How to convert your Philippine driver's license to Japanese Driving License
Yatta! I got my Japanese Drivers License!
I would like to share my experience on how I got my Japanese Drivers License last September 6, 2019. It was a long and very stressful journey but finally, I got it.
The conversion of a foreign driver's license to a Japanese license is called the gaimen kirikae 外面切替.
You don‘t have to go and learn in a driving school which really cost a lot of money, (as far as I know it cost 300,000 JPY). So the gaimen kirikae is the cheapest and easy way to get a drivers license.
First, before conversion, you should be living in Japan for at least 3 months.
These documents are needed:
1. Alien card 在留カード
2. Residents certificate 住民票 from your ku yakusho 区役所
3. Valid Philippine Drivers license with the receipt. If you don't have the receipt, I think it is best to bring your old license so they can verify the date when the new one was issued.
4. Apostille stamped LTO Certification, which can be obtained from LTO main office in Quezon City. This is very important and this was not listed on the websites. I was surprised that I need to present this since I already presented my valid and old licenses together with the receipts. If you don't have this and you are already here in japan you can ask someone to process this for you. You need to write an authorization letter and a copy of your valid ID. This takes 1-day processing and you can get it the next day.
5. Translation of the Philippine Drivers License which can be obtained from Japan Automobile Federation JAF. You can go to their office and you can get your document in less than an hour, or you can apply via mail. http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/translation/switch.htm
6.Passport which will prove that you have already stayed here in Japan for more than 3 months.
7. 2 pcs ID picture
8. Accomplished application form which you will get from the licensing officer.
If you already have these following documents, go to the nearest Drivers Licensing office / 運転免許試験場in your city. As for me since I live in Osaka City, I have to go to Kadoma licensing office.
After completing the application form, I submitted the documents it will be evaluated by an officer. Be prepared to wait for hours, bring something that you can be busy with. As for food, there is a cafeteria there and konbini outside the building so there is no problem. The officers are kind and very polite in explaining. Some foreigners are not that fluent in Japanese and they don't have translators, but the officers are really trying hard to explain very well. Upon evaluation, I was interviewed of course in Japanese.
Basically,it is about how I acquired your license, whether I studied in a driving school, what test did I take when you applied for my license, etc.
Then if everything is okay, I was called to take the written exam. It is a 10 item exam about safety and road rules. I was asked to take the exam in 15 minutes in front of the officer who evaluated my documents. It is written in Japanese and English. You have to get a score of 7 to pass it. The results will be out immediately. I read this book to know the Japanese Rules of the road. You can get this book online or order it from JAF.
I passed the exam and I have to pay for the application fee of 2,550 JPY.
Then I have to undergo an eye examination. And then book for the driving exam. This will be depending on the open schedule, some times there are so many applicants that the waiting time is very long. As for me, I applied July 1, but my driving exam was July 22. You will receive these, test permit and some booklets for you to study. They will also give you a copy of the course that you have to remember.
And the schedule on the exam day.
Then my driving exam day came, it was July 22. I passed my test voucher for verification and i have to pay 1,450 JPY for the rental of the car and the course. Then I waited in a room together with all the people who will take the exam. There will be an officer who will explain everything about the exam. How is it graded, about the course, precaution and other things. Then I undergo again for an eye exam, back to the waiting room and waited for my turn.
The examiner and another examinee will be in the same car while you drive. And the examiner will give you direction on which road will you take. But it will be very advantageous if you memorized the course. I failed. I didn`t even manage to drive half of the course. I was totally out because I wasn`t able to fully stop at the stop area. Then the examiner will explain the things you need to improve. I need to apply again for the next driving exam and pay another 2,550 JPY. I was lucky that the next open date for the driving exam was July 26. So I tried again. I paid the 1,450 JPY rental again.
I learned some lessons. I went to the exam site early and tried to walk into the course twice so I can have the feel. I memorized the course. Also, another thing is, it will be advantageous if you will have the chance to ride in the car of another examinee. In order to have this chance, before paying the 1,450 JPY rental, the will be a line for registration. Let the others fall in line first, it will be safe to say to have 10-15 person ahead of you. Even though you will wait at least you will have the chance to ride as a spectator. This time I got that chance. Then it was my turn. I am a bit confident, I tried to keep calm as possible and reply to the examiner when he gives you directions like 「はい」 or「わかりました」. But I think I reached the limit of deduction for the passing score. I was out and managed to drive 3/4 of the course. I failed again and lost my confidence. The examiner told me that I should not stop in blind curves because I can check it with my line of sight. Also, I need to check the back when I shift lanes. And I should go more on the left side when turning left. It was very hard to see because the side mirror is attached to the hood of the car and it cannot be adjusted.
I need to apply for another exam and pay the fee of 2,550 JPY again. I was really having some depression I think my driving skills are not enough. I think this time I really put a lot of caution which made me failed.
The next driving test day was scheduled on August 23. But I canceled it because I have to go for a sudden trip to the hospital because I was not feeling well. I am vomiting and suffering LBM. So I called the licensing office and asked for a change of date. I moved it to September 6.
So September 6 came. I again came in early and walked the course twice. I was lucky to ride as a spectator and the examinee finished the course. I saw him passed the exam. So I copied his moves, make it easier for the examiner to see that I am really looking at the mirrors and the back. Memorized the course. Put in mind the tips and caution from the last exam. Go over more to the left side when turning left. Remember to reply to the examiner and be very calm. And Yes! After 3 times, I managed to pass! I was so happy and relieved. Also, the examiner still gave me the points that I need to be careful of.
So I have to wait until 11:30 for the explanation of the process that we will undergo today for obtaining the license card. It was a good thing that even though I will wait until 14:00, I can get my card. So this is what my application looked like when I passed the exam. They gave me the yellow card which will be used for the picture taking later. I have to pay the driver's license card fee of 2,050 JPY. Then set up Personal Identification Number (PIN) for the card.
Waited for the picture taking and waited another 30 minutes and, I got my Japanese License card!
Well, 3 times was not that bad, spending around 17,000 JPY to get a license rather than going to a driving school. It was a good experience. Don`t lose hope, 1 application is entitled up to 10 times driving exams within half a year. But if you failed 10 times, you have to re-apply and submit all the documents again. Plus you have to be careful of the validity of your documents.
I hope you got some tips from my experience. Have a wonderful journey!
