Do you want to get Regular Motorcycle license and ride a motorbike, but are worried because you don't know the specific steps or how long it will take?

This article will clearly explain the three specific ways to obtain Regular Motorcycle license, including the process, costs, and time required to obtain one. It will also introduce three tips for successfully obtaining Regular Motorcycle license, so it is full of useful information for those who are trying to obtain a driver's license for the first time.

Please use this as a reference and aim to obtain Regular Motorcycle license.

What is Regular Motorcycle license?

Officially, it is called a regular motorcycle license, and it is divided into four types depending on the type of motorcycle you can drive. There are four types: MT (manual), which has no restrictions, AT-limited license, which allows you to drive only AT (automatic) vehicles, and regular two-wheeled small-sized vehicle license (AT-limited/MT).

Types of motorcycles that can be driven with Regular Motorcycle license

This applies to motorcycles with an engine displacement of 51cc or more and 400cc or less. In other words Regular Motorcycle license is a license that allows you to drive any motorcycle that falls within this range. The following motorcycles are examples of applicable motorcycles:

• Motorized bicycle (moped)
• Small special purpose vehicle
• Small motorcycle (51cc~125cc)
• Regular Motorcycle (126cc - 400cc)

MT bikes require clutch operation in addition to accelerator and brake. The clutch refers to the part that connects or disconnects power from the engine to the transmission that changes the speed of the bike. The appeal of this is that you can make detailed speed adjustments, but since you also have to operate the part that connects the power, a mistake can cause the engine to stop.

On the other hand, automatic transmission bikes are bikes in which this clutch operation part is automated. If you obtain a manual transmission license, you can also ride an AT motorcycle, but if you find it difficult to operate a manual transmission or plan to only use AT motorcycles, you may choose an AT-only license.

In addition, one of the characteristics of regular motorcycles is that they can be driven on expressways if their displacement exceeds 125cc (126cc or more). If you want to ride on the highway, choose a bike with a displacement that exceeds the regulations.

2-seater limit

In order to drive safely, different conditions apply for ordinary roads and expressways. If you violate either of these, you will be charged with a violation of how to ride large motorcycles, etc., or a violation of the traffic ban, and you will be required to receive points, fines, and fines.

The restrictions are as follows.

road to drive	bike to ride	driver
General road	Displacement: Over 50cc Capacity: 2 people	1 year or more of driving experience since obtaining license
highway	Displacement: Over 125cc Capacity: 2 people	Age 20 years or older More than 3 years have passed since you obtained your license.

To ensure the safety of your fellow passengers, it is important to make arrangements such as helmets, clothing, and signals while driving. Also, check to see if your insurance policy covers unforeseen accidents.

Also, please be aware that some expressways, such as the Metropolitan Expressway, prohibit riding two people on a motorcycle.

Conditions for obtaining Regular Motorcycle license

Based on the Road Traffic Act, applicants must be 16 years of age or older to take the exam. No license history required.

In addition, you will be tested to see if your eyesight, hearing, color discrimination ability, and physical ability meet the standards for obtaining a license. The conditions for the aptitude test required to obtain Regular Motorcycle license are as follows:

item	conditions
Vision	0.7 or more in both eyes 0.3 or more in one eye (if it is less than 0.3, the visual acuity of the other eye must be 0.7 or more, and the visual field must be 150 degrees or more left and right) Can be used with glasses or contact lenses
Color discrimination ability	Can distinguish red, blue, and yellow
hearing	Ability to understand conversations in daily life A 90 decibel alarm can be heard at a distance of 10 meters. In either case, if you have a hearing aid, your hearing will not be affected.
Exercise capacity	Must not have a physical disability that interferes with the cognition or steering wheel operation necessary to drive safely. If there is a disability, it will not be a problem if auxiliary measures are taken.

For those who may not be able to meet the standards in the aptitude test, advance consultation at the driver's license examination center is available.

Also, each driving school may check in advance to see if you can handle the bike properly and if you are tall enough, so if you have any concerns before going to the driving school, it is a good idea to consult with us.

There are three ways to obtain Regular Motorcycle license

We will explain the three ways to obtain Regular Motorcycle license, along with the cost and time it takes to obtain one.

1. attend a driving school

The method is to make a reservation at a driving school during a time that you can attend, receive the necessary curriculum, and aim to obtain your license.

Process to obtain license

1. Enter a driving school
2. Receive Driving Lessons and academic training
3. take Final Driving Test
4. After passing, take a written test etc. at a driver's license examination center.
5. Carry out procedures for license issuance

If you graduate from a designated driving school, you will be exempt from taking a skill test at a driver's license exam center. Furthermore, if you have a regular driver's license, you will be exempted from taking the written test, and if you pass the aptitude test, you will be issued your license.

Acquisition cost

It depends on the designated driving school you attend, but if you don't have a driver's license or have a moped license, the cost for a manual transmission is around 120,000 yen to 150,000 yen. If you choose AT only, it will be about 20,000 yen cheaper. Depending on the student or discount campaign, prices may be even cheaper, so if you have options, it's a good idea to compare each driving school.

Also, depending on the license you hold, you will be exempted from some of the academic training. Because the number of lessons you receive will be reduced, the acquisition cost will be around 100,000 yen, which will be cheaper than without a license.

However, if the driving school is at a busy time of year, or if you have to retake the lessons multiple times and incur an extension fee, the acquisition cost will increase.

In addition, a test fee is required to obtain a license at a driver's license center.

item	commission
Examination fee	1,750円
License issue	2,050円
total	3,800円

*Reference: Metropolitan Police Department “Motorcycle license examination (for those who have graduated from a designated driving school)”

Acquisition period

When commuting to a driving school, the schedule varies depending on the person, but the approximate time is around one month. If you have work or school during the day, it may take longer. This is because you must take a legally determined number of hours of training before you can obtain your license.

For those who have never obtained a license, 26 hours of academic training and 19 hours of Driving Lessons are required. Each period is 50 minutes long, and when you go to a driving school to acquire the qualification, you will receive lessons according to your schedule.

It consists of two parts, the first stage and the second stage, and Driving Lessons to learn practical driving etiquette is limited to two hours a day in the first stage and three hours a day in the second stage. There are no restrictions on academic training, so please consult with the driving school before proceeding.

In addition, if you have obtained a regular license, the academic training will only take 1 period and Driving Lessons will take 17 periods, so you can aim to obtain the license in a shorter period of time compared to those who have no experience in obtaining a license.

Please note that the training course has an expiration date, so the grace period from the start of the course to graduation is a maximum of 9 months. Once this period has passed, you will no longer have received any lessons and will have to attend again.

Recently, some driving schools have introduced online courses. You can take classes 24 hours a day, anytime, anywhere, reducing transportation costs and time spent commuting. Check to see if the driving school you want to use has it installed.

2. Participate in Driving Camp

This is a method in which you stay at a hotel or accommodation facility designated by the driving school, and even if you don't have a license, you can aim to obtain Regular Motorcycle license in a short period of time, around 8 nights and 9 days.

Process to obtain license

Basically, it is no different from attending school and aiming to obtain a driver's license.

1. Enter a driving school
2. Receive Driving Lessons and academic training
3. take Final Driving Test
4. After passing, take a written test etc. at a driver's license examination center.
5. Carry out procedures for license issuance

For Driving Camp, you will stay at a facility designated by the driving school and the training camp will take place according to a schedule, so the flow of the day is set to a certain extent. Generally, lessons are taught at fixed times in the morning and afternoon, with lunch in between.

Also, some driving schools have introduced online courses for training camps. By having more freedom in your time, you can enjoy sightseeing in your free time. Please consider using it.

As I will explain later, since the period required to obtain Regular Motorcycle license is short, there are cases where no holidays are allowed.

Acquisition cost

The cost of obtaining Regular Motorcycle license through Driving Camp is around 120,000 to 200,000 yen. As with attending a school, the cost of obtaining a license varies depending on the license obtained, such as a regular license, because some of the theory training is exempted.

Additionally, acquisition costs will vary depending on when you aim to acquire the certificate, so if you want to acquire it as reasonably as possible, be sure to check the timing, how to choose a plan, and whether there are any campaigns.

Then, just like when you aim to obtain a license by commuting to school, you will be required to pay the following test fee at the Driver's License Center after Final Driving Test.

item	commission
Examination fee	1,750円
License issue	2,050円
total	3,800円

*Reference: Metropolitan Police Department “Motorcycle license examination (for those who have graduated from a designated driving school)”

Acquisition period

If you take a regular Regular Motorcycle license at Driving Camp, even if you don't have a license, you can aim to get it in about 8 nights and 9 days. This is because you can Driving Lessons, which has a set number of hours you can take per day, up to the limit every day.

However, depending on the progress of the training, the accommodation period may be extended.

3. Take the one-shot test at the driver's license center

The one-shot test is a method of taking the test directly at the driver's license center (driver's license test center) where the driver's license skill test is conducted, without going to a designated driving school.

Process to obtain license

Since you do not have to go to a designated driving school, the process to obtain one is different.

1. Apply to take the test at the Driver's License Center (driver's license examination center)
2. Take an aptitude test and a written exam (regular license holders are exempt)
3. take a skill test
4. After passing the exam, take the certification course and first aid course.
5. License issue

If you attend a designated driving school, you will be exempt from the skill test, certification course, and first aid course as they are included in the curriculum. In the case of a one-shot test, you will not be exempted, so you must take and pass the test and attend the course.

Also, some driver's license centers do not allow you to take the skill test and aptitude test on the same day, so even if you say it is a one-shot test, it does not mean that it will be completed in one day, but will take at least several days.

Acquisition cost

There is no need to pay for attending a designated driving school, and you only need to pay for the exam. The breakdown of fees is as follows:

item	commission
Examination fee	2,600円
Test vehicle usage fee	1,450円
Course fee at time of acquisition	16,200円
License issue	2,050円
total	22,200円

*Reference: Metropolitan Police Department “Motorcycle license examination (for those taking the test directly at the test center)”

Please note that fees may vary depending on the prefecture. If you want to know the exact fee, please contact the driver's license center in your area.

Also, if you fail the skill test, you will be required to pay the test fee and test vehicle usage fee each time. If you are unsure about your driving skills, consider attending a designated driving school.

Acquisition period

In conclusion, the acquisition period will vary depending on whether you can pass the skill exam and the date of the training course you will take after passing.

Of course, if you fail the skill test, you will have to apply again. Furthermore, you can apply for both on the same day, and you will not be able to receive it immediately. We are fully booked, and even if you pass the skill test, it may take some time until you can take the course.

In addition, examination registration and skill tests are only held on weekdays. For example, if you take an aptitude test and a written exam on a weekday, and you are able to make a reservation to take a skill test on the same day the following week, that alone will leave you with one week.

For these reasons, one-shot testing can be done in a short period of time if you can make a reservation on a weekday, but otherwise it is a time-consuming method. The hurdles are high for beginners, and if anything, it is an exam for experienced people who are re-acquiring their license.

Cases where the written test for Regular Motorcycle license is exempted

If you have the following licenses, you will be exempted from some of the academic training and the academic exam at the time of obtaining the license.

• Large license (class 1/class 2)
• Medium-sized license (class 1/class 2)
• Semi-medium license (class 1/class 2)
• Ordinary license (class 1/class 2)
• Large special license (class 1/class 2)
• Towing license (class 2)

Additionally, since you are exempt from academic training, the cost of attending a designated driving school will be about 10,000 yen compared to the case without a license, and the number of days may change by about 1 day.

Key points for successfully obtaining Regular Motorcycle license

If you are going to take the trouble to pay the cost to get your license, you want to pass it on the first try. Here are three points to help you get Regular Motorcycle license smoothly and successfully.

Choose a driving school that is easy to use

Choosing a driving school and plan that suits you is the first step toward passing the exam. When comparing driving schools, check the following points:

• Whether it is a designated driving school: Exemption from skill test as you will receive a graduation certificate
• Schedule until Final Driving Test: Should you study in a short period of time or take it slowly?
• Ease of commuting: If commuting is difficult, choose Driving Camp
• Ease of making a reservation: Can you make a reservation on a date that is convenient for you?
• Acquisition cost: Think from the budget spent on acquiring a license.
• Whether there are additional fees: Additional fees will be charged for reexaminations, extended lessons, and night lessons.

There are two types of driving schools: designated driving schools, where you can obtain a provisional license, and driving schools where you can only practice. For those who want to practice for a one-shot exam, the latter has the advantage of being cheaper. However, for those who are obtaining a license for the first time, it may be difficult to choose because they cannot obtain a provisional license, are not exempt from the skill test, and must study on their own for the written test.

In order to create an environment that is as easy to learn as possible, it is important to choose a driving school that is easy for you to use.

Repeat what you learned in class

There are various hooks in the questions in both the driving school and driver's license center written exams. The shortcut to passing the academic exam is to study what you learned in the academic lessons over and over again so that you can read the questions calmly and be able to see through the confusing content.

For example, let's say the problem statement says, ``You must never brake suddenly at any time,'' and you have to judge whether it is true or false. The correct answer is yes, as long as the danger is avoided, and it is wrong.

Driving schools create reference questions that match the content of these written exams, so you can increase your accuracy rate by studying repeatedly.

Also, if you are not good at memorizing or are too busy to study, we recommend using Genki Talk. You can completely cover 22 hours of academic training in 2 hours, allowing you to efficiently prepare for academic exams. You can take online video lessons on your smartphone anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can use it while commuting to school or attending a training camp.

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If you are unsure about your skills, take additional training.

Even if you have received Driving Lessons, if you are unsure whether you will be able to master the skill, you may want to take additional training or choose a plan that does not incur additional fees even if additional training is required.

If you fail Final Driving Test or the written test at the driver's license center many times, it will cost you additional time and fees to take it. Giving yourself enough practice time to pass the exam and choosing a plan with no additional fees will ultimately save you time and money.

Basic knowledge you should know about Regular Motorcycle licenses

Did you know that after you have successfully obtained your license, there are maintenance costs and procedures that you need to follow on a daily basis? Here we will explain two basic pieces of information related to Regular Motorcycle license.

motorcycle maintenance costs

In order to have fun riding a motorcycle, it is important not only to have the driving skills and knowledge to drive safely, but also to have proper maintenance and insurance that can be used in the event of an accident or property damage. If you drive a lot of miles and use it frequently, you will also need to pay for gas and maintenance.

For example, if you purchase a small motorcycle (125cc or more and 250cc or less), the annual maintenance costs are as follows.

name	cost	point
Automobile tax (light vehicle tax)	3,600 yen (1 year)	This applies to those who own a motorcycle as of April 1st of the year.
car weight tax	Only when purchasing a new car: 4,900 yen	Varies depending on weight and number of years since new vehicle registration
Compulsory automobile liability warranty (12 months)	8,650円	The longer the subscription period, the cheaper it is.
Voluntary insurance	Different car insurance companies	To respond to personal injury or damage to property, etc.
Vehicle inspection cost	No vehicle inspection system	Motorcycles over 251cc require vehicle inspection once every two years.
Gasoline cost	Varies depending on bike characteristics and riding style	It is also influenced by the price per liter of gasoline.
Bicycle parking fee	Varies by region	Free if you can park your bicycle at home
Maintenance fee	Depends on the type of car you purchase and the repair shop you choose.	Consumable parts and oil replacement will be required.

Gasoline and parking fees will vary depending on your living environment and the distance you use your bike. If you want to keep maintenance costs as low as possible, choosing a motorcycle based on fuel efficiency is a good idea.

Regular Motorcycle license renewal frequency

Driver's licenses have an expiration date, and you must bring the necessary documents and make the appropriate application before the expiration date. If you drive a car or motorcycle with an expired license, you will be driving without a license, even if you did not intend to do so.

The frequency of license renewal differs when newly acquired and after renewal.

classification	Renewal period required	Approximate update frequency
Validity period of new license	One month before and after your third birthday after the day you took the aptitude test for the driver's license test	Approximately 3 years after obtaining license
After updating at least once (under 70 years old)	One month before or after the fifth birthday after the expiration date of the previous license	Every 5 years since the previous update
After updating at least once (age 70)	One month before or after the fourth birthday following the expiration date of the previous license	4 years since update
After at least one update (71 or above)	One month before or after the third birthday after the expiration date of the previous license	Every 3 years from renewal

When the renewal date approaches, a postcard informing you of the license renewal procedure will be sent to the address listed on your driver's license. If you need to change your address, please complete the procedure at the nearest police station or driver's license renewal center so that the postcard will be sent properly.

However, even if you are careful, you may forget to renew your license. At this time, if you have forgotten to renew your license within 6 months, you can renew your license without taking a written exam or skill exam.

If you forget to renew your license after 6 months, you will need to take the test again and get your license again. If more than a year has passed, you will need to retake the written and skill exams you took during the provisional license exam, so don't forget to update your license.

However, if the reason for not being able to renew your license is deemed to be due to ``unavoidable circumstances'' such as illness, pregnancy, home medical treatment, or living in a disaster-stricken area, you may be able to renew your license even after six months. Please contact the driver's license center of each prefectural police station to see if you can complete the procedure.

How to get Regular Motorcycle license: Think carefully and decide

There are three ways to get Regular Motorcycle license: attending a driving school, Driving Camp, or taking a one-shot test. While attending a driving school allows you to balance your studies with work and school, it takes a lot of time. Driving Camp is suitable for people who can devote about 8 nights and 9 days to studying for the license.

The one-shot test is a difficult method for beginners due to the high hurdles such as the skill test, but for those with experience it has the advantage of being able to aim for certification in a short period of time without having to attend a driving school.

After obtaining the license, you will be able to drive a motorcycle with a displacement of 51cc or more and 400cc or less. If the conditions are met, you will be able to drive on highways and carry two people.

After learning how to drive safely in a way that suits you, get Regular Motorcycle license and enjoy your time on your bike to the fullest.