AU to JP driver licence

Hi all,

Just a few quick questions.

I arrive in Japan early Sept 2019, got my spouse visa early Nov 2019. Was suppose to get the above subject done soon after but the wifey sold the car since we moved inner city so now I don�ft have to worry about it for awhile. It�fs now March 2020 and I was wondering if there was a time limit on when I have to change my AU driver licence to a JP one? My AU licence expires Oct 2022. If for example I decide to get a JP licence let�fs say March 2021 or anytime after that but before my AU licence expires, will the authorities still accept my application or will they say it�fs too late you had up to 6-12 months to change it since living here or something like that. Please let me know your thoughts.

Also I have a NSW driver licence with no dare of issue on it. Do I have to get a driving record from the NSW road authorities or will a receipt suffice? The receipt is for me renewing my licence in Oct 2017 when I was still living in AU. Does this have to be translated as well?

Oh so many red tape to get through...lol

Anyway, thanks for your time and help/advice everyone.

Cheers,

Rawr

P.S. my passport shows through JP immigration stickers that I have lived in Australia for more than 3 months before coming back to Japan on Sept 2019.

Hi Rawr

I recently converted my U.K. Driving license to a Japanese one, oh the horror. I didn't have a fun time.

The driving license authority I dealt with did not want to help at all and actually discouraged me to go to the centre, luckily I ignored them and went anyway and got my license.

I cannot give you 100% answers but when looking around at various driving authorities websites at the time, some of them said you should convert you license within one year of arriving in Japan. I did mine within 9 months.

The time limit is basically before your overseas drivers license expires, so if you go ahead and process your conversion before then, you'll be good to go. Just be sure to also have 3 months worth of proof of your time in the country (e.g. AUS).

No special time limit - before your AU license expires would be the measure. My current NZ license expires sometime in 2022, but I was here two or three years before I bothered to get a local driving license a few years back (didn't need it - wasn't driving anywhere).

Converting your driving licence is not that difficult process as for people from Europe.
Australia is one country like NZ. This makes it easy to proof, indeed with passport that you stayed 3 months inside the country.

In Europe it is difficult since you can move to another country easily.

There is no time limit but it would be better to do as soon as possible to prevent additional questions.

Make sure you have translated your driving licence (JAF can do for a fee)

In regards to the date of issue question I too am from Australia and have no such info in my NSW driver license.

I heard that if you current license does not date of issue on it but you have the old license that has the expiry date on it this can be proof that your current license was issued before old license expired. Which in turn is proof that you�fve had it for may years.

Can anybody with experience back this info/rumor up? Or should I just go call the local driver license centre? Lol.

you don't need to prove how many years you have a license.
what you need to prove is that you were a resident for more than 3 months (after you got it) in your country where the full license was issued.
the reason why they concern about 3 months is that there is a history that some people (mostly they lost their license by violation) got a driving license when they were not a resident (as a visitor) in your country and they tried to change it to Japanese one.

Still doesn�ft answer the date of issue question the OP is originally inquiring about.

if the license does not show the issuing date, you can't prove that you had minimal 3 months stay in your country after you got the license.

1. You need to proof that you stay/reside for 3 months after your initial license is issued.
If your new license don't have that info, you'll need to get your driving license record history.

2. Proof your 3 months residency after initial license can be graduation, utilities bills, Aussie immigration in/out record etc.

3. Making sure your current Aussie license is still valid during the conversion process.

4. Have someone who can explain in Japanese to the person. Above 1&2 need not to be translated as long as it show clearly the dates and can be explain in Japanese.

Consider yourself lucky that you can do a direct conversion, don't have to take the driving exam.