prefectural Police
- Shimane Prefectural Police notice