How many questions are on the karimen test?
The karimen (仮免, provisional licence) written test has 50 true-or-false questions. You have 30 minutes, and you need 45 correct answers, a 90% pass mark, to pass. You mark ○ (true) or ✕ (false) on a paper answer sheet. The test is available in English and 19 other languages at prefectural licence centres.
The karimen written test at a glance
| Questions | 50 true-or-false statements about the traffic rules, road signs and markings, and safe driving |
|---|---|
| Time | 30 minutes, which is 36 seconds per question |
| Pass mark | 45 correct out of 50 (90%) |
| Answer format | Paper mark sheet: fill ○ for true or ✕ for false |
| Language | Japanese, or one of 20 other languages including English. See taking the test in English. |
| Age | 17 years and 6 months or older to sit the Tokyo karimen test (the full licence needs 18) |
| Fee (Tokyo) | ¥5,800 in total: ¥2,950 test fee, ¥1,750 test-vehicle fee and ¥1,100 for issuing the provisional licence. Other prefectures charge similar amounts. |
| Where (Tokyo) | Fuchu and Samezu test centres, weekdays only |
What the questions cover
The question bank is drawn from the traffic rules a learner is expected to know before driving on public roads: road signs and markings, signals and police hand signals, right of way at intersections, speed limits and stopping distances, parking and stopping rules, pedestrians and bicycles, overtaking and lane use, railway crossings, licence rules and vehicle checks, and driving in bad weather or emergencies. The honmen (full licence) test covers the same rules in a longer paper, so preparation for one is preparation for both. See the honmen test format.
Why a 90% pass mark is harder than it sounds
You can miss five questions. The questions are not conceptually difficult, but they are written to be nearly true: "You may stop briefly in a no-parking zone to load goods" is true, while "You may stop briefly in a no-stopping zone to load goods" is false. Words like "always", "may", "must", "enough" and "immediately" decide the answer. Most people who fail were reading too quickly, not studying too little.
What happens on the day
- Application and aptitude test. You hand in the application, pay the fee and take the eyesight and colour check.
- Written test. 50 questions, 30 minutes. In Tokyo the written test is booked in advance through the online reservation system.
- Result. Results are announced the same day.
- Practical test. The karimen driving test on the centre's closed course is booked separately and cannot be taken on the same day as the written test. Pass both and the provisional licence is issued.
If you fail
You re-book and pay the test fee again on a later day. There is no waiting period, but slots at the big-city centres can be several days or weeks out, so a fail costs time as well as money. Most learners who fail did so by one or two marks, which is why it pays to sit full 50-question papers under the clock before the real one.
How to prepare in English
- Practise the format, not just the rules. Reading the rulebook is not the same as judging 50 trap-worded statements in 30 minutes.
- Time yourself. Sit whole 50-question papers in 30 minutes and re-read every question you got wrong.
- Start free. Ten sample questions with answers show the level, and Paper 07 is free by email. The full set is ten topic papers, 500 questions, all in English with explanations and a Japanese term glossary, plus ten 50-question mock tests in the bundle.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the karimen test?
50 true-or-false questions.
How long is the karimen written test?
30 minutes.
What is the pass mark for the karimen test?
90%: you need 45 correct answers out of 50. Five mistakes is the most you can make.
Is the karimen test multiple choice?
No. Every question is a statement you mark true (○) or false (✕) on a paper answer sheet.
How much does the karimen test cost?
In Tokyo, ¥5,800 in total: ¥2,950 for the test, ¥1,750 for the test vehicle and ¥1,100 for issuing the provisional licence. Fees in other prefectures are similar but not identical.
Can I take the karimen test in English?
Yes. It is offered in 20 languages including English. In Tokyo the English paper is available every weekday at Fuchu, Samezu and Koto, booked through the online reservation system.
Is the karimen test the same as the honmen test?
No. The honmen (full licence) test is longer: 90 true-or-false questions plus five illustrated hazard questions in 50 minutes, also with a 90% pass mark. Both tests draw on the same traffic rules.
Related guides
- Take the test in English
- Honmen test format
- October 2025 rule change
- Test centres by prefecture
- Free online mock test (50 questions, 30 minutes)
- Conversion guide
- 10 free sample questions with answers
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 the provisional licence test and foreign-language written tests. 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.