UK driving license to Japanese

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone with a British driving license specifically has changed to a Japanese driving license and could tell me about the process.

I�fve had my U.K. license for 15 years and no convictions or penalties. Is it simple to change since we both drive on the right hand side?

Would love further clarification.

Thanks!

Hi

I converted my UK license to a Japanese one a few years ago. Yes it is simple and can be done in one day, no need for written or practical exams. Just an eye test.

However before you even go to the driving centre, you need to get your uk license translated into Japanese by an authorized body, this can be the japan automobile federation (JAF) or the embassy. I used the JAF as you can send it by post. Check their website for the latest process.

I think you need to prove you've been driving for 3 years or more with the UK license. So take your passport and if you have an expired one on you take that too, to prove you were living in the UK and holding a driving license. You need proof of your address so get your juminhyo from your city hall.
They will take a photo of you there so no need to take one separately.

If you're not fluent in japanese, take a native or very fluent speaker with you as they're not really there to help you through the floods of native Japanese people and probably won't have time to help you fill in the forms.

Check with your local driving license centre whether you need an appointment. Most of them seem to want you to just show up, if that's the case get there early and best on a week day.
You have to go to the driving center of your jurisdiction for your address.

This is all I can remember but hope it helps.

The requirement is three months in your home country after the license was issued - proof from an old passport is how I did mine. That was part of the set of documents I assembled ahead of time.
I don't remember doing or getting a translation, but that might have been done by my staff member who went with me on the day. (It was a while ago now - subsequent renewals have been pretty straight forward.)
https://leasejapan.com/en/license-conversion/group-one-no-tests/

Thanks Japancustoms, you are right, 3 months, I thought it was 3 something so thanks for clarifying!

A translation is definitely required by the JAF and it states it on their website, and I remember getting it done for mine.

https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan

This official link has all the requirements listed. As a UK license holder you don't need to take any driving tests.

In case you are doing this in Tokyo ie Koto, either be prepared to spend most of your day there. Or be there about 60 minutes before they open to be the first. I went a few weeks ago and was person #2 (I was there maybe about 45 min prior to opening and I was done by about 11:30. The person who was first was done by maybe around 9:30.
I had all the correct documents as I had done this in the past (but had to let it expire).

Thank you all so so much!

I wonder if I can go and pick up the application forms and fill them out at home with my husband�fs help or do I have to fill them out on the spot?

Sounds like a pretty �߂�ǂ����� task but better than obtaining a license from scratch in Japan. 👍

Hmm not sure you can do that, of course give them a call to ask but when I did it they were adamant that they saw the questions were answered by me, my husband was standing with me and they would only allow my husband to explain what the questions meant. I had to answer for myself. The questions would be along the lines of if you had convictions etc. Not an actual test.

You'll have to fill out a form with name and address etc but it's not too difficult. If you have a native speaker with you, you will be fine.

review the list of documents needed
prepare them all
then go to the office

I actually dont remember if there was an "application form". I dont think so. But anyway it is not too complicated and at least in the Koto office in Tokyo the clerk also spoke some English.

Just review carefully all documents you need. Specially proof of having resided in the country where you got your driving license. If you can, get a document from your old city administration that states from when to when you were living there, just as a backup, because passports nowadays no longer contain the date when one was living somewhere if you moved during the validity of your passport.

Having all the docs in advance is the big one to get right (I foolishly left one behind in my apartment and wasted an hour backtracking). At my "local" drivers license center (Fuchu) there is defiantly a form to fill out - I do those for my renewals. (I cannot imagine a Japanese official process without a form.)
Translation can be done by anyone - I am pretty sure Koji (staff member) did mine for me on the spot.

�߂�ǂ��������H

You guys have no idea how lucky you are be able to just convert your license like that. No written or practical tests either. Try having to take the practical test and you'll see the true �߂�ǂ�������-ness of this legendary system. lol

That's literally what she said though, �߂�ǂ����� BUT better than getting it from scratch, she acknowledged it wasn't as difficult as other situations.

Just because there are things more ,�߂�ǂ�����, doesn't make something that is less �߂�ǂ����� not �߂�ǂ�����.
If that was how it worked there'd only be one of every thing with an adjective attached in the world!

Thank you for all the input everyone. It�fs really really appreciated. I wish I could treat you all to tea and scones in the rose garden.
All jokes aside though it�fs very valuable information and you all saved me time.

Yeah I did say pretty �߂�ǂ����� and I�fm absolutely grateful that�fs only that. I would absolutely hate to have do anything extra.

Thank you Shelley for sticking up for me. 😜

Now I have my residence card I'm going to start the process for my driver's license.

Due to my name change via marriage, my driver's license has an issue date of 2021 even-though i obtained it way before (circa. 2008). My current passport has an issue date before my driver's license so can I use it as the proof of residence? I don't have my old passports at the moment (they are being shipped over).

From the JAF website so kindly provided:
https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas
.The applicant must be able to prove that he or she stayed in the issuing country for at least three months in total after obtaining the license.
This is what's stumping me the most. I'm applying for the online translation service they provide and plan to go to the Chiba office.

Thank you all so much for your help so far.

Good luck with getting your license sorted ^_^

I personally had no issue using my passport as proof of residency although others may have had different experiences.

By the way, you say your uk license has a date 2021 due to marriage, is this due to name change?

Does your passport and residence card show a different name?

May be worth taking your japanese marriage certificate along

Hi Shelly,

Thank you for replying.

My driver's license, passport and residence card all have the same name. Should I still take my marriage certificate as that has my maiden name which doesn�ft match my driver's license, passport and residence card.

Thanks again.

No problem ^_^

If you are taking your old passports along and any of them are in your maiden name, then they may ask to see a marriage certificate.

They asked to see mine which luckily I had brought along just in case as my old passports had my maiden name in, I had a feeling they'd be that thorough lol.

So yes if I were you just have it on your person, just I'm case they want to see it to verify your old name.

AS for me,my old passports (with various entries stamps date) and old driving licence didn't satisfy the officer at driving licence center. I had to apply at my country immigration for in/out country records. Other people have used university transcript, salary slip etc. So depends on the person/place who check you documentation.

So be prepre to explain in details, and bring whatever extra documents you have, koseki tohon/marriage cert whatever.

They do very much nitpick about the 3 months rule ...

Thank you all for the responses.

I have payslips as well but will I need to get those translated as well or can I translate them myself?

It�fs actually super complicated lmao. It�fs probably easier just to do a driving test and get a license from scratch at this point. 😭

UPDATE:

First of all, thank you to everyone who commented and gave me advice. It was all very helpful and I was able to get my license on the first try!

The documents:
1)My passport
2)My residence card
3)My juminhyo (printed from konbini)
4)3 months bank statements from my UK bank for the evidence of living in the UK after getting my license.
5)My UK driving license.
6) Translation of my driving license (applied for online, took 2-3 working days to process)
There's no application form, the staff give it to you during your application.
7) ID passport style photos (you only need one)

I went to the Chiba Driving License Centre near Kaihin-Makuhari and there were two "appointment" time slots: 8:30 to 9:00 and 13:00 to 13:30. I arrived at 12:30 and there were people already queueing at the window (Window 10 if you're going to Chiba's office there's no ticket system, it's very much first come first served).

Around 12:45 staff came out with white boxes and took everyone's documents and asked what you wanted to do and I said I wanted to exchange my license. They took my documents, put them in a box and spoke to the next person. They don't deal with you there and then, they're just taking everyone's paperwork and you sit and wait.

And my gosh be prepared to wait.I heard nothing for two hours, I was just sitting there too scared to pop to the bathroom or go anywhere. Anyway, I got called up and the man explained that I can't use my bank statements as "proof" because I could be living abroad and using my UK debit card for things. "Great" I thought and he showed me my passport and I had two trips in 2022 and 2023 in Europe. Since Brexit they stamp the passports on entry into the country you're visiting but not on exit (idk) and he wanted to see return tickets for these two dates. The trips were a year apart so I don't really understand the 3 month deal since my license was dated in Feb'21 (new license due to name change). I was able to find the tickets on my phone but he wanted "print outs". Luckily there is a Lawson nearby and using the phone app I was able to print out the tickets to add to my application. So be prepared for that >.<

He told me to sit and wait and after another hour he told me my application was ok and that I need to make a payment of \4600, I paid with cash but it seems like cashless is available too at a different counter. I paid and took the stamp back to him, he asked me to fill out the form with my name, DOB and address and asking me to select my gender. I then sat back down and waited. I also had to choose two x 4-digit "pin" numbers.

After about another hour a bunch of us got called and took into another room, it's a point to note that you don't need to rush to the front of the queue in the beginning when giving your documents, it makes no difference. This is when we had our eye test. It'll be helpful to learn the words "up (ue), down (shita), left (hidari), right(migi), green(midori or ao) and red (aka)" , other people were using their hands to signal the direction. You also need to remove any glasses you're wearing. Once done, you go over to a counter and hand in your completed application, they will ask you if you have a scooter license and about any name changes etc. Then you sit and wait again.

After about 45 minutes we went to the next room and had our license photo taken. You do this process as your "group", there were about 11 people in mine and we went through the whole process together. Once the photo was taken we went to a waiting room and waited about 45 minutes after everyone had had their pictures taken.
Then we got given our license and were told we are classed as "1st year drivers" and we need to put the relevant sticker on our cars when we drive.

We then checked our license for our details and also the details on a computer screen that read our license and inputting the two pin numbers we selected during the application stage. Once we did that, we were free to go.

My license is valid until 2026.

So yeah overall it took 6 hours, it was an exhausting time but I'm happy I got my license finally. I very much was putting it off until now.

Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps somebody in the future.