Skip to content

Educational guide, not legal advice, not affiliated with the National Police Agency, prefectural police or JAF. Driving without a valid license is a crime in Japan; confirm with the police or your rental company before you drive. Full disclaimer

FreeJapan Driving Check

Shared result · Japan Driving Check

Not valid in Japan: A China (mainland) license can't be used to drive in Japan

China (mainland) has no accepted IDP or translation route in Japan, so neither its license nor its IDP lets you drive. Residents can convert it to a Japanese license (外免切替); visitors can't drive.

← Start over · Open the example

Your license and your stay

China (mainland) · 中国 · 短期滞在（観光など）

Not valid in Japan

A China (mainland) license can't be used to drive in Japan

China (mainland) has no accepted IDP or translation route in Japan, so neither its license nor its IDP lets you drive. Residents can convert it to a Japanese license (外免切替); visitors can't drive.

How a China (mainland) license drives in Japan: no short-term route: you need a Japanese license (外免切替 or driving school)

Convert to a Japanese license (外免切替): not yet / not possible

Knowledge check (50 questions, 45 to pass) + driving check

  • Since 2025-10-01 you need a 住民票 (resident record): tourists and other short-term visitors can't convert.

Fees (Tokyo, ordinary car): ¥2,500 application + ¥2,350 issuance = ¥4,850, translation extra.

What to do

  • Rental companies check the document at pickup: bring the original license, the IDP or translation, and your passport.

Documents to convert

  • Application form (at the license center)
  • Photo 3.0 × 2.4 cm, taken within 6 months
  • 住民票の写し with nationality etc. (特定事項) shown, issued within 6 months (required since 2025-10-01)
  • Your valid foreign license (original; an IDP is not accepted)
  • Japanese translation of the license (JAF, embassy, or other approved body)
  • Passport(s) covering the time you got the license and the 3+ months in that country
  • Residence card or other ID

Good to know

  • Since 2025-10-01 the knowledge check is 50 written questions and you need 45 (90%); illustration questions were dropped. The driving check got stricter (crosswalks, railroad crossings, more scoring).
  • Reported pass rates after the change (Oct–Dec 2025, NPA figures via NTV 2026-03-05): knowledge 42.8%, driving 13.1% (2024: 92.5% and 30.4%).
  • Vision: both eyes 0.7+, each eye 0.3+ (ordinary).
  • The new license has the green band and you must show the beginner mark (初心者マーク) for your first year.
  • Apply in person at the license center for your address (Tokyo: book online for Fuchu, Samezu or Koto). No proxies.
  • Not on NPA's Geneva Convention list (May 2026) and not a translation-route country, so a license or IDP from here does not let you drive in Japan. NPA notes other places may also be covered: confirm with the police if you hold a Geneva-format IDP.
Share on X

Educational guide, not legal advice, not affiliated with the National Police Agency, prefectural police or JAF. Driving without a valid license is a crime in Japan; confirm with the police or your rental company before you drive.

Rules as of 2026-10-27 from NPA and Tokyo police (Keishicho) pages: the Geneva Convention list (NPA data, May 2026), the translation route, the 3-month rule, and the 外免切替 rules changed on 2025-10-01. It can't inspect your IDP or license.

Educational guide, not legal advice, not affiliated with the National Police Agency, prefectural police or JAF. Driving without a valid license is a crime in Japan; confirm with the police or your rental company before you drive. Rules as of 2026-10-27 from NPA and Tokyo police (Keishicho) pages: the Geneva Convention list (NPA data, May 2026), the translation route, the 3-month rule, and the 外免切替 rules changed on 2025-10-01. It can't inspect your IDP or license.