Japan license conversion written test: format, languages and what to expect

The written knowledge test (知識確認) of the foreign license conversion has 50 true/false statements, a 30-minute time limit and a pass mark of 45 of 50 (90%). It has been text only, with no illustrated questions, since October 1, 2025, and prefectural police pages list 20 foreign languages including English, plus Japanese.

The format

Statements
50
Answer type
True / false (正誤式)
Time
30 minutes
Pass mark
45 of 50 (90%)
Illustrations
None
Since
October 1, 2025

Sources: National Police Agency notice (number of questions, time, pass mark, test room); true/false format: Kanagawa and Ehime prefectural police; no illustrations: government summary of the review. A points table is not published; "45 of 50" suggests one point per statement.

Languages

The Kanagawa police page (checked), the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (page updated May 11, 2026), Kyoto and Fukuoka list these 20 foreign languages, plus Japanese:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Persian
  • Korean
  • Chinese
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Thai
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
  • Indonesian
  • Khmer
  • Nepali
  • Burmese
  • Mongolian
  • Ukrainian
  • Sinhala
  • Urdu
  • Arabic
  • Hindi

The National Police Agency publishes no single list for the whole country, so check with the license center that handles your application.

What to expect on the day

  • The test is taken in a separate room. Phones are not allowed, and cheating cancels the result (National Police Agency notice).
  • Each statement describes a traffic rule or situation; you mark it true or false.
  • With 45 needed out of 50, you can miss at most 5.
  • If you pass, the practical driving test follows (unless your license is exempt from it); if you score below 45, you cannot take the practical test.
  • Whether the conversion test shares questions with the written test for a provisional license (仮免, also 50 true/false statements, 30 minutes, 90%) has not been stated; the National Police Agency says only that the pass mark is the same as for a new driver.

How our practice test mirrors the format (not the content)

Our mock tests copy what is public: 50 true/false statements, 30 minutes on a clock that keeps running, text only, pass at 45. The statements themselves are ours. The test questions are not published, and we do not claim to know them: every statement is written from the National Police Agency's rules for road traffic (交通の方法に関する教則) and the law texts, and each explanation links to the rule it comes from. See our sources and method.

Take the free testSee the full practice

Questions and answers

How long is the written test?

30 minutes for 50 true/false statements.

How many must I get right?

45 of 50 (90%). Below 45 you cannot go on to the practical test.

Which languages can I take it in?

Prefectural police pages list 20 foreign languages plus Japanese: English, Spanish, Persian, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer, Nepali, Burmese, Mongolian, Ukrainian, Sinhala, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi. There is no single nationwide list.

Can I use my phone?

No. The test is taken in a separate room, phones are not allowed, and cheating cancels the result (National Police Agency notice of January 8, 2026).

Are there sample questions from the police?

No sample questions have been published by the National Police Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department or the seven prefectures we checked.

Are there pictures?

No. The test is text only.

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

Sources