Japanese License Classes You Can Get by Converting (incl. AT)

Only first-class licenses can be converted

Japan's first-class licenses are: large (大型), medium (中型), semi-medium (準中型), regular (普通), large special (大型特殊), large motorcycle (大型二輪), regular motorcycle (普通二輪), small special (小型特殊), moped (原付) and towing (けん引) (Road Traffic Act, Article 84). Conversion is the procedure for partial exemption from the exams for these first-class licenses (National Police Agency guidelines).

You cannot convert to a second-class license, which is needed to drive paying passengers in taxis or buses (Aichi police).

Your class depends on your foreign license

The Japanese license you can get is the class equivalent to the vehicles your foreign license allows you to drive (National Police Agency guidelines). The guidelines use EU licenses as an example, as shown below.

The guidelines also tell police not to automatically grant the largest class, but to ask what you want to drive in Japan, explain the vehicles each class covers and the vehicle used in the driving test, and inform you that you may apply for a lower class. Larger vehicles mean a harder driving test, so choose what you actually need.

Japan's car license classes and age rules

Vehicle class is set by gross vehicle weight, maximum load and seating capacity; if any one exceeds the limit, you need the higher class (Nagano police). Large and medium licenses have age and experience requirements, and time holding a foreign license equivalent to a regular license counts as experience (National Police Agency guidelines).

To apply for a large or medium license you must already hold a regular license or similar, so apply for a regular license first if you don't have one. You can apply at the same time, but each application and fee is separate (National Police Agency guidelines).

Motorcycles, mopeds and what a regular license covers

A regular license covers regular cars plus small special vehicles and standard mopeds (一般原動機付自転車) (Road Traffic Act, Article 85). It does not cover motorcycles; for those you need a regular or large motorcycle license.

Since April 1, 2025, two-wheelers of 125 cc or less whose maximum output is limited to 4.0 kW (新基準原付, new-standard mopeds) can also be ridden on a moped license (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism). A 125 cc bike above 4.0 kW requires a regular motorcycle license (including the small-bike-only version, 小型限定).

Automatic-only licenses and test vehicles

Even if your foreign license is an unrestricted regular car license, you can request an AT-only regular license and take the driving test in an automatic car (National Police Agency guidelines).

The vehicle used in the driving test is set for each class by the guidelines.

Fees depend on the class

Application fees vary by class. In Tokyo: regular 2,500 yen; large, medium and semi-medium 3,900 yen; moped 1,600 yen; other classes 2,800 yen; plus an issuance fee of 2,350 yen (checked October 2026). Amounts can differ by prefecture, so confirm with your prefectural police.

Whatever class you choose, the knowledge test is the same (50 questions, 45 correct to pass). menkyopass mock exams let you practice it in English in the real format.

FAQ

Related guides

• Japan License Conversion Process: 6 Steps from Booking to License
• Japan License Conversion Driving Test: Tasks, Scoring, Fails
• How Much Does License Conversion Cost in Japan? Fees Explained
• Japan License Conversion Documents: Juminhyo, Translation, Passport
• Japanese Translation of Your License for Conversion: JAF, Fees

Sources (in Japanese)

• 警察庁 丙運発第59号（令和8年1月8日）別添「外国免許等関係事務取扱い要領」（受けようとする免許の種類・実技の使用自動車）
• e-Gov法令検索「道路交通法」第84条・第85条
• 長野県警察「確認しよう、運転免許と運転できる車」
• 和歌山県警察「運転免許の受験資格」PDF
• 愛知県警察 運転免許試験場「外国免許から国内免許への切替え」PDF（令和7年10月27日現在）
• 国土交通省「道路交通法施行規則の一部を改正する内閣府令等の施行に伴う駐車環境の整備に向けた取組の推進について」PDF（新基準原付）
• 警視庁「外国で取得した運転免許証を日本の運転免許証に切り替えるには」