Switching License Tips

2023.11.09

Just read and pass the exam! Knowledge confirmation for switching foreign Driver's License (written exam) Thorough explanation summary

table of contents

For those who are switching foreign Driver's License for the first time
What is knowledge confirmation (academic test) for changing to Gaimen?
-What are the questions?
-How many questions are there in the exam?
-Are there also descriptive questions? What is the question format?
Summary of example questions for knowledge confirmation (academic exam)
To take the knowledge check (theoretical test)
-General flow of changing Gaimen license
-Reservation at the license center
For those who are unsure about Japanese
There are countries where knowledge verification and skill verification are exempted when changing to a foreign driver's license.
lastly

For those who are switching foreign Driver's License for the first time

I want to obtain a driver's license while on a business trip or study abroad and switch to a Japanese license. I have a foreign driver's license, but I don't have a Japanese driver's license. I don't know what kind of test there is to change to a Gaimen license... For those of you who have such troubles! Changing your Gaimen license for the first time is full of anxiety. In this article, we will thoroughly explain the knowledge confirmation (theoretical test) of the two exams ``Knowledge Confirmation and Skill Confirmation'' that are conducted at the Gaimen Exchange. If you read this to the end, passing the exam on the first try will not be a dream! !

What is knowledge confirmation (academic test) for changing to Gaimen?

What is the question?

Questions related to Japan's basic traffic laws and regulations will be asked.
We will introduce specific examples in the next chapter!

How many questions are there in the exam?

There will be 10 questions on the exam. You can pass the exam by answering 7 or more questions out of 10 correctly.

Are there writing questions? What is the question format?

There are no written questions. Answer all questions in 〇× format.

Summary of example questions for knowledge confirmation (academic exam)

Question 1: At a crosswalk or bicycle crossing zone, you must not overtake or overtake another vehicle within 20 meters of you.: A.
[×] *Not within 20 meters in front of you, but within 30 meters in front of you.

Question 2: Vehicles must drive on the right side of the center of the road.: A.
[×] *You must pass on the left side, not the right side.

Question 3: Regular cars are not allowed to pass through the dedicated bus lanes, regardless of the designated time.: A.
[×] *You can pass the road outside of the designated hours.

Question 4: Inner wheel difference is the difference in trajectory caused by the rear wheels passing on the inside of the front wheels when a car turns left or right.: A.
【〇】

Question 5: When driving through mud or puddles, it is better to drive slowly in a low gear.: A.
【〇】

Question 6: This sign indicates the presence of a school, kindergarten, or nursery school.: A.
[×] *This is a sign indicating that there is a crosswalk.

Question 7: Cars and streetcars must stop temporarily at this sign.: A.
【〇】

Question 8: You must be careful about noise in the area where this sign is located.: A.
[×] *Represents the area within the horn section, so the horn must be sounded.

Question 9: You must drive slowly in areas where this sign is present.: A.
[×] *This sign indicates that the road ahead is slippery.

Question 10: Bicycles are allowed to ride side by side in areas with this sign.: A.
【〇】

Click here for other examples https://jdl.asia/ja/special/effect-measurement-problems/

To take the knowledge check (theoretical test)

General flow of changing Gaimen license

Examination ⇒ Appropriate examination ⇒ Knowledge confirmation ⇒ Skill confirmation

Reservation at the license center

Currently, you cannot take the written exam unless you make an advance reservation at the license center in most prefectures. There are also license centers where you can make advance reservations online. Please check with the license center where you will be applying in advance.

For those who are unsure about Japanese

It's okay if you're worried about taking the entrance exam in Japanese! You can take the test in multiple languages other than Japanese. The languages available differ depending on the license center, so please check with the license center where you will be applying for details. (As of October 2023)

Tokyo

Arabic, Indonesian, Urdu, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, French, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Persian, Bengali, Portuguese, Malaysian, Burmese, Russian word

Kanagawa

English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian

Saitama

Ukrainian, Urdu, English, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian

Chiba

English, Sinhala, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Mongolian

Aichi

Ukrainian, Urdu, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian

Osaka

Indonesian, English, Korean, Khmer, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Nepali, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Burmese, Mongolian, Russian

Fukuoka

Ukrainian, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian

Please contact the License Center directly for the latest information and supported languages in other prefectures.

There are countries where knowledge verification and skill verification are exempted when changing to a foreign driver's license.

Those who hold a driver's Driver's License from the following countries will be exempted from knowledge and skill verification when switching to a foreign driver's license.

(Reference: Metropolitan Police Department Homepage/How to convert a driver's license obtained overseas to a Japanese driver's license)

Iceland

Ireland

United States of America

(Limited to Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, and Indiana. However, Indiana is exempt only from skill verification.)

England

Italy

Australia

Austria

Netherlands

Canada

South Korea

Greece

Switzerland

Sweden

Spain

Slovenia

czech

Denmark

Germany

new zealand

Norway

Hungary

Finland

France

Belgium

Poland

Portugal

Monaco

Luxembourg

Taiwan

lastly

How was it? There were probably many things I didn't know about. As long as you understand the basic Japanese traffic rules, passing the knowledge test (written exam) for changing to a foreign driver's license is not a dream. It's best to prepare well by checking the practice questions in advance.
Also, there are many license centers that support languages other than Japanese, so if you want to take the knowledge test (written exam) in another language, it is important to check in advance.
If you pass the knowledge check (theoretical test), the final step is to check your skills! Please also use this article.
Aim to pass on the first try! It's difficult if you don't know! ? Preparation for skill confirmation (practical test) for changing to Gaimen

Click here for “SAMURAI DRIVER, preparation for foreign driver license change/skill confirmation test”☟

Japanese version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jpsamuraidriverziplus
English version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ensamuraidriverziplus
Chinese version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/zhsamuraidriverziplus
Vietnamese version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/visamuraidriver