Overview
Japan has no single national test centre for driving licences. Each prefecture's public safety commission, run through the prefectural police, holds its own written test (学科試験). The rules are national, but the booking system, test locations, languages offered and fees differ by prefecture. This page uses the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) as the worked example and notes where Shiga Prefecture differs. All sources are Japanese government pages, read in Japanese.
The written test checks knowledge of road rules and safe driving. It is one part of the licence test, which runs in a fixed order: aptitude test, written test, then practical driving test.
Who can apply
You normally apply in the prefecture where you live. Tokyo's test is open to people with an address in Tokyo; Shiga's is open to people registered in Shiga.
Tokyo states that from 1 April 2026 the minimum age to take the test for ordinary and semi-medium (準中型) licences is 17 years 6 months, down from 18. A licence is still only issued from age 18. Shiga's page, updated in April 2026, says the same.
Shiga lists other minimum ages: 16 for an ordinary motorcycle licence, 18 for large special and large motorcycle licences, and 21 for second-class (commercial passenger) licences, with at least 3 years holding an ordinary-class licence. A 19-year-old with one year of licence history can sit the second-class test after a special training course.
Eyesight must meet the standard in the aptitude test. Tokyo's ordinary-licence page states 0.7 in both eyes together and 0.3 in each eye, with a field-of-vision rule for people with one weak or blind eye.
Anyone whose licence was revoked before must have taken a revocation-holder course within the previous year and finished the disqualification period before applying.
Exam pattern
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Test order | Aptitude test, written test, practical test |
| Aptitude test | Eyesight, colour recognition and depth perception |
| Written test | Multiple-choice or true/false questions, on paper or on a computer |
| Pass mark | 90 percent or more, set by the Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations (Article 25) |
| Booking | Written test is by reservation only in Tokyo, morning or afternoon session |
| Days | Weekdays only in Tokyo; closed on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and 29 December to 3 January |
Exemptions in Tokyo: if you already hold a different first-class licence (not small special or moped), the written test is waived, and the same applies for second-class. Graduates of a designated driving school, or those with a test-pass certificate, skip the practical test. The sources reviewed do not give the number of questions or the exact marking scheme, so check with your prefecture's licensing centre.
Languages
Tokyo says the first-class, second-class and provisional written tests are offered in 20 languages. You ask for a foreign-language paper by telling staff when you hand in the application. Which languages, centres and weekdays are available depends on the language, so check the Tokyo page on foreign-language tests before booking. Tokyo also offers the knowledge check used when converting a foreign licence in these supported languages.
Fees
Fees are in yen and differ by prefecture and licence type.
Tokyo, ordinary first-class licence for designated-school graduates (page updated 1 April 2026): test fee 1,900 yen and licence issue fee 2,350 yen, 4,250 yen in total. Each retake costs the test fee again.
Tokyo, direct test fees listed on the exam overview: ordinary first-class 3,300 yen, moped and small special 1,600 yen, provisional licence 4,700 yen, and second-class 7,450 yen. Passing the moped test also requires a separate moped lecture costing 5,250 yen. These amounts include use of the test vehicle.
Shiga, for those who graduated from a designated school: ordinary first-class test fee 1,900 yen, with an issue fee for a conventional licence of 2,350 yen.
Fees for combining the licence with the My Number card follow a separate fee schedule; check the prefecture's page.
How to apply
Finish the designated driving school course, if you are using one, before booking.
Reserve the written test on the prefecture's online system. In Tokyo this is the 警視庁運転免許手続予約サイト, and a phone reservation line also exists. Cancel the booking if you cannot attend.
On the day, arrive at the assembly time. Tokyo lists 8:00 for the morning session and 11:00 for the afternoon session.
Bring the documents asked for. For a first licence these include a residence certificate that shows your registered domicile or nationality details, a photo, identification, and the school graduation or test-pass certificate. Foreign residents need a residence certificate showing the items the prefecture lists.
If you pass, Shiga normally issues the licence the same day. Check your own prefecture's page for how it handles results, especially if you are under 18.
Preparation tips
Practise with road-rule questions in the language you will sit the test in, since a foreign-language paper must be requested on the day.
Learn the road signs and right-of-way rules, then check your answers against the 90 percent pass mark.
Check your prefecture's page on foreign-language papers, as the list of languages and days differs.
What score do I need to pass the Japanese driving written test?
The Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations set the pass mark at 90 percent or more.
Can I take the written test in English?
Yes, in Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department offers the first-class, second-class and provisional written tests in 20 languages, including English. Tell staff when you submit the application that you want a foreign-language paper, and check its page for which centres and weekdays offer your language. Other prefectures may differ, so check yours.
Can I take the test at 17?
From 1 April 2026, Tokyo and Shiga allow the ordinary and semi-medium written tests from age 17 years 6 months, but a licence is only issued at 18.