Any Australians here with experience converting their license into a Japanese one? I currently have an IDP but would like to get a 125cc license so wanted to convert my Aussie license to a Japanese one to get the costs down a bit. I have seen that we need to get it translated into Japanese but what I am stuck on is the license history or something showing that I have had it for 3 months at least, my license doesn’t say when it was issued it just has an expiry date on it. Does the license history need to be translated as well? If so where do you do that?
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Your [embassy’s web site](https://japan.embassy.gov.au/tkyo/driving.html) (click for link) gives a rough outline of the process. You need to prove that you had your license for at least three months and have been residing in Australia for a similar amount of time. The licensing center will usually look at your passport stamps and your driving record to calculate if you satisfy the requirements, but IIRC Australia doesn’t stamp passports, so you’ll probably also need a record of your entries/exits from Australia.
> Australian driver’s licence holders who reside in Japan are able to obtain a Japanese licence without sitting a written or practical driving exam. We provide the following as general information only. Please contact your local Japanese licence office for definitive advice.
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> To convert your licence, you will generally be required to produce an official translation of your Australian licence, prove that you resided for at least three months in Australia after your licence was issued, and take an eye test.
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> **The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) is able to arrange a translation of your Australian driver’s licence for a fee. We do not provide translation services.**
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> **Some Australian driver’s licences do not show the date of issue. Therefore, you may be required to provide an Australian driving record from your home state Transport Authority that shows the date of issue of your Australian driver’s licence. This will also need to be translated into Japanese.**
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> If you require a record of movements in and out of Australia to prove that you resided there for at least three months after your licence was issued, please apply for your International Movement Records online directly with the Department of Home Affairs.
One option is to get your driving record from the RTA. Depending on the state, you can order it online and get it sent to you (potentially only an AU address though). I didn’t have any driving offences on my record, but it did show the dates I renewed or changed my license type which I was able to use as proof for the requirements. It does cost though, unfortunately.