Gaimen50-question practice tests in the real exam formatLicense Conversion Knowledge Test Day in Japan: What to Expect
Updated: 2026-10
On knowledge test day (知識確認), after check-in and the document check, you're asked about your driving history, then answer 50 written true/false questions in 30 minutes. You need 45 correct to pass. Anti-cheating rules in the test room are strict — phones must be switched off and put in your bag — and any cheating voids your result.
How the day runs (NPA guidelines and local examples)
Under the National Police Agency (警察庁) guidelines, the order is: ① questions about your driving history → ② knowledge questions (知識確認) → ③ practical driving (技能確認). When the aptitude test (適性試験: eyesight etc.) happens varies by prefecture — Hiroshima, for example, gives it after you pass the knowledge and driving tests.
The document check and the knowledge test aren't always on the same day. In Hiroshima, the test dates are set after your eligibility is confirmed. Check what your appointment day includes when you book.
| Stage | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | Arrive at your booked time | Tokyo: weekdays 8:30–15:00 (not 11:00–13:00). Kanagawa: assigned 8:30–9:00 or 13:00–13:30 |
| Document check | Originals of your license, translation, residence record, passports etc. are checked | The 3-month stay is checked here; anything missing means no acceptance |
| Driving history questions | Whether you've held a Japanese license, etc. | Done before the knowledge test per NPA guidelines |
| Knowledge test | 50 written true/false questions, 30 minutes | 45 correct to pass. Tokyo: one afternoon session only |
| After the result | Pass → driving test. Fail → reasons explained | Driving test is booked for another day (Tokyo) |
| Aptitude test | Eyesight, color recognition, hearing etc. | Timing varies (Hiroshima: after passing) |
What to bring
If even one document is missing, your application won't be accepted that day and you'll have to book again. Check you have all originals the day before.
- Originals of every document you were told to bring when booking (foreign license, Japanese translation, residence record 住民票, all passports including old ones). No photocopies
- Application photo 3 cm × 2.4 cm, taken within 6 months. At Tokyo's test centers, photos from the on-site photo booths are accepted
- Fees (Tokyo example: ¥2,500 application fee for a regular car license)
- An interpreter if you don't speak Japanese (Tokyo and Kanagawa police may ask you to bring one)
- A valid My Number card if you want a My Number license (マイナ免許証) (Kanagawa police)
- Dual nationals: passports from all countries (Tokyo police)
Test room rules: phones and cheating
Alongside the October 2025 tightening, the NPA instructed police nationwide to run the knowledge test strictly. Key points are below, and candidates must be told that any cheating discovered will void the knowledge test result.
- The test is taken seated in a room only candidates can enter, such as the written exam room — not at a counter or waiting bench
- Phones and other electronic devices are restricted, or must be switched off and put in your bag
- Belongings may be checked; pen-type or glasses-type cameras, microphones hidden in masks and small speakers are not allowed
- Proctors are assigned at the same level as regular written exams
Test format and languages
Since 1 October 2025, illustration questions have been dropped: the knowledge test is 50 written true/false questions in 30 minutes, and you need 45 correct (90%). Before, it was 10 questions with 70% to pass. According to the NPA, the pass rate in October–December 2025 was 42.8%, down sharply from 92.5% in 2024.
In Tokyo the knowledge test is held once, in the afternoon, every weekday at the Fuchu and Samezu centers, in 20 languages including English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian, Tagalog and Burmese. Kanagawa police offer 21 languages including Japanese.
Aptitude test standards (regular car, Tokyo police)
You can't get a license without passing the aptitude test. Tokyo police publish these standards:
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Eyesight (regular car) | 0.7 or better with both eyes and 0.3 or better in each eye (if one eye is below 0.3 or blind: the other eye needs 150° horizontal field of vision and 0.7 or better) |
| Eyesight (moped) | 0.5 or better with both eyes |
| Color recognition | Able to distinguish red, blue (green) and yellow |
| Hearing (regular car) | Able to hear a 90 dB horn at 10 m (hearing aids allowed) |
| Depth perception (semi-medium, medium, large) | Tested 3 times at 2.5 m, average error 2 cm or less; fee not refunded if you fail |
After you pass or fail
If you pass, you move on to booking the practical driving test (技能確認). In Tokyo it's by reservation and not on the same day; in Kanagawa you book online or by phone. Your foreign license must stay valid until you pass the driving test.
If you fail, you're told why and must book and apply again from the start. There's no exemption after failing the knowledge test (only if you pass it and fail the driving test do you skip the knowledge test on a reapplication within 6 months). Before the day, practice menkyopass mock tests in English to get used to 50 questions in 30 minutes.
FAQ
Q. What languages is the knowledge test available in?
A. Tokyo police offer 20 languages including English, Chinese and Vietnamese; Kanagawa offers 21 including Japanese. It varies by prefecture, so check when you book.
Q. Can I keep my phone with me during the test?
A. No. The NPA has instructed that electronic devices be restricted or switched off and put in your bag. Cheating voids your result.
Q. Can I take the driving test on the same day?
A. In Tokyo the driving test is by reservation, so not on the day you apply. In Hiroshima the dates are set after eligibility is confirmed.
Q. If I fail, can I retake it the same day?
A. No. You have to book and apply again from the start.
Q. Can I wear glasses for the eye test?
A. Tokyo police's standards page doesn't mention glasses or contact lenses. Ask the license center where you apply.
Related guides
- Japan License Conversion Process: 6 Steps from Booking to License
- How to Study for Japan's License Conversion Knowledge Test
- Japan License Conversion Test Languages: Which Are Available?
- Japan License Conversion Driving Test: Tasks, Scoring, Fails
- Failed Japan License Conversion? Reapplying and the 6-Month Rule