I’m moving to Japan in approximately a month. I’ve been learning to drive in the UK for a year now, and finally passed 2 days ago.
I then learn that online that it says in order to convert my license to a Japanese one I need to have had it for at least 3 months in my own country…. But my job estimates my start date will be next month, so I will only have had it for one month by that point.
**I dont need it** for my job, but I want to eventually get a license in Japan for other job opportunities, and I’m worried I’m going to have to go through the whole process again. The Japanese test doesn’t seem *too bad* but I’d rather not go through this whole process again…
Is there anything else I can do? I saw I can get an IDP but I imagine that’s only for short-term visits to Japan, not residency.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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You can drive on an IDP for a year. After that you are supposed to get a Japanese license.
If you don’t have your 3 months of living in your home country with your current license, I am pretty sure you have to do everything again, not just conversion. When I did my conversion last year they literally took my passport and US license and compared entry and exit dates to the US to make sure I met the requirements even though I had been driving for 20+ years in the US…
I know there are different requirements if you have to do everything from scratch in Japan but the driving portion of the conversion to Japan license is rough. It’s more of a performance than actual test of driving skill, but on my test day 4 out of about 40 passed. I was the only first time test taker to pass the driving portion. It was very obvious why other test takers I observed failed but it’s still more theatre than skill.
Technical speaking IDP is valid for a year and only for short-term, but you can renew the IDP every year in UK and continue driving with it. However, it is more convenient to have a Japan driving license for long term.
Get ready for Japanese Driver’s License Hell.
If you’re from the UK, you don’t have to take the driving tests like people from the States do. You get a translation of your British licence and some other paperwork, take it to the DMV, pay some yennies, and they’ll convert it for you.
>Is there anything else I can do?
You can take a 3-month vacation back to the UK some time in the future. Or if your job allows you to work remotely from the UK you can likewise stay for 3 months or more to “mature” your license.
Otherwise, you will need to get a Japanese driver’s license from scratch.
>I saw I can get an IDP
You can, it’s accepted in Japan for 1 year from your start of residency. After that you need to obtain a Japanese driver’s license.