My overseas drivers license was not one of the lucky countries with the direct and simple transfer. I’ve been driving for over 10+ yeasts overseas.
I was able to get the JP DL after passing the 10 questions written test and passing the driving test (failed many times, but passed on the 4th attempt).
How do I know if I need the Shoshinsha magnet on the car for the first year?
The back of my JP license doesn’t have the stamp that I am exempted… but I was informed I am exempted because my overseas license was greater than 1 year?
Any one with similar experiences?
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If it’s your first Japanese license with the green stripe across the top you’re required to put the shoshinsha mark on your car for the first year. If you get stopped without it they’ll deduct points for not having it and you don’t have many points to begin with in your first year.
If you don’t have the exempted stamp on the back then you need to display it.
As far as I know your license had to be valid for 1 year before your arrival in Japan or you’ll need your old license. So if you renew your license under a year before coming to Japan, then that maybe the reason why they didn’t stamp your license.
The guy I dealt with refused to add the exemption even though I had over 30 years of documented history, even drove quite a bit on IDPs over multiple visits. Get the signs for your car.
They literally tell you when you pickup your license. When transfered mine it said (in japanese) that I need to keep the mark for a year.