What changed in the Japan license conversion test in October 2025
From October 1, 2025, the written knowledge test of the foreign license conversion went from 10 illustrated questions with a pass mark of 7 (70%) to 50 text-only true/false statements in 30 minutes with a pass mark of 45 (90%). A residence certificate is now required, and the practical test is stricter. The share of takers who passed the written test fell from 92.5% in 2024 to 42.8% in October–December 2025 (National Police Agency figures reported by Nikkei and NHK).
Old and new, side by side
| What | Until September 30, 2025 | From October 1, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 10, with illustrations | 50 true/false statements, text only |
| Pass mark | 7 of 10 (70%) | 45 of 50 (90%); below 45 you cannot take the practical test |
| Time | — | 30 minutes |
| Illustrated questions | Yes | None |
| Residence certificate (住民票) | Not required | Required: tourists and other short stays can no longer convert a license |
| 3 months in the issuing country after getting the license | Required | Required (an existing rule, not new) |
| Test room | — | A separate room; phones are not allowed; cheating cancels the result |
| Practical test | — | Pedestrian crossing and railway crossing added; turn signals and the way you turn judged more strictly; pass mark still 70 of 100; at least 3 courses for ordinary cars |
— = not stated in the sources we checked. The new procedure is set by a Cabinet Office ordinance (2025 No. 81); the old procedure applied until September 30, 2025 (Shimane Prefectural Police). Test details: National Police Agency notice of January 8, 2026 and the government summary of the review.
More on the practical check: how the practical test is scored.
Pass rates before and after
| Test | 2024 | October–December 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Written knowledge test | 92.5% | 42.8% (11,716 of 27,354) |
| Practical driving test | 30.4% | 13.1% |
These are National Police Agency figures as reported by Nikkei and NHK on March 2, 2026; we have not found the agency's own release. No figures for 2026 had been published when we checked.
For scale: in 2025, 60,444 licenses were issued through conversion (counted by license category, not by person; 44,639 of them ordinary licenses), according to the National Police Agency's license statistics.
If you started before October 2025
Someone who passed the old written test but had not passed the practical test by October 1, 2025 takes the new 50-statement test (Fukuoka Prefectural Police).
What it means for preparing
At 90%, you can miss at most 5 of 50 statements. True/false statements reward exact knowledge of the rules: a number that is slightly off, an "always" that should be "usually", or a missing exception makes a statement false. Practice on full 50-statement tests against the clock and read the explanation of every statement you get wrong.
Last checked: . Rules and procedures can change; the license center that handles your application decides.
Sources
- National Police Agency notice 丙運発第59号 (January 8, 2026), p. 9: 50 questions, 30 minutes, pass mark
- Cabinet Secretariat / National Police Agency summary: review of the foreign license conversion procedure
- Shimane Prefectural Police notice 島免甲第313号 (new procedure from October 1, 2025)
- Fukuoka Prefectural Police: foreign license conversion
- Nikkei (March 2026): pass rates after the change, citing National Police Agency figures (also reported by NHK)
- National Police Agency: driver's license statistics, 2025 edition (PDF)
- National Police Agency: holders of a license issued in another country (3 months in the issuing country)