Rule change · Updated September 2026

Gaimen kirikae: what changed on 1 October 2025

On 1 October 2025 the National Police Agency's revised rules for converting a foreign driving licence (gaimen kirikae, 外免切替) took effect. The knowledge check went from 10 illustrated questions with 7 correct to pass to 50 text-based true-or-false questions with 45 correct to pass. The practical check gained new tasks and stricter marking, and a certificate of residence (jūminhyō) issued within the last six months became mandatory, which ended conversions by short-term visitors.

Short answer: the conversion knowledge check is now the same size and difficulty as the karimen test: 50 true-or-false questions, 30 minutes, 45 correct to pass. It is offered in 20 languages including English.

Before and after

	Until 30 September 2025	From 1 October 2025
Questions	10, with illustrations	50 text-based true-or-false statements; illustrated questions abolished
Pass mark	7 out of 10 (70%)	45 out of 50 (90%)
Sessions (Tokyo)	More than one a day	One afternoon session per day
Practical check	Closed-course drive	Added tasks such as passing a pedestrian crossing, and stricter marking
Proof of address	Various documents accepted	Certificate of residence (jūminhyō) issued within 6 months, for all nationalities. Visitors not on the resident register can no longer convert, apart from diplomatic staff.
Languages	20	20, unchanged

Why it changed

The old 10-question check had been criticised as too easy, and the police reported conversions by tourists using hotel addresses. The revision brought the knowledge check up to the level of the domestic karimen test, tightened the practical check, and limited conversion to people registered as residents. The National Police Agency published the draft in July 2025 and the rule took effect on 1 October 2025.

Who still skips the tests

Holders of licences from 29 exempt countries and regions sit neither the knowledge check nor the practical check: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States for licences issued in Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia and Washington state. Everyone else, including most US licence holders and drivers from India, the Philippines, Brazil, China and Vietnam, sits both. Exempt applicants still need the residence certificate and the other documents.

What the new knowledge check is like

It is drawn from the same 22 areas of the traffic rules as the karimen test: signs and markings, right of way, speed, parking and stopping, pedestrians, overtaking, signals, railway crossings, licence rules, hazards and more. The statements are written to be nearly true and turn on single words. In Tokyo the check is held in all 20 languages every weekday at the Fuchu and Samezu test centres, and the whole conversion process is reservation-based. Fees in Tokyo are ¥2,500 to apply for an ordinary-licence conversion and ¥2,350 to issue the licence.

The full process, documents and practical-test details are in our gaimen kirikae written test guide. For the test format in detail see the karimen test format, which the knowledge check now mirrors.

How to prepare

Treat it as a real exam. Under the old rules people passed by reading a leaflet in the waiting room. With 45 out of 50 needed, that no longer works.
Practise 50-question papers in the language you will sit. Ten free sample questions show the style, and Paper 07 is free by email. The full set is ten English topic papers, 500 questions with explanations, plus ten 50-question mock tests in the bundle.
Book early. One afternoon session a day and long waits in the big cities mean a failed attempt can cost weeks.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the gaimen kirikae knowledge test now?

50 true-or-false questions since 1 October 2025, up from 10. You need 45 correct to pass.

What is the pass mark for the foreign licence conversion test?

90%: 45 correct out of 50. Before October 2025 it was 7 out of 10.

Is the gaimen kirikae knowledge test in English?

Yes. It is offered in 20 languages including English. In Tokyo it runs every weekday at Fuchu and Samezu.

Can tourists convert a foreign licence in Japan?

Not since 1 October 2025. A certificate of residence (jūminhyō) issued within the last six months is required, which needs registration as a resident.

Did the practical driving check change too?

Yes. Tasks such as passing a pedestrian crossing were added and the marking became stricter.

Which countries are exempt from the conversion tests?

29 countries and regions, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Korea, Taiwan and most of western Europe, plus US licences from Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia and Washington state. Exempt holders still need the residence certificate.

Do the karimen practice papers cover the conversion knowledge check?

Yes. Since October 2025 the knowledge check uses the same 50-question true-or-false format and the same traffic rules as the karimen test.

Related 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 questions

This page was last checked in September 2026 against the Tokyo Metropolitan Police (Keishicho) notice on the 1 October 2025 revision of the Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations and its foreign licence conversion pages. 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.