How do you convert a foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one? A summary of the process (for someone with a French license living in Tokyo)

Here’s a summary of the steps to convert a French driver’s license to a Japanese one for someone living in Tokyo.

There is an official page from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department explaining the process, but unfortunately, there’s no English version available yet, which made things quite inconvenient… (I also called them, but the response was very unhelpful, which was disappointing.)

外国で取得した運転免許証を日本の運転免許証に切り替えるには（How to convert a foreign driver’s license to a Japanese driver’s license）

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.html

The entire page is written in Japanese.
There is no English version of the list of required documents.
Even with a good command of Japanese, the website is hard to understand, and in the end, I wasn’t really sure what I needed to do.

How to Convert Your Foreign Driver’s License to a Japanese License

First, in order to convert a driver’s license obtained in a foreign country to a Japanese driver’s license, you need to meet the following conditions:

The foreign driver’s license must be valid (not expired).
You must have stayed in the country where the license was issued for a total of at least 3 months.
You must have a registered address (residency) in Japan.
Your visa must be valid.

Check if You’re Exempt from the Knowledge and Driving Skills Test

The following countries are exempt from the knowledge and driving skills test.
France is one of the exempt countries.
In other words, if your license was issued in a country not on the list below, you’ll need to take a test (likely to confirm your driving ability and knowledge) to make sure you’re allowed to drive in Japan.

Countries (and regions) Exempt from the Knowledge and Driving Skills Test (29 in total):

Iceland, Ireland, The United States (only the states of Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington), The United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Austria, The Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Hungary, Finland, France, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Monaco, Luxembourg, Taiwan

Countries (and regions) Exempt Only from the Driving Skills Test:

United States (limited to the state of Indiana)

Prepare the documents

Required Documents

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai05.files/hituyou.pdf

There’s a PDF list of required documents linked above, but—it’s all in Japanese!
I called and asked, “Is there an English version available?” and they said, “We haven’t prepared an English version yet…”
Honestly, it feels like they have no intention of helping foreigners switch their licenses…

Valid Foreign Driver’s License, etc. (to be presented)	A valid foreign driver’s license, and any expired licenses from the same country (if available) Note: If your license does not show the date of issue, you must provide an official document that proves the original issue date (such as a driver’s record).If you hold more than one type of license (e.g., a regular car license and a motorcycle license), you will need to provide proof of the issue date for each license type. If you are required to take the driving skills test, your license must still be valid on the day of the test (which is typically scheduled about 3 to 4 months after booking).If your license is close to expiring, it’s recommended to make the reservation after renewing it. In that case, a Japanese translation of your renewed license will also be required.
Japanese Translation of the Above Foreign Driver’s License (to be submitted)	The translation must be prepared by one of the following organizations: – The embassy of the country where the license was issued (for Taiwan, the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association) – Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) – ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e.V. – for German licenses) – Ziplus Co., Ltd. (for licenses from Taiwan, the United States, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of the Philippines, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ukraine, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Nepal, and the Republic of Indonesia)
Japanese Driver’s License or My Number Card with Driver’s License Information (My Number License)	If you have ever had a Japanese driver’s license, either now or in the past.
Resident Record (Jūminhyō) with Registered Domicile (Honseki) or Nationality (to be submitted) Note: For individuals subject to the Basic Resident Registration Law(i.e., those who have resident registration and hold a residence card)	A copy of your Resident Record (Jūminhyō) that includes your nationality(Photocopies are not accepted. The document must not include your My Number.) If your resident record has been removed ,please prepare one of the following: – A Family Register (Koseki Tōhon) – Full Certificate – A Family Register (Koseki Shōhon) – Individual Certificate – A Removal Record of Resident Registration that includes your nationality In addition, please also prepare the following: – A document confirming your temporary stay in Tokyo, such as a Certificate of Temporary Stay – A copy of an ID showing the name and address of the person verifying your stay (e.g., a driver’s license) – A copy of a document confirming that the verifier is the head of the household (e.g., a Resident Record) Note: If you bring a Resident Record that includes your My Number, please use a marker to mask (black out) the My Number section before submission.
Passport, etc. (to be presented) For individuals not subject to the Basic Resident Registration Act	”Passport, etc.” refers to a passport, an identification document issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or any official identification issued by a competent authority. If your current residence in Tokyo cannot be verified through the above documents, you will need to present a Certificate of Temporary Stay or other document that proves your stay in Tokyo. For those staying at hotels, inns, or similar accommodations in Tokyo, a Certificate of Temporary Stay is required. For those staying at a host residence, you must submit: – A Certificate of Temporary Stay or other document confirming your stay in Tokyo – A copy of an ID that confirms the name and address of the host (such as a driver’s license) – A copy of a document confirming the host is the head of the household (such as a resident record)
A document that verifies the applicant stayed in the country (or region) where the driver’s license was issued for a total of at least three months after obtaining the license.	Passport(s) and other relevant documents(If you have any old passports, please bring all of them.) If you used an automated gate when entering or leaving the country, please obtain a Certificate of Entry and Exit Records (or equivalent) from the country where your driver’s license was issued. Note: Even if you did not use an automated gate, you may still be required to submit additional documents such as a Certificate of Entry and Exit Records, depending on the country.Please check the list of required documents by country and prepare accordingly.
Application photo (to be attached to the application form)	Size: 3 cm (height) × 2.4 cm (width), one copy required Photo requirements: – Taken within the last 6 months – Front-facing, no hat (except for religious or medical reasons) – Head and upper shoulders visible (top one-third of body) – Plain background If you are applying for multiple license categories, you must submit the appropriate number of photos based on the number of categories. Note: Photos that are grainy or do not allow for proper identification will not be accepted. Photos will be checked at the counter by staff. You may use ID photos taken at the automatic photo booths located at each Driver’s License Testing Center (Fuchu, Samezu, and Koto).
Others	The required documents may vary depending on the country where the foreign driver’s license was obtained and the circumstances of acquisition. Please refer to the list of required documents by country. In addition to the “three months or more of stay in the country where the license was obtained” mentioned above, it may be necessary to further verify the period of stay. If you have any documents that can prove your driving history and period of stay (such as an old foreign driver’s license), please bring them with you.

Making a Reservation

In Tokyo, there are three locations where you can switch your foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one.

At the Fuchu and Samezu Driver’s License Examination Centers, all holders of foreign driver’s licenses can complete the procedure. However, at the Koto Driver’s License Examination Center, only those from countries exempt from the written and practical tests are eligible.

Additionally, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department website states that “those who cannot speak Japanese may be asked to bring someone who can interpret.” Therefore, it is recommended to go with a friend who can speak Japanese, if possible.

Locations Where You Can Complete the Procedure

Fuchu Driver’s License Examination Center
3-1-1 Tamamachi, Fuchu City

Samezu Driver’s License Examination Center
1-12-5 Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa Ward

Koto Driver’s License Examination Center
1-7-24 Shinsuna, Koto Ward

Business Hours

From 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on weekdays only
(Weekdays refer to Monday through Friday. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and during the New Year holidays from December 29 to January 3.)

Fees

Application Fee

Regular License: ¥2,500
Moped License: ¥1,600
Large, Medium, and Semi-Medium Vehicles: ¥3,900
Others: ¥2,800

Issuance Fee

¥2,350

Additional Endorsement Fee

¥200

Online Reservation Website

Please access the reservation site by clicking on the section labeled “警視庁行政手続オンライン（外部サイト）” on the following page.