Before you start

Ward registration and a residence card
Your foreign licence, with an official Japanese translation from JAF or the issuing embassy
Proof you held the licence and were physically present in the issuing country for at least three months after it was issued
A jūminhyō residence certificate — compulsory for every applicant since 1 October 2025

Step-by-step

1
Check whether your country is exempt from the practical test
A specific list of countries and territories can convert without a driving test — most of western Europe, Australia, Korea, Taiwan and others. If yours is not on it, expect a closed-course examination with standards that surprise experienced drivers. Check before assuming anything.
OnlineWho: You
2
Get the official translation from JAF
The Japan Automobile Federation issues the accepted translation of a foreign licence, and it must come from JAF or your embassy — a private translation is not accepted. Allow time for it before booking anything.
In personWho: You
3
Prove the three-month residence requirement
You must show you were in the issuing country for at least three months after the licence was issued. Old passport stamps are the usual evidence, which is a strong argument for never discarding an expired passport.
In personWho: You
4
Book at the prefectural driving licence centre and expect to return
The application, eyesight check and knowledge check are done at the Hiroshima Prefectural Police licence centre. Since 1 October 2025 the knowledge check has been fifty written questions with a 90% pass mark rather than ten illustrated ones at 70%. If a practical test is required, first-attempt failure is common and repeat bookings can take weeks.
In personWho: You
5
Understand that an International Driving Permit expires after one year
An IDP issued under the Geneva Convention is valid for one year from entry and cannot be renewed by a short trip abroad — Japan applies a rule preventing exactly that. Start the conversion well before the year is up.
OnlineWho: You
6
Know that you must prove a parking space before you can register a car
Registering a vehicle requires a shakoshōmeisho, a police certificate that you hold a designated off-street parking space. There is no street-parking option. In the delta wards a monthly space is a real recurring cost; in Asakita it is usually included with the house.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Foreign driving licence
JAF or embassy translation of it
Passport, including expired ones showing the three-month residence
Residence card and jūminhyō
Passport photographs

Things most newcomers don’t know

The three-month rule blocks more conversions than the driving test does.

You must prove you were physically present in the country that issued your licence for at least three months after issue. Someone who obtained a licence shortly before emigrating simply cannot convert, however experienced. Old passports with entry and exit stamps are the standard evidence — never throw one away.

Source: National Police Agency

The practical test assesses a procedural style, not competence, and experienced drivers fail it.

For applicants from non-exempt countries the closed-course examination tests exaggerated mirror and shoulder checks, precise lane positioning, a crank course and an S-curve. Decades of safe driving do not help. Budget for two or three attempts and consider a single lesson at a local school first, which is what most successful applicants end up doing.

Source: community-reported

In the delta the tram makes a car close to pointless; north of it the calculation reverses.

Hiroden runs the largest tram network left in Japan and since 3 August 2025 it runs into the second floor of Hiroshima Station itself, so the central wards are covered end to end without a transfer. Asakita, the mountain half of Aki and the outer parts of Saeki are a different city — bus frequencies drop, distances grow, and a household there generally needs a car. Decide where you are living before deciding whether to convert.

Source: community-reported

Expressway tolls, not fuel, are what make a Chūgoku road trip expensive.

The Sanyō and Chūgoku expressways put Kyoto, Fukuoka, Matsue and Shikoku within a day's drive, and the network is excellent. Tolls are high by international standards and an ETC card is effectively mandatory both to avoid queuing and to get discounted rates. Price the tolls before assuming driving beats the Shinkansen.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Discarding old passports and losing the evidence for the three-month residence requirement.
Assuming your country is exempt from the practical test without checking the list.
Relying on an International Driving Permit past its one-year validity.
Buying a car before securing the parking-space certificate.
Taking a cheap flat in Asakita or outer Saeki without pricing a car into the budget.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.