Getting a Japanese Drivers License

Please note that this page is designed primarily for foreigners living in Kochi Prefecture. While the process is probably similar across Japan, if you do not live in Kochi, please use this as a general guide and verify all phone numbers, fees, times etc. with you local testing center.

If you work on the JET Program, all of the basic information concerning the process should be in the possession of your supervisor in both Japanese and English. Everything that appears on this site and is not my opinion, experience, or the experience of others, was taken from official JET documents. They were current as of July 14th, 2003.      Even if you feel you can tackle this issue yourself, I recommend letting your supervisor know what you plan to do and what you are up against. They can then at least admit you might, just might, have to be allowed vacation days to finish everything up. Plus, they will probably offer to help and put you in touch with people who can really help you out.  Now, on with the show.

The International Drivers Permit (IDP) and You

You can use an IDP in Japan for one year if it is accompanied by your home country license at all times. Leaving the IDP in the glove box worked great for me. Additionally, if you wish to convert to a Japanese license after one year, you must have been in possession of your home country's license for three months prior to your arrival in Japan. You CAN drive for one year on a new license and an IDP, but you will not be able to go through the exchange process (without a lot of extra work and time) after that year is up. IDPs are not renewable. After one year you must exchange it for a Japanese license or stop driving.

There are many un-confirmable theories as to why such a system exists . I will not go into them. Hopefully you are starting the conversion process well in advance of the expiration date of your IDP. For some lucky few, the simple process of exchanging your license becomes a very fun, exciting, and meaningful exercise in bureaucratic gymnastics.        Let's get started...

The First Step: License Translation

Everyone must obtain an official translation of your license to accompany the rest of your paperwork. The document I have says you must do this through JAF (Japan Automotive Federation). This is probably true, but check with your local center if you wish. In the spirit of concise instructions, on the same document a page later it states you can also have the translation done at all embassy and consulate offices. You can either go to the JAF office, or take care of this step by mail.

Office Visit

By Mail (what I did)

Translations take 20 to 30 minutes. Call ahead for an appointment. Phone calls in Japanese only. Translation fee: \3,000 Monday - Friday, 9am to 5:30 pm. No holiday hours. Kita-Kaneda 15-1 Kochi City Tel: 088-882-0311 FAX: 088-882-0310

You must include an enlarged copy of your license (I used A4 size). If there is important info on the back, copy it too (I hear through the grape vine that you should copy the back, even if there is nothing on it). FAX ahead the enlarged copies to confirm that they are clear enough for JAF to work with. If approved, take your copies to the post office and send them in the registered envelope for mailing cash. Translation fee: \3,000 Mailing charge: \290 It took me 4 days to get a registered mail translation back.

Go to Page 2

scheduling appointments, getting your license, driving test etc.

See the results of the 2003 Kochi Driving Survey. This survey was designed to get a general feel for car-life in Kochi. What we own, how much we spend and how long it might take to get that license. Enjoy.

Other Driving Stuff

The 2003 Kochi Driving Survey

An article on foreign drivers from the Dec. 11th, 2003 Kochi Shinbum (Newspaper)

Enjoy

This article was translated by, and reproduced with the permission of, Mr. Paul Fioravanti. You will need to enable Japanese encoding to read the original.

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