The passing score for the written exam is 90 points or more! We also explain the grading system!

In order to obtain a driver's license, you must pass a practical test in addition to the written test. However, if you graduate from a designated driving school, you will be exempt from the practical test. According to the Japan Federation of Designated Driving School Associations, approximately 97% of new license holders are graduates of designated driving schools.

If you have graduated from a designated driving school, you can concentrate on passing the academic test. You can check whether the place you graduated from is a designated driving school on the official website of the Japan Federation of Designated Driving School Associations.

*Source: All Japan Federation of Designated Driving School Associations

Here, we will explain how the scores for the Immunology Examination are scored and how many points you need to get to pass.

Passing the written exam is 90 points or higher!

This exam has a scoring system with a maximum score of 100, and a score of 90 or above is required to pass. According to the ``Driver's License Statistics Reiwa 2nd Edition'' by the National Police Agency's Traffic Bureau Driver's License Division, the pass rate for the past five years has been 76.0%.

By year	Number of test takers	Number of successful applicants	Pass rate
2016	2,688,903 people	2,033,657 people	75.6％
2017	2,654,286 people	2,008,301 people	75.7％
2018	2,606,179 people	1,977,902 people	75.9％
2019	2,609,625 people	1,959,218 people	75.1％
Reiwa 2	2,631,408 people	2,044,994 people	77.7％

*Source: National Police Agency Traffic Bureau Driver's License Division "Driver's License Statistics Reiwa 2nd Edition"

There are many people who pass the exam with a score of 90 or above, so you can see that it is not a very difficult exam. On the other hand, the current situation is that around 30% of people fail the exam every year. Even if you fail, you can take the test as many times as you like within six months of obtaining your provisional license.

In order to take this exam, you will need to pay an exam fee of 1,750 yen. You will be charged a fee each time you take the exam, so aim to pass on the first try.

Proficiency test is a deduction method

If you have not graduated from a designated driving school, you will be required to take a skill test in addition to the written test.

The skill test, unlike the written test, uses a deduction method. The details of the score distribution have not been made public, but if you have a score of 70 or more at the end of the exam, you will pass.

If you score less than 70 points during the exam, the exam will end at that point. The main contents and deductions for the skill test are as follows.

Content	deduction of points
Safety measures	Driving without closing the door Start without adjusting the rearview mirror I left the engine in gear and started the engine without pressing the clutch. Start the engine without applying the brake or parking brake (AT only) Starting off without wearing a seatbelt, etc.	5-10 points
driving position	not directly facing the handle Unnatural without adjusting the seat Hold the steering wheel with only the underside of the steering wheel or with one hand while driving straight. Hold the handlebars with both arms crossed during the curve Your upper body tilts considerably every time you operate the steering wheel, etc.	5 points
accelerator	sudden start Drifting over 3,000 rpm knocking	5 points
engine stall	engine stall	10 points
Reverse run	After stopping, move backwards at least 0.3m and less than 0.5m After stopping, move backward more than 0.5m and less than 1m Stop and move back at least 1m	10–20 points cancel
Starting time	Will not start even though it is ready to start After the car in front started, it still did not start even though it was more than 15m away. Do not restart the engine within 5 seconds after stalling	10 points
Unable to start	Engine stalled 4 times within 5m Even though the traffic light is green, the engine stalls and you cannot start while the traffic light is green. Disturbing those around you due to poor judgment of priority vehicles and traffic lights. Unable to start for more than 1 minute due to lack of skill	cancel
Maintain speed	Poor acceleration and failure to maintain normal speed	10 points
failure to signal	Not giving a signal when starting don't give a signal Not giving a signal when turning left or right Failure to signal at a roundabout	5 points
Safety not confirmed	Do not check in all directions just before starting from the roadside	10 points
coasting	Don't use engine braking Driving with the clutch depressed on a downhill slope	5 points
Poor braking operation	Do not put your foot on the brake in potentially dangerous situations. While stopped, the brakes loosened and the vehicle traveled more than 0.3m due to creep.	5-10 points
excessive speed	Less than 5km/h faster than safe speed 5km/h faster than safe speed	10–20 points
Runaway	Dangerous situation due to loss of brake or steering control	cancel
cut back	Cut back when there is no need to cut back	10 points
sudden steering wheel	Make sudden steering movements while driving	10 points
Light-headedness	Due to poor steering wheel operation, the vehicle became S-shaped from the normal driving position to the left and right with a width less than half the vehicle width. Due to poor steering wheel operation, the vehicle formed an S-shape from side to side with a width of more than half the width of the vehicle.	10 points or cancel
Poor passage	Turned around 4 times using S-curves, cranks, direction changes, and parallel parking.	cancel
Improper stopping position	Stop at least 2m before the stop line	5 points
Inappropriate measures to prevent entanglement	When making a left turn, do not let a motorcycle or bicycle pass you if it is right in front of you or next to you.	10 points
Lateral spacing not maintained	Passed an obstacle that could move without being more than 1m away.	20 points
Wheel Derailment	Wheels come into contact with a curb, etc. Driving for more than 1.5m with the wheels riding on a curb etc.	10 points or cancel
contact	The vehicle body makes strong contact with an obstacle, etc.	cancel
Roadside entrance	The vehicle enters or attempts to enter a roadside strip with a width of 0.75m or less	20 points
Progress zone violation	Driving on the right diagonal line for more than 500 meters, except when turning right, overtaking, or avoiding obstacles.	10 points
Violation of duty due to being overtaken	The test vehicle accelerated when being overtaken	10 points
Violation of priority lane for buses, etc.	Driving or using a route bus even though you cannot exit the priority lane	10 points
Violation of track premises	Running on the track grounds	10 points
driving on the right side	Driving in the opposite lane	cancel
Entering a safety zone, etc.	Entering or attempting to enter a safe area or restricted area	cancel
Violation of changing course	Do not pull to the left when turning left at an intersection	10 points
Violation of prohibition on changing course	changed course in vain	20 points
Rear vehicle obstruction	Affects following vehicles when changing direction	cancel
Violation of right/left turn method	When turning left, the left rear wheel is more than 1m away from the corner of the road.	5 points
Safety progress violation	When going straight through an intersection, the vehicle does not proceed at a safe speed depending on the situation.	10 points
Failure to complete assignments	Does not stop at specified location	10 points
Violation of slow speed	Pass on the left side of the streetcar that is stopped in the safety zone	20 points
Violation of traffic classification by direction of travel	Even though there are separate lanes for right turns, left turns, and straight ahead, the driver did not follow the lanes for each direction.	20 points
Violation of prohibition from entering intersections, etc.	Stop at a busy intersection	20 points
Ignoring traffic lights	Crossing the stop position at a red traffic light	cancel
Poor priority judgment	Although it was not as bad as blocking the path, it slowed down the priority vehicle.	20 points
Progress obstruction	Obstructing a vehicle that should have priority	cancel
Temporarily non-stop at designated locations	Did not stop at the stop location	cancel
mud splash driving	Splashing muddy water, etc. in a puddle and causing a nuisance to others	10 points
Crosser protection violation	Do not drive at a speed that will allow you to stop just before the stop line, even if it is not clear whether someone is trying to cross the road or not.	20 points
Pedestrian protection non-stop etc.	Do not stop when crossing the sidewalk	cancel
Safety distance not maintained	Pedestrians and cyclists tried to pass without maintaining a distance of at least 1m when they were aware of the car, and at least 1.5m when they were not aware of the car.	cancel
Shift inside railroad crossing	Changing gears while passing a railroad crossing	5 points
Parking violation	Do not apply the parking brake or stop the engine when getting out of the car	10 points
Violation of restrictions on the use of horns, etc.	honked the horn indiscriminately	10 points
Violation of sudden braking prohibition	Slowing down or stopping in a way that could result in a rear-end collision with the vehicle behind you, etc.	10 points
Distance not maintained	Too close between cars	10 points
Violation of parking method	The tires are more than 0.3m away from the left edge of the road when parked.	10 points
Emergency vehicle obstruction	When an emergency vehicle approaches, avoid the intersection and pull to the left and do not stop.	20 points
signal car interference	Do not yield to a vehicle that is attempting to change direction to enter the turn lane.	20 points
Excessive speed	Exceeded the maximum speed limit	20 points
Level crossing non-stop	Tried to pass without stopping in front of the railroad crossing	cancel
Overtaking violation	When overtaking, you overtake in a lane other than the lane to the right	cancel
interrupt	Cut in front of a stopped or slow-moving vehicle	cancel
Violation of safe driving obligation	The examiner used the auxiliary brake or was cautioned for not driving safely.	cancel
Safe driving awareness	Caused a nuisance or danger to other traffic	10 points
Parking problem	Parking and stopping in areas where parking is prohibited	20 points
Parking violation	Parking in areas where cars are prohibited	10 points
Violation of traffic prohibition, etc.	Traveled on a road that is prohibited	cancel

The demerit points range from 5 to 20 points, but please note that depending on the situation, the exam may not only be deducted but also canceled. Additionally, there are some items where points will not be deducted for the first time, such as sudden starts exceeding 0.4G and racing over 3,000 rpm. However, points will be deducted for the second time including the first time.

Structure of academic test scores

The written exam consists of 90 multiple-choice questions and 5 illustrated questions. The points allocated are 1 point for each written question and 2 points for each illustrated question. However, each illustration question has three answers, and you will not get 2 points unless you answer all of them correctly.

The criteria for written questions are as follows:

item	Content
Common considerations for pedestrians and drivers	basic mindset Obey signals, signs, and markings Follow the instructions of police officers, etc. What not to do on the road etc.
Things to know before driving a car	Precautions when driving Driving license system car inspection Riding and loading Knowledge necessary for safe driving, etc.
How to drive a car	safe start Where cars pass pedestrian protection etc. Change of course etc. overtaking etc. How to go through an intersection parking and stopping Driving automatic cars, etc.
Driving in dangerous places	Railroad crossing Slope/Curve night Bad weather etc. Emergency measures
Driving on the highway	Things to keep in mind before entering the expressway Driving precautions
How to drive a motorcycle	Things to know for motorcycle drivers Correct way to ride How to drive safely How to apply the brakes Driving an automatic motorcycle Other things to be aware of
In the event of a traffic accident, breakdown, disaster, etc.	At the time of a traffic accident In case of malfunction etc. In times of disaster etc.
Things to know for car owners, users, safe driving managers, car driving agents, etc.	Obligations of car owners etc.

*Source: National Police Agency, Traffic Bureau, Driving License Division, “About question format, question range, question standards, etc. for written examinations (notification)”

The illustrated questions mainly involve content related to risk prediction.

Examples of questions and preparation for the written test

In order to pass the written exam on the first try, it is important to prepare well in advance. There are some "trick questions" in the questions that will actually be asked, so be prepared so you can solve them within the allotted time.

From here, we will explain the questions that were asked in the academic exam in the past and the measures you should take before taking the exam.

Examples of actual questions

Past questions and answers are as follows.

problem	answer
You can drive an 11-seater car with a regular driver's license.	×
Drivers are exempt from wearing seatbelts when reversing a car.	〇
If you overtake a car when the car in front is trying to overtake a regular car, it will be double overtaking.	〇
If you leave your license at home and drive, you will be driving without a license.	×
When informing the train driver of a car breaking down at a level crossing, use the level crossing obstruction alarm system and do not use smoke bombs to prevent fires.	×

Now, I will explain each problem. You cannot drive an 11-seater car with a regular driver's license. You may drive a regular vehicle with a passenger capacity of less than 11 people, a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tons, and a maximum payload of less than 2 tons.

The Road Traffic Law was revised in June 2008, making it compulsory to wear seatbelts in all seats, including the driver's seat, passenger seat, and rear seats. However, when reversing, you are required to check behind you, so you are exempt from wearing a seatbelt.

If the car in front of you is trying to overtake a regular car and you overtake that car, it will be double overtaking. However, if the vehicle in front of you is a light vehicle or a motorized bicycle, double overtaking will not be considered.

If you leave your license at home and drive, you will not be considered ``driving without a license,'' but rather ``not carrying a license.'' If you drive without your license, you will be fined 3,000 yen, so be sure to carry it with you at all times.

If your car breaks down at a level crossing, you must use the level crossing alarm system to notify you. At level crossings where level crossing obstruction warning devices are not installed, smoke bombs will be used instead.

Key points for exam preparation

From here, we will explain the key points to prepare for the academic test.

Understand problems that are easy to get wrong

For the written exam, you must solve 90 written questions and 5 illustrated questions within 50 minutes. On average, each question takes less than 1 minute. We must work with a sense of speed. The questions also include so-called trick questions.

If you solve the questions in a hurry, you may make mistakes, so use past questions to understand the question trends and trick questions. Examples of trick questions that are easy to get wrong and their answers are as follows.

problem	answer
When the yellow lights are flashing, pedestrians, cars, and streetcars can proceed slowly and be careful of other traffic.	×
Overtaking is prohibited on steep uphill slopes, near the top of uphill slopes, and on steep downhill slopes.	×
On roads where there is a sign that says ``No Passing'', you must not overtake on the right side of the road, but you may pass as long as you do not do so.	×
You must drive slowly near the top of an uphill slope, but you do not need to drive slowly on steep uphill slopes.	〇
When the traffic light facing you is yellow, you can go straight, turn right, or turn left.	×

A flashing yellow light on a traffic signal means that you can proceed while paying attention to other traffic, so there is no obligation to drive slowly.

Overtaking is not prohibited on steep uphill slopes, so you can overtake while ensuring safety.

All overtaking is prohibited on roads marked with "No Passing" signs. On the other hand, if there is a sign that does not say "No Passing", you can pass as long as it does not extend beyond the right side.

Slowing down is not required on steep uphill slopes. Therefore, you can drive while checking the safety of your surroundings. At designated intersections, motorized bicycles must make a two-step right turn. However, at intersections where there is a sign prohibiting two-stage right turns, the right turn will be made normally.

Solve and memorize the problems at the driving school many times.

One way to pass the written exam on the first try is to memorize the questions provided by the driving school by solving them many times. At the driving school, we track the passing rates for provisional licenses and regular licenses every month, so we are aware of the latest exam trends.

Many driving schools create original questions, so use them to prepare for the exam. Additionally, some driving schools have booths where students can practice solving problems freely.

Another efficient method is to use online teaching materials to prepare for academic exams. For example, with this teaching material, you can study applied questions and trick questions for academic exams using videos. Since you can study on your smartphone or tablet, even busy people can use their spare time to efficiently prepare for the written exam.

https://ziplus.jp/lp/movie

This article provides more information on how to prepare for the academic exam.

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This article introduces tips on how to take academic training at a driving school, so if you are interested, please check it out.

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Precautions when taking the exam

The written test is conducted at a driver's license center located in each prefecture. Reception hours are usually from 8:30 to 9:00, but please note that reception may close earlier depending on the congestion situation.

Just in case, please make sure to arrive at the venue with plenty of time on the day. If you do not bring a photo, we will take one at the venue after passing the exam. Once your driver's license is issued, you cannot change your photo for three years, so make sure you look good.

Advance preparation is important to pass the exam on the first try

The passing standard for the written exam is a score of 90 or higher out of 100. Since there are many questions and time is limited, it is important to solve each question quickly and carefully. If you fail, it will cost you time and money, so be sure to prepare well in advance.

There are many practice questions for written exams available on the internet. Many of them have explanations, so why not use them as part of your exam preparation?