[Foreign License Conversion Prep Course] How should you use it? — Study methods!

The knowledge test for license conversion (gaimen kirikae) is passed with 45 or more correct answers out of 50 (90% correct). With the revision on October 1, 2025, the number of questions increased from 10 to 50, and illustration questions were removed. The pass rate is 42.8% (published by the National Police Agency, October to December 2025).

However, 42.8% is for the knowledge test alone. When converting to a regular license or any license other than a moped, there is a driving skills test (13.1% pass rate) after the knowledge test. A license is issued only after passing both, so the share of people who pass both is about 5.6%. This 5.6% is an estimate for passing both tests on the first try. Both tests can be retaken, so the final success rate after several attempts is higher. Only conversion to a moped license is exempt from the driving skills test, leaving the 50-question knowledge test as the only hurdle.

This article explains what order to study in, and for how long, to pass using Drivey's license conversion knowledge test course. If you want to know about the test itself, see License Conversion Knowledge Test (50 Questions): Content, Pass Rate, and Past Question Prep. We have also published an article with practice questions, answers, and explanations. Check where you stand first, then come back to this article.

What kind of test is the license conversion knowledge test?

The knowledge test is the written check you take when converting a foreign driver's license to a Japanese one. It is separate from Japan's driver's license tests (the full license and provisional license tests), and its questions are made separately.

*The number of questions, format, passing score, and sessions are based on Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department: Revised Enforcement Regulations of the Road Traffic Act, effective October 1, 2025.

What changed with the October 2025 revision?

The knowledge test became much harder on October 1, 2025. The number of questions increased fivefold, and the score required to pass went up.

The driving skills test also became stricter at the same time, with tasks added or tightened, such as passing through crosswalks, signaling and checking for safety when turning, stopping at stop signs, changing lanes, and crossing railroad tracks. Even before the revision, 92.5% passed the knowledge test, and the real hurdle was the driving skills test at 30.4%. This relationship has not changed since the revision (pass rates published by the National Police Agency on March 2, 2026).

👉 Prep articles and materials written before the revision cannot be used as they are. If you see information saying "pass with 7 out of 10," it is from September 2025 or earlier.

How long do I need to study to pass?

Covering the full range takes about 2 to 4 weeks. At 4 to 5 lessons a day, it takes about 4 weeks. If you have more time, you can finish one round in about 2 weeks. This estimate is for going through Drivey's learning content from start to finish.

The table below is an example of a 4-week plan. For a 2-week plan, combine weeks 1 and 2 into one week, and weeks 3 and 4 into one week.

Keep working on the glossary throughout this period. The goal is 50 terms a week. Review the 50 terms together at the start of the week, then repeat the same 50 terms throughout that week.

👉 On a test with a 42.8% pass rate, you can get only 5 questions wrong. It is not a test you can pass by cramming at the last minute. For conversion to a regular license and others, the driving skills test (13.1%) comes after this knowledge test. In areas where appointments are hard to get, the test date may be months away, so start studying at the same time as your application.

Where should I start studying?

Start with the videos in the learning content. Memorizing answers alone will not get you through the written test. You score points only when you can understand, remember, and actually make the right judgment. Drivey's lessons take you through these 3 steps in order.

1. Understand with videos

First, watch the videos to grasp the traffic rules, cautions, and key points with images. Content that is hard to follow in text is easier to understand in a video.

2. Remember with Q&A

Next, check what you learned in the videos with question-and-answer Q&A. Recalling the answer yourself and checking it right away helps you remember it.

3. Check with mini tests

Finally, take a short mini test to check that you really understand. When you get something wrong, go back to the video or Q&A and review it, fixing weak points on the spot.

For topics you are not confident about, watch the video again and then retry the mini test. Going back and forth like this is the most effective way to build your skills.

How many terms do I need to learn?

The goal is 50 terms a week. On the license conversion knowledge test, whether you know the meaning of the words has a big effect on whether you pass. The more traffic-rule words you know, the faster you understand the text questions.

The glossary is most useful on days when you do not have much time. You can use it on the train or bus, during breaks, or for a few minutes before bed. 3 to 5 minutes is enough.

Once the videos, Q&A, and glossary feel easy, move on to the test features early.

In what order should I work on the questions?

Traffic sign questions → practice questions → skill check → mock tests. If you start with mock tests right away, you will not score well and may stop studying.

(A) Traffic sign questions

Traffic sign questions always appear on every written test, including license conversion, the full license test, and the provisional license test. Japan has more than 200 kinds of traffic signs, and many look alike in shape or color or have similar meanings that are easy to mix up.

Drivey does not just ask you to memorize them. It helps you understand why each sign exists and what danger it is meant to prevent. Reaching a perfect score on these early in your study builds confidence for the whole test.

(B) Practice questions

Each practice set has 10 questions, so you can work on them while commuting or during breaks. You can review the questions you got wrong in a list later, see which points you often get wrong, and focus your review on weak topics.

As you go, think about why you got a question wrong and which part you did not understand.

(C) Skill check

The skill check test has about half as many questions as the real test. It shows objectively how much you have learned and which topics are still weak. Use it to test yourself just before the exam and to decide what to focus on in the remaining time.

(D) Mock tests

The mock test is the most realistic test, with the same number of questions and the same time limit as the real test. It builds test-day skills: pacing yourself, staying focused, and making decisions under pressure.

Treating it as the real test and focusing hard shows your weak points clearly. Take the real test only after you can score over 90% consistently.

What should I be careful about on test day?

(1) Read each sentence carefully

Most questions are short, only 1 or 2 lines. That is why one word can decide whether an answer is right or wrong. Pay attention to expressions like these.

• Types of signals: steady green light, flashing red light, yellow arrow, and so on

• Different numbers: 3 seconds before / 30 meters before, within 3 meters / within 5 meters

• Sentence endings: "is / is not," "may / may not"

Do not answer based on a vague feeling. Read the numbers and words carefully.

(2) Take each question at face value

Simply decide whether what is written is true or false. Many questions can be answered with common sense, and overthinking them leads to mistakes.

However, sentences with words like "always," "absolutely," or "in any situation" often test whether there are exceptions. Read those carefully.

(3) Always review your answers

After answering all the questions, go back and review from the beginning. This prevents marking errors, misreading, and unanswered questions. On a test that requires 45 correct answers, missing a question you know leads directly to failing.

Frequently asked questions

Is it the same test if I only want to convert to a moped license?

Yes. Even for a moped license, the knowledge test covers the same range as conversion to a regular license. The test does not become easier because it is for a moped. However, the driving skills test is waived. Conversion to a regular license and others requires the driving skills test (13.1% pass rate), so getting only a moped license means one fewer hurdle.

Which is harder, the knowledge test or the driving skills test?

The driving skills test. From October to December 2025, the pass rate was 42.8% for the knowledge test and 13.1% for the driving skills test, more than a threefold gap. Before the revision in 2024, too, the rates were 92.5% for the knowledge test and 30.4% for the driving skills test, so the driving skills test was the narrower hurdle. If you are aiming to convert to a regular license or others, plan for practice in a real car alongside studying for the knowledge test. For conversion to a moped license, the driving skills test is not required.

What languages can I take it in?

20 languages. They are English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Tagalog, Persian, Khmer, Nepali, Myanmar, Mongolian, Ukrainian, Sinhala, Urdu, Arabic, and Hindi (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department: Written Tests Available in Foreign Languages). However, the days and test centers depend on the language, so check in advance.

Are any countries exempt from the knowledge test?

Yes. 29 countries and regions are exempt from both the knowledge test and the driving skills test. They include the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department). Common countries of origin for people working in Japan, such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Nepal, are not exempt.

Are there any requirements to take it?

After getting a driver's license abroad, you must have stayed in that country for a total of 3 months or more (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department). A license obtained in a short time while traveling does not qualify.

How much are the fees?

In Tokyo, the application fee is 2,500 yen for a regular license and 1,600 yen for a moped license, and the issuing fee is 2,350 yen (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department). Fees differ by prefecture, so check with your local driver's license center.

Signing up for the course, and use by companies

For personal use, you can try the course for free from the license conversion course page. It is available in 6 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Myanmar, and the Japanese version also has furigana.

If you support several learners at a company, supervising organization, or registered support organization, see our corporate service. The corporate dashboard lets you check each learner's progress remotely. For the number of learners and contract terms, please contact us through the contact form.

ZIPLUS Co., Ltd., which operates Drivey, also prepares the Japanese translation of the driver's license required for license conversion. For driving skills test preparation, the company offers the License Conversion Support Package (translation, foreign-language textbook, driving skills test prep videos, and one-on-one practical lessons at a driving school). You can consult us about studying and document preparation together.

If you only need a moped license, also see our article on the languages, required documents, and fees in all 47 prefectures. There is no driving test for a moped, either through license conversion or for a new license.

*Information as of September 2026. Rules and fees may change. Before applying, check with the driver's license center in your prefecture.