With my move to an area that would greatly benefit from being able to drive, what are my options?
\-American with license that expired in 2017. Haven’t actually been behind the wheel since 2015.
\-Capable of using Japanese
From what I can tell there is no way I could go about the DIY approach because of my expired American license. The only thing I can do is suck it up and go to a driving school?
Anyone with experience in this particular scenario?
6 comments
Same. Went to driving camp and got my license in about two weeks. Only got the automatic one as I couldn’t swing the extra couple of days for manual (despite having driven stick most of my 20+ years behind the wheel in the US and now having my MT motorcycle license).
You can just go to the test center and take the tests if you have time. You do not have to go to school. I was in a situation similar to yours (though my license had expired about 10 years previously).
Read an old textbook a licensed friend lent me and went to the test center to take the written test. Passed, then did the first (course) driving test a few times, learning as I failed. After I passed I did the requisite practice driving with a licensed driver, then took the street driving test. The only schooling I had to pay for was a few thousand yen for a required summary course at a nearby driving school.
The tests are pretty strict and what they are looking for is not really logical. So, I recommend paying for a lesson or two with an instructor on the track where you will actually take the test (if your prefecture allows that). I failed my first test, passed the second after a two hour session with an instructor who told me exactly what they are looking for.
If you are a competent driver, go to a driving school, tell them you just want to pass the drivers test. Take 4 or 5 lessons, go take the test at the menkyo center. I did this and passed 1st time. Good luck.
As far as I know if you don’t have a valid license you must go through the whole process.
It sucks balls. I know. I’m going through it.
This dougwray guy either found a loophole or the system varies depending on the prefecture.
If you end up going through the whole driving school stuff make sure that your school gives you the graduation papers as soon as you finish.
The school I’m going to they require we pass a mock paper test before they give us the graduation papers (which allows us to take the final test) and that shit is almost impossible to pass if you take it in English. They literally translate it on google translator so you end up with questions like “If a motorcycle and a motorcycle are trying to overtake you which motor vehicle has the right of way” YES or NO
Another tip, find a school that offers online lessons. That saves a lot of time. I finished all my course in two weeks while other people that enrolled at the same time were still going there after a month.
Am not American but whether a US license can be transferred depends on the state it’s from. Of course an expired license is of no use, but, depending on your state, it could be worth flying back and getting it renewed rather than going through the hassle and expense of doing from scratch in Japan.