Japan Driver’s License Conversion: What Changed in 2025

This article was adapted from the Portuguese original with the help of AI.

Thinking about converting your driver’s license in Japan? Then it’s worth learning the new rules. Since October 1, 2025, the process of 外免切替 (gaimen kirikae), which means exchanging your foreign license for a Japanese one, has become much stricter. This guide explains what changed, what to bring, and how to prepare. The end of the year is coming, so it’s best to start early.

What is 外免切替 (gaimen kirikae)?

It is the procedure for exchanging a driver’s license issued abroad for a Japanese 運転免許証 (unten menkyoshō). You apply at the driver’s license center of the prefecture where you live. In Aichi, for example, the centers are the 運転免許試験場 (Hirabari) and the 東三河運転免許センター (Higashi-Mikawa).

According to the rules in Aichi, the basic requirements are:

• have a valid foreign license issued by the country that issued it;
• have lived in that country for at least 3 months in total after getting the license;
• have an address in the prefecture where you apply;
• be able to present a 住民票 (jūminhyō), the certificate of residence.

You cannot convert to a professional license category (二種免許, nishu menkyo). Applying by proxy is also not possible. If you don’t speak Japanese, you should bring an interpreter.

What changed in October 2025?

The change affected three points.

1. Address and 住民票

The 住民票 is now required. Tourists and people on short-term visas, who do not receive a 在留カード (zairyū kādo), can no longer apply for the conversion. For people living in Japan with regular residence status, the main point is to request the 住民票 at the city or ward office. In Aichi, it must include all items except the My Number, and it must be the original, not a copy.

2. Knowledge test (知識確認, chishiki kakunin)

Before, there were 10 questions and you needed 70% correct. Now there are 50 questions, and the minimum is 90%, which means 45 correct answers. In Aichi, the test can be taken in several languages, including Portuguese.

3. Practical driving test (技能確認, ginō kakunin)

New items were added, such as passing a pedestrian crossing. The scoring is now similar to that of people getting a license for the first time. Forgetting to signal or taking a curve the wrong way will lower your score.

The numbers show the difference. The National Police Agency (警察庁, Keisatsuchō) released the results for the first three months after the change. The pass rate was about 43% for the knowledge test and 13% for the practical test. In 2024, the rates were 92.5% and 30.4%.

What about a Brazilian license? Is there a test?

Yes, there is. The knowledge and practical tests are waived only for licenses from a list of 29 countries and regions, such as Germany, France, Portugal, South Korea and Taiwan. Brazil is not on this list. So if you hold a Brazilian driver’s license, you must take both tests. If you have previously held a Japanese license, you may be exempt from the tests, and in that case you should bring your expired license or a 経歴証明書 (keireki shōmeisho). Confirm with the police in your prefecture.

Documents to bring

The list may vary from one prefecture to another. In Aichi, the main items are:

• your foreign driver’s license;
• a Japanese translation of your license, made by someone the police accept. The Aichi police indicate the authority that issued the license, the consulate of your country, or an organization they name;
• your passport, including old ones with entry and exit stamps. They serve to prove you stayed in the country for the 3 months;
• your 在留カード;
• your 住民票;
• your old Japanese license or 経歴証明書, if you ever had one;
• glasses or contact lenses, if you use them, for the 適性試験 (teki-sei shiken), the vision test, and other basic items.

Documents issued abroad may need official certification (apostille or consular legalization). Check this before going to the center.

Step by step

1. Book your appointment. In Aichi, service is by appointment only, through the police’s online system. Slots fill up quickly. In Higashi-Mikawa, the service day varies depending on the country that issued your license.
2. Document review. If something is missing, you will have to come back another day.
3. Vision test (適性試験).
4. Knowledge test. There are 50 questions.
5. Practical test. It only takes place after you pass the knowledge test. If you fail, you must book a new date.
6. License issuance and payment of fees. The amount varies by prefecture, so check the website of your local police.

How to prepare for the tests

• Study Japanese traffic rules. They are not the same as in Brazil. Pay attention to signs, pedestrian crossings, right of way and speed limits.
• The Aichi police publish a tips guide for the practical test in Portuguese. It’s a good starting point.
• Many people take lessons at a 自動車教習所 (jidōsha kyōshūjo), a driving school, to practice the route and driving posture.
• Take your time. Write down every document, date and booking time.

Why start before the end of the year

Driver’s license centers close over the New Year holidays (年末年始, nenmatsu nenshi). Bookings are in high demand, and anyone who fails needs a new date. If you want to drive with your Japanese license in the spring, it’s already a good idea to request your 住民票 and gather your documents now. Until you have a valid Japanese license, do not drive in Japan. Driving without one is a serious traffic violation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Brazilian driver’s license in Japan without converting it?

The rules depend on the country where the license was issued. According to the National Police Agency, Brazil is not on the list of countries whose international permit is accepted in Japan. That’s why conversion is the usual path. Before driving, confirm with the police in your prefecture.

Can people on short-term visas convert their license?

No. Since October 2025, you must present a 住民票. If you only have a short-term visa, you cannot get this document and therefore cannot apply for the conversion.

Is the process the same in Fukui or other prefectures?

The national rule is the same, but each prefecture has its own center, booking system and list of documents. Check the website of your prefecture’s police or call the driver’s license center in your area.

Quick summary

• 外免切替 (gaimen kirikae) is the exchange of a foreign license for a Japanese one.
• Since October 1, 2025, a 住民票 is required.
• The knowledge test has 50 questions and requires 90% correct answers. The practical test is now stricter.
• A Brazilian license is not on the list of countries exempt from the tests.
• In Aichi, the knowledge test can be taken in Portuguese.
• Booking is mandatory, and slots are in high demand.
• Before you go, confirm documents and fees on the website of your prefecture’s police.

Sources

• 愛知県警察 – 外国免許切替制度の改正について
• 愛知県警察 – 外国免許から国内免許への切替え（運転免許試験場）
• 愛知県警察 – 東三河運転免許センター 外国免許切替（令和8年7月）
• 愛知県警察 – 外国免許から国内免許への切替え（多言語案内）
• 愛知県警察 – 実技の確認を受けられる方へ（ポルトガル語PDFあり）
• 警視庁 – 外国で取得した運転免許証を日本の運転免許証に切り替えるには
• NHK – 外免切替 厳格化後の合格率（2026年3月2日）

Cover image: xegxef / Pixabay

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