How to Support Foreign Residents in Getting a Moped License: Methods, Reservations, and Preparation in Kanagawa Prefecture [For Employers and Supporters]

This article is for staff at companies, registered support organizations and schools in Kanagawa Prefecture who help foreign employees or the people they support get a moped license.

Do not choose the method only by whether the person has a foreign license. Choose by 4 points: "conversion requirements", "the language they can read the exam in", "reservation dates" and "the date they need the license".

People who can take the exam in Japanese or English may be able to move faster by getting a new moped license. People who want another language should check whether they can use conversion from their foreign license.

👉 If the person will be assigned to another prefecture, the conditions change. You can check them in our list of exam languages in all 47 prefectures. Aomori, Iwate, Akita and Nagano offer Japanese only, while Ibaraki, Shiga, Yamaguchi, Kagawa, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima offer 20 languages.

When explaining to the person, please use our article in easy Japanese.

First, check 4 things with the person

1. Can they convert their foreign license to a moped license?

Check the type, expiry date and first issue date of the foreign license. Also check whether they can prove that, after getting the license and while it was valid, they stayed in the issuing country for a total of 3 months (90 days) or more. The Kanagawa Prefectural Police guidance writes both "3 months (90 days)". Below, this article calls it "proof of a 3-month stay".

Even with a foreign license and proof of a 3-month stay, conversion to a moped license is not guaranteed. Check with the driver's license center which license categories can be converted. You also need to check the conditions for applying, such as an address in Kanagawa and residence status.

2. Which language can the person "read and understand exam questions" in?

It is important not to decide based only on nationality or everyday conversation skills. Check the language in which they can read traffic rule questions and judge whether they are true or false.

• Getting a new moped license: the Kanagawa written exam is in Japanese and English.

• Converting a foreign license: the knowledge test is available in Japanese and 20 foreign languages.

3. When can each be reserved?

For a new license, check the written exam date; for license conversion, check the document review date. Both are "waiting for a reservation", but the procedures being waited for are different.

4. By when is the license needed?

Check the date they want to start driving for commuting or work. Do not assume they will pass the first time; plan for the possibility that a retake or the training course will be on a different day.

Comparing the 2 methods

Method ② is called "license conversion (gaimen kirikae)". Depending on the country or region that issued the foreign license, the knowledge test may be waived.

How to choose: For people who can use both ① and ② and can take the exam in Japanese or English, compare the reservation dates and the time needed to prepare documents. For people who find it hard to take the exam in Japanese or English, check whether they meet the conditions for ② and can choose a language they can read.

Waiting for a reservation is not "the number of days until getting the license"

The following are the answers we received when we called the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Driver's License Center on September 2, 2026. They do not show current availability.

① Getting a new moped license

We were told that written exam reservations are 2 weeks to 1 month ahead. The moped training course after passing may be on a different day, so do not set the exam date as the date to start driving.

② Converting a foreign license

The earliest document review date was November 16, 2026, about 2.5 months after the date we checked.

We were told that if the person passes the document review, they can take the knowledge test on the same day, with no separate reservation needed. On the other hand, if they fail the knowledge test, we were told the wait for a retake is about 1 month.

These describe operations and congestion at the time of our inquiry. When the person makes a reservation, check what happens after the document review, whether a training course is needed, how to book a retake, and what procedures are needed before the license is issued.

Staff should record 3 things: "the date checked, the procedure being reserved, and the date that can be reserved". Do not pass on only a period, such as "license conversion takes 2.5 months".

Support for ① getting a new moped license

From reservation to issuance

1. Book the written exam online.

2. On the reserved day, the person does the reception, aptitude test (such as an eyesight test) and written exam.

3. After passing, they take the 3-hour moped training course in principle.

4. When the required procedures are complete, the license is issued.

Exam reception is Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 9:00, excluding public holidays, days off and the New Year period. The first time, time is also needed to fill out the application form.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police: moped exam procedures and online reservation

Exam and fees

The written exam has 46 text questions and 2 illustration questions, and you pass with 45 points or more out of 50. Each illustration question has 3 sub-questions, and 2 points are given when all are correct.

These are the fees when the person takes the training course. They are different if the course is waived. They do not include costs for retakes, photos, transportation or obtaining a translation.

What staff should help prepare

• Required documents: Prepare a certificate of residence (juminhyo) that includes all required items such as nationality and residence status, issued by the municipality within the last 6 months. Copies cannot be used. Check the residence card, ID documents and application photo in the official guidance too.

• Schedule on the day: Set aside time not only for the exam but also for the training course, and adjust work shifts and travel.

• Clothing for the training course: Prepare long sleeves, long trousers and shoes suitable for riding. Rain gear is also needed in rainy weather. Helmets and gloves can be borrowed.

If the person has a foreign license, also check whether the training course can be waived

If, for example, they hold a foreign license that allows riding a moped within 6 months before the application date and stayed in that country for a total of 3 months or more after getting the license, the moped training course may be waived. This is a separate rule from the license conversion requirements, but the required stay is the same 3 months.

To check, the foreign license, a Japanese translation, a passport and other documents are needed. Do not overlook the fact that even when getting a new moped license, a foreign license can be used to decide whether the training course is waived.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police: moped training course, waiver conditions and what to bring

Support for ② getting a moped license through license conversion

3 stages: reservation, document review and knowledge test

The diagram shows the main procedures. The length in the diagram does not show waiting time. Check individually whether tests or training courses are waived and when the license will be issued.

1. Book the document review date at the counter: In principle, go to Counter 12 at the Driver's License Center on weekdays between 14:00 and 15:00. Check the official guidance for the days you can visit.

2. Document review on the set day: Submit the foreign license, passport, Japanese translation, certificate of residence, residence card and other documents, and have the conversion conditions checked.

3. Knowledge test for those who need it: Taken after passing the document review. Check how same-day testing is handled when the person makes a reservation.

After that, the person gets the license once any required training and the issuance procedure are complete. Check the procedures and fees needed for conversion to a moped license, and do not simply apply the general license conversion guidance. The Kanagawa Prefectural Police official guidance does not list the individual requirements for each license type, so for moped licenses, you need to check at the counter.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police: license conversion reservations, required documents and where to ask

Points where document preparation often gets stuck

• License expiry and issue date: Check that the first issue date can be confirmed and that the license will not expire during the procedure. If the expiry date is near, ask early.

• Proof of a 3-month stay: A passport alone may not be enough. If there are no entry and exit stamps, check which additional documents are needed, such as a certificate of employment, pay slips or a graduation certificate.

• Japanese translation: It must be made by an organization listed in the official guidance.

• Interpreter: If communicating in Japanese is difficult, a Japanese interpreter must come along. The exam languages and the languages available at the counter are different.

Knowledge test questions and languages

The knowledge test has 50 true/false questions, and you pass with 45 or more correct. It may be waived depending on the issuing country or region.

In addition to Japanese, it is available in these 20 languages.

• English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Spanish

• Thai, Tagalog, Russian, Persian, Korean

• Indonesian, Khmer, Nepali, Myanmar, Mongolian

• Ukrainian, Sinhala, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi

👉 With the October 2025 revision, the knowledge test changed from 10 questions with 70% required to 50 questions with 90% required, and the pass rate fell to 42.8%. We have published an article on the exam content, pass rate and preparation and practice questions (with answers and explanations).

Record these 6 items to share among staff

When supporting several people, recording the following items for each person reduces missed checks and handover mix-ups.

1. The person's conditions: address and residence status, type, expiry and first issue date of the foreign license, status of proof of a 3-month stay

2. Method chosen and why: new license / license conversion, chosen exam language

3. Target date: the date the license is needed, the date they want to start driving for work or commuting

4. Reservation details: date checked, procedure reserved, date and time, next procedure to reserve

5. Preparation status: missing documents, translation, interpreter or companion, study progress

6. Next action: who does what by when. Also record rebooking if they fail

Securing reservations and exam preparation should go in parallel. Once the exam type and language are decided, start studying and check understanding before the exam.

Using Drivey for study support

For study, you can use official information, commercial materials, in-house training and study services. Drivey, from ZIPLUS Co., Ltd., which runs this site, offers preparation for the moped license written exam and the license conversion knowledge test, with plans for individuals and companies.

• When the person starts studying on their own: guide them to the personal course that matches their exam.

• When a company or support organization provides ongoing support: organize the number of learners and how to check study progress, and consider our corporate services. On the corporate admin screen, you can check remotely who has progressed how far.

The languages of the study materials and the exam languages at the driver's license center are different. After the person learns the traffic rules in a language they understand easily, check that they can also read the questions in the actual exam language.

Please check the available courses, languages, admin features and contract terms before applying.

• See moped license written exam preparation

• See license conversion knowledge test preparation

• See corporate service features and pricing

• Talk to us about corporate use of Drivey

👉 Personal courses can be tried with a free trial. You can also let the person try it first, check whether they can keep going, and then consider corporate use.

Frequently asked questions

If the person has a foreign license, should license conversion be the priority?

It cannot be decided in one way for everyone. If the person can take the exam in Japanese or English and the written exam can be booked soon, getting a new license may be better. Compare them, including whether the training course can be waived and the document preparation.

Can company staff do the procedures on the person's behalf?

The person must do the identity check, aptitude test, and the written exam or knowledge test themselves. Check with the driver's license center how far staff can help with reservations, document preparation, interpreting and accompanying the person.

Can the person start driving for work based on the first exam date?

The exam date alone is not enough to decide. Decide when to start driving only after confirming that the license has actually been issued and that its category and conditions match the vehicle to be driven.

Official guidance and where to ask

Kanagawa Prefectural Police Driver's License Center: 045-365-3111 (main number)

Questions about license conversion reservations: 045-365-6000. In principle, someone who understands Japanese should call on weekdays between 15:00 and 16:00. This number is for questions; reservations are made at Counter 12.

• Moped license exam procedures

• Moped training course guide

• Converting a foreign license to a Japanese license

Official police information checked on September 11, 2026 (wording of the stay period rechecked on September 16, 2026). Information on reservation waits, same-day knowledge tests and retake waits is based on our phone inquiry on September 2, 2026. Reservation availability was not rechecked on September 11. Please check the latest procedures, fees and reservation status before applying.

A guide in easy Japanese you can give to the person