Gaimen50-question practice tests in the real exam formatWhat does 軽車両 (keisharyō) mean? Light vehicles and bicycles
Updated: 2026-10
軽車両 (けいしゃりょう, keisharyō) means light vehicles: bicycles, handcarts, rear-cars, sleds, horses and cattle and other vehicles moved by human or animal power. The 軽 ('light') makes people confuse it with kei cars (軽自動車), but they are different. Legally a light vehicle is a 車両 (vehicle), so a 'vehicles prohibited' sign also bars bicycles. A common exception on the test: even in no-overtaking zones, overtaking a light vehicle is not prohibited.
Legal definition
Article 2(1)(xi) of the Road Traffic Act (道路交通法): (a) bicycles, carts and other vehicles moved by human or animal power or towed by another vehicle, not running on rails (including sleds and horses or cattle); (b) motorized vehicles that a Cabinet Office ordinance treats as equivalent to (a) by size and structure.
Wheelchairs and other vehicles for people with disabilities, children's vehicles and walking aids are excluded; people using them are treated as pedestrians (Art. 2(3)). Electric-assist bicycles that meet the standard count as bicycles.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| 軽車両 | Bicycles (including compliant e-assist bikes), carts, rear-cars (リヤカー), sleds, horses and cattle |
| Not 軽車両 (treated as pedestrians) | Wheelchairs, children's vehicles, walking aids |
| Not 軽車両 (they are mopeds) | 一般原動機付自転車, 特定小型原動機付自転車 (e.g. e-scooters) |
| Not 軽車両 (it is a motor vehicle) | Kei cars (軽自動車) |
Relationship to 車両
車両 covers motor vehicles, mopeds, light vehicles and trolleybuses (Art. 2(1)(viii)). So when a sign or provision says 車両, it includes light vehicles. Bicycles may not use a road marked 車両通行止め (vehicles prohibited).
A driving license is required only for motor vehicles and ordinary mopeds (Art. 64); none is needed for light vehicles.
Main rules for light vehicles
The penalty for drink-driving (Art. 117-2-2(1)(iii)) excludes only 'light vehicles other than bicycles'. So riding a bicycle with alcohol in your system is also punishable.
| Situation | Rule | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Keep to the left edge of the road (cars and ordinary mopeds 'keep to the left') | Art. 18(1) |
| No-overtaking zones | Overtaking light vehicles and specified small mopeds is not prohibited | Art. 30 |
| Right turns | Always keep left and go slowly along the edge of the intersection (two-step) | Art. 34(3) |
| Signals | Bicycles must signal; other light vehicles are exempt | Art. 53(1) |
| Being passed | A passing vehicle without enough clearance must slow to a safe speed for the gap; the light vehicle keeps as far left as possible | Art. 18(3), (4) |
| Route-bus lanes | May use them, along with small special vehicles and mopeds | Rules of the road |
How it appears on the test, and the traps
The traps rest on the image of the word 'light' and on swapping light vehicles, mopeds and specified small mopeds.
- 'Cars, mopeds and light vehicles may not use a road with a vehicles-prohibited sign' → True
- 'Even within 30 m before an intersection, you may overtake a light vehicle' → True
- 'In a no-overtaking zone, you may overtake a moped (一般原動機付自転車)' → False
- 'Light vehicles include kei cars' → False
- 'Mopeds required to turn in two steps and light vehicles may not turn on a green right arrow' → True
Practice questions using this term
- On a road with this sign, no motor vehicles, motorized bicycles (mopeds), or light vehicles (bicycles, etc.) may pass.
- Even small special motor vehicles, motorized bicycles (mopeds), and light vehicles must not drive in a lane reserved exclusively for route buses (bus-only lane).
- Even when a green right-turn arrow is shown, motorized bicycles (mopeds) that must make a two-step right turn, and light vehicles, may not start turning right.
- Even at an intersection and within 30 meters before it, you may overtake a light vehicle (bicycle, etc.).
FAQ
Q. Is a bicycle a 軽車両?
A. Yes. A bicycle is a light vehicle and legally a 車両.
Q. Is a kei car (軽自動車) a 軽車両?
A. No. A kei car is a motor vehicle; the names are just similar.
Q. May I overtake a bicycle in a no-overtaking zone?
A. The no-overtaking-zone rule does not ban overtaking light vehicles and specified small mopeds, but you still need safe clearance and speed.