Your Japanese driving licence has expired: what to do
You cannot drive on an expired licence, not even for a day. Getting it back is not a renewal: legally it is a new application, but one that skips some or all of the tests. What you can skip depends on how long ago the licence expired and whether you had an unavoidable reason, such as being abroad. The deadlines below are Tokyo's; other prefectures follow the same national rules but have their own procedures.
Which case are you in?
| No unavoidable reason, up to 6 months | Licence back after an aptitude (eyesight) test and a lecture. No written or practical test. |
|---|---|
| No unavoidable reason, 6 months to 1 year | If you held an ordinary, semi-medium, medium or large licence, you get the matching provisional licence after an aptitude test (¥2,750). It is not a driving licence: to drive on your own again you must pass the full-licence tests. |
| Unavoidable reason, up to 6 months | Licence back after an aptitude test and a lecture. |
| Unavoidable reason, 6 months to 3 years | Licence back after an aptitude test and a lecture, but only if you apply within one month of the day the reason ended (for example, the day you returned to Japan). |
| Anything beyond these limits | The licence cannot be recovered. You start again from scratch, or convert a valid foreign licence if you have one. |
What counts as an unavoidable reason
Travel or residence abroad, a hospital stay, detention, and other circumstances the Public Safety Commission accepts. Being busy at work, not seeing the renewal postcard, or not being able to get a booking do not count. Bring proof: for time abroad, a passport with entry and exit stamps. If you used the automated gates and have no stamps, bring a certificate of residence from a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, or request your entry and exit records from the Immigration Services Agency, which takes time, so start early.
Fees in Tokyo
For the up-to-6-months and 6-months-to-3-years cases you pay three parts:
| Test fee | ¥1,950 per licence class |
|---|---|
| Lecture | ¥800 (general) or ¥1,400 (violator or first renewal). With an unavoidable reason, excellent drivers pay ¥500. |
| Issue fee | ¥2,350 (licence card only), ¥1,550 (My Number licence only) or ¥2,450 (both). ¥200 more for each extra licence class. |
A general driver with one class and a plastic licence pays ¥1,950 + ¥800 + ¥2,350 = ¥5,100. The provisional licence in the 6-months-to-1-year case is ¥2,750.
Where and what to bring
- Where: Fuchu, Samezu or Koto licence test centre, weekdays 8:30 to 14:00 (to 16:00 for the 6-months-to-1-year case).
- Certificate of residence (住民票の写し) showing nationality, residence status, period of stay and residence card number, issued within six months, original.
- ID to show: My Number card, residence card or passport.
- The expired licence (both cards if you held both). You can still apply without it, but it takes longer.
- Photo: one (two for the provisional licence case). Glasses, if you need them for the eyesight test.
- Proof of the unavoidable reason, if you are claiming one.
No booking is needed unless you want to switch to the My Number licence at the same time (under 70).
Avoid it next time: renew before you leave
The renewal window is one month either side of your birthday. If you will be abroad for all of it, you can renew early: bring your licence and your passport or other proof that you will be away. No booking is needed for early renewal. And if your licence is on your My Number card, remember that the expiry date is not printed on it; see the My Number licence guide.
If you have to take the tests again
In the 6-months-to-1-year case, and whenever the licence cannot be recovered, you are back to the written tests: 50 true-or-false questions for the provisional licence and 95 for the full licence, with a 90% pass mark, available in English. Even experienced drivers fail them on wording. See getting a licence from scratch and try the free 50-question mock test.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with an expired Japanese licence for a few days while I sort it out?
No. Once the licence has expired you cannot drive at all until the re-acquisition procedure is complete.
My licence expired while I was living abroad. Can I still get it back?
Yes, for up to three years after it expired, as long as you apply within one month of returning to Japan and bring proof of your time abroad, such as a passport with entry and exit stamps.
Is being busy a valid reason for missing renewal?
No. Work, not receiving the renewal postcard or failing to get a booking are not unavoidable reasons. Travel abroad, hospitalisation and detention are.
What happens if my licence expired 6 to 12 months ago without a valid reason?
If you held an ordinary, semi-medium, medium or large licence, you can get the matching provisional licence after an aptitude test (¥2,750 in Tokyo). To drive on your own again you then have to pass the full-licence tests.
How much does it cost to get an expired licence back in Tokyo?
Within the recoverable periods: ¥1,950 per licence class, plus a lecture fee (¥500 to ¥1,400) and an issue fee (¥1,550 to ¥2,450 depending on card or My Number licence). A typical total is about ¥5,100.
My passport has no stamps because I used the automated gates. What proof do I need?
A certificate of residence issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, or your official entry and exit records from the Immigration Services Agency, showing the dates you left and re-entered Japan.
Related guides
- Take the test in English
- Karimen test format
- Honmen test format
- October 2025 rule change
- Test centres by prefecture
- Free online mock test (50 questions, 30 minutes)
- Conversion guide
- Driving in Japan on an International Driving Permit
- Getting a Japanese licence from scratch
- The My Number card driving licence
- 10 free sample questions with answers
- All driving licence guides
Practice papers written for this exam, in English
Ten topic papers, 500 true-or-false questions with answers, explanations and a Japanese term glossary. ¥500 per paper, or ¥4,000 for all ten plus ten full 50-question mock tests. Paper 07 is free.
Get the free paper Try 10 sample questionsThis page was last checked in September 2026 against the Tokyo Metropolitan Police (Keishicho) pages on expired-licence (re-acquisition) procedures, early renewal before travel abroad and the October 2025 document rules for foreign nationals. Rules, fees and formats are set prefecture by prefecture and change with little notice, so always confirm the current requirements with your local licence centre before you book. Independent study material; not affiliated with any prefectural police, licence centre or driving school.