Some people who are considering obtaining Regular Motorcycle license may be wondering, "What are the methods of obtaining a license?" and "How much does it cost to obtain one?"
When obtaining Regular Motorcycle license, the number of hours of theory and Driving Lessons varies depending on the license you have. For example, if you have a regular license, you are exempt from some of the training, so you can obtain it faster than usual and keep the cost of obtaining it down.
This article provides a clear explanation of how to obtain Regular Motorcycle license and the costs involved.
We will also explain the recommended method of obtaining a regular driver's license if you have one, so please use this information when obtaining Regular Motorcycle license.
table of contents
- How to get Regular Motorcycle license
- If you have a regular driver's license, we recommend a driving school that offers theory exemptions.
- Cost of obtaining Regular Motorcycle license
- Number of days to obtain Regular Motorcycle license
- How to get Regular Motorcycle license
- If you have a regular driver's license, you can get Regular Motorcycle license at a lower cost.
How to get Regular Motorcycle license
There are four types of licenses for driving motorcycles: a motorbike license, a small-size motorcycle license, Regular Motorcycle license, and Heavy Motorcycle license. Regular Motorcycle license allows you to drive motorcycles with an engine displacement of 400cc or less.
There are three ways to obtain Regular Motorcycle license: attending a driving school, participating in Driving Camp, and taking a one-shot test. Each method has a different process, so find the one that suits you best.
attend a driving school
According to the "Driver's License Statistics 2021 Edition" published by the National Police Agency's Traffic Bureau Driver's License Division, of the 231,766 people who passed the Regular Motorcycle license test in 2021, 204,924 were graduates of designated driving schools.
Of the three ways to obtain Regular Motorcycle license, the standard is to attend a designated driving school.
There are two types of driving schools: designated driving schools and registered driving schools. Designated driving schools provide training in accordance with the facilities and curriculum stipulated by the Road Traffic Act, so they have the advantage of being exempt from the official driving skill test.
At the designated driving school, students receive theory lessons to learn traffic laws and safe driving manners, as well as Driving Lessons to actually drive a motorcycle. After graduation, students take an aptitude test and a theory test at the driver's license testing center, and if they pass, they are issued a driver's license.
Participate in Driving Camp
There is also a way to obtain Regular Motorcycle license by using a designated driving school that offers Driving Camp. Driving Camp is a method of staying at a lodging facility for a certain period of time and taking intensive theoretical and Driving Lessons required to obtain a license.
There are cases where Driving Camp has areas where you cannot enter, and in such cases you will need to choose a location that is far away from your place of residence. There are many driving schools located in towns and tourist destinations rich in nature, so you can enjoy the feeling of traveling during your free time during training.
Some driving schools offer perks such as free sightseeing tours and gourmet tickets, so these are one of the options when choosing a school. After graduating from a driving school with Driving Camp, you can take the full written test at the driver's license testing center and receive your driver's license if you pass.
take a one-shot test
There is also a method called a one-shot test for obtaining Regular Motorcycle license, which can be obtained by commuting to school or attending a training camp without using a driving school. A one-shot test is a method of taking the test directly at a driver's license testing center without taking any theory or Driving Lessons at a driving school.
Since you will not be attending a driving school, you will not be exempted from taking the main license skill test. At the driver's license examination center, you will need to take an aptitude test, a formal driving license exam, and a driving license skill test. The one-shot test does not require any training, so if you can pass the test on your first try, you can obtain it in as little as one day.
However, the difficulty level is currently high because the actual Driving Lessons test is taken without undergoing skill training. If you are worried about the actual driver's license test, consider using a rental course at a driving school or driving license exam center. Although you cannot receive instruction from an instructor, you can practice in a course designed for the exam.
If you have a regular driver's license, we recommend a driving school that offers theory exemptions.
You can obtain Regular Motorcycle license even if you do not have any other licenses or only have a moped license, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
However, if you already have a regular driver's license, you will be exempt from some academic training and Driving Lessons, so you can aim to obtain one quickly.
| Type of license you have | First stage academic training | First stage Driving Lessons | Second stage academic training | Second stage Driving Lessons |
| None | 10th period | 9th period | 16th period | 10th period |
| Motorized bicycle license | ||||
| Ordinary license | exemption | 9th period | 1 period | 8th period |
If you have a regular license, you will be exempt from all academic training in the first stage, one period of theoretical training in the second stage, and two periods of Driving Lessons in the second stage. Furthermore, you will be exempted from the main driver's license exam, so you only need to take the aptitude test at the driver's license exam center.
Cost of obtaining Regular Motorcycle license
The cost of obtaining Regular Motorcycle license varies depending on how you obtain it.
| Acquisition method | Market price for acquiring a driving school | Acquisition cost at the driver's license examination center |
| Commuting to driving school | Approximately 200,000 yen |
|
| Driving Camp | Approximately 150,000 yen | |
| one shot test | None |
|
The average cost is around 200,000 yen if you go to a driving school, and around 150,000 yen if you get Driving Camp. Furthermore, the driving test center requires a total of 4,650 yen for the test fee and issuance fee. On the other hand, if you take the one-shot test, you will only need to pay a total of 22,300 yen, including the test fee at the driver's license exam center and the fee to use the test vehicle.
If you have a regular license
If you have a regular license, you will be exempt from some academic and Driving Lessons, so the acquisition cost will be lower than usual.
| Acquisition method | Market price for acquiring a driving school | Acquisition cost at the driver's license examination center |
| Commuting to driving school | Around 90,000 yen |
|
| Driving Camp | Around 80,000 yen |
The average acquisition cost is around 90,000 yen for commuting to a driving school and around 80,000 yen for Driving Camp. Compared to not having a license or only having a motorized bicycle license, you can save about 70,000 to 110,000 yen in acquisition costs.
The cost of obtaining Driving Camp includes accommodation and meals. If you only look at the training fee, Driving Camp is almost always cheaper than commuting to a driving school.
Number of days to obtain Regular Motorcycle license
The number of days it takes to obtain Regular Motorcycle license depends on how you obtain it.
| Acquisition method | Number of days acquired |
| Commuting to driving school | About 1 month |
| Driving Camp | Minimum of 8 nights and 9 days |
| one shot test | Minimum 1 day |
If you do not have a license or only have a motorized bicycle license, you will need to take all the required training courses, so it will take about a month to obtain one. Depending on how crowded the driving school is, you may not be able to make a reservation on your desired date, and it may take more than a month to graduate.
Driving Camp can be obtained in as little as 8 nights and 9 days, as you can take lessons according to a set timetable. However, it may be difficult for working adults to participate because they need to take a large amount of time off.
In the one-shot test, you take the test directly at the driver's license exam center, so if you pass the test on the same day, you can get it in as little as one day. Depending on the driving license test center, the test may not be held every day, and if you fail, it may take several days to obtain the test.
If you have a regular license
If you have Regular Motorcycle license, you are exempt from some of the theory and Driving Lessons. Therefore, depending on how you obtain it, it may take less time to obtain it than if you do not have a license or have a moped license.
| Acquisition method | Number of days acquired |
| Commuting to driving school | About 9-10 days |
| Driving Camp | Minimum of 8 nights and 9 days |
When commuting to a driving school, the number of days required to obtain a regular driver's license varies by approximately 20 days depending on whether or not you have a driver's license. On the other hand, the number of days it takes to obtain Driving Camp does not change depending on whether you have a regular license or not. Therefore, for those who have a regular driver's license and are concerned about speed in obtaining one, attending a driving school is recommended.
How to get Regular Motorcycle license
Training for Regular Motorcycle license is divided into two stages: the first stage teaches basic driving operations, and the second stage teaches driving skills and how to make decisions according to the situation.
1. First stage
In the first stage of training, you will learn basic motorcycle driving techniques such as riding posture and safe riding. The number of time limits for academic training and Driving Lessons varies depending on the type of license you have.
| Type of license you have | Number of academic teaching periods | Number of Driving Lessons periods |
| None | 10th period | 9th period |
| Motorized bicycle license | ||
| Ordinary license | exemption | 9th period |
If you do not have a license or have a motorized bicycle license, you are required to attend 10 hours of academic training and 9 hours of Driving Lessons. If you have a regular driver's license, you will be exempt from the academic training and will only be required to attend the 9th period of Driving Lessons.
The training contents are as follows.
- car handling
- Handling of automobile mechanisms and operating equipment
- driving position
- How to operate the brakes
- How to start and stop
- How to change gears
- safe driving
- Smooth start and acceleration
- Adjusting speed
- How to balance in a straight line
- How to balance on a curve
- Driving based on vehicle characteristics
- Passing the slope
- Stopping and starting on a slope
- Driving an AT car
- Understand
At the end of the first stage, ``understanding'' is carried out. At the end of the day, it is a process to check the driving skills you have acquired through Driving Lessons. If the instructor determines that there are no problems with your driving skills, you can proceed to the second stage.
Furthermore, the Road Traffic Law Enforcement Regulations set an upper limit on the number of Driving Lessons that can be taken in one day. The first stage has a maximum of two hours, so it will take at least five days to advance to the second stage.
2. second stage
In the second stage, students acquire driving skills and decision-making skills that are appropriate to the situation, such as driving safely around curves and driving while anticipating danger. As with the first stage, the number of time limits for academic training and Driving Lessons differs depending on the type of license you have.
| Type of license you have | Number of academic teaching periods | Number of Driving Lessons periods |
| None | 16th period | 10th period |
| Motorized bicycle license | ||
| Ordinary license | 1 period | 8th period |
If you do not have a license or have a motorized bicycle license, you are required to attend 16 hours of academic training and 10 hours of Driving Lessons. If you have a regular driver's license, you will take one period of academic training and eight periods of Driving Lessons.
The contents are as follows.
- Precautions and legal regulations when driving on the road
- Traffic classification etc.
- Driving position and course change
- Passing through an intersection (go straight, turn right, turn left)
- Passing through intersections with poor visibility, etc.
- Safe speed and following distance
- Safe driving around curves
- Curve experience driving
- sudden braking
- Avoidance
- Case study at an intersection
- Driving according to traffic conditions and road environment
- Driving in anticipation of danger
- Advanced balance running
- Understand
At the end of the second stage, a ``understanding'' is conducted, and if there are no problems, it is possible to proceed to Final Driving Test.
Also, like the first stage, there is a limit to the number of Driving Lessons that can be taken in one day in the second stage. The upper limit for the second stage is 3 periods. However, as it is prohibited to take three consecutive periods, it will take at least three days to proceed to Final Driving Test.
If you have a regular driver's license, you can get Regular Motorcycle license at a lower cost.
There are three ways to obtain a regular driver's license: attending a Driving Camp, and taking a one-shot test. Since the one-shot test is highly difficult, many people currently choose to attend a driving school or get Driving Camp.
The average acquisition cost is around 150,000 yen to 200,000 yen. However, if you have a regular driver's license, you will be exempt from some academic training and Driving Lessons, so the acquisition cost can be kept at around 80,000 to 90,000 yen.
Consider your schedule and budget and get Regular Motorcycle license in a way that suits you.
