Japan Driving Licence Written Test in Chinese, English and Vietnamese: Full Test vs Conversion (2026)
Not sure whether to study for Japan's full driving licence written test or the foreign-licence conversion knowledge check? Compare eligibility, format, pass marks and multilingual study routes.
Before you start memorising answers for the Japan driving licence written test, make sure you are studying for the correct exam.
People converting an eligible foreign licence take a knowledge check for foreign-licence conversion. People earning a Japanese licence through a driving school or test-centre route prepare for the provisional and full licence theory tests. The rules overlap, but the exam formats and study priorities are different.
Choose the correct practice set: use the foreign-licence conversion practice test for conversion, or the full licence theory practice test for the honmen route. You can also begin on JapanDL.com, through「JP速通免许」on WeChat, or「日本免许速通」on iPhone.
01 | Which Japan driving licence written test do you need?
“Japan driving licence written test” can refer to several examinations. The full licence test and the foreign-licence conversion knowledge check are designed for different applicants.
Foreign-licence conversion knowledge check
• For people who hold a valid foreign licence and meet the eligibility requirements for conversion.
• Under the current standard, the knowledge check has 50 written questions, a 30-minute time limit, and requires at least 45 correct answers.
• It confirms that an applicant understands the essential rules for driving safely in Japan.
Full licence theory test
• For people earning an ordinary Japanese licence from the beginning after completing the required learning and practical stages.
• The ordinary first-class full licence test has 90 written questions and 5 illustrated hazard questions. It is scored out of 100, requires 90 points or more, and normally lasts 50 minutes.
• Illustrated questions test whether you can apply rules to realistic road situations.
If you are not sure which route applies to you, first read the comparison between conversion and earning a Japanese licence from scratch.
Application procedures, bookings and available test languages can vary by prefecture and test centre. Confirm the latest information with the centre responsible for your address.
02 | What to study for the full licence written test
The full licence test is not simply a longer provisional test. It expects you to combine basic rules with decisions that arise in real road driving.
Focus on:
• protecting pedestrians and cyclists, intersections and priority
• lane changes, overtaking, parking and stopping
• expressways, poor weather, night driving and emergencies
• vehicle checks, loading and driver responsibilities
• hazard prediction across illustrated scenarios
Build a rule framework by topic before moving to random practice. Once your scores are stable, complete full mock tests. Memorising isolated sentences is unreliable because the same rule may be expressed in a different way or placed in a new scenario.
For more detail, continue with the 2026 full licence test guide.
03 | What to study for foreign-licence conversion
The conversion knowledge check also covers Japanese traffic rules, but its purpose is to confirm that an eligible foreign-licence holder understands the rules needed to drive safely in Japan.
Prioritise:
• driving on the left and checking safely at intersections
• traffic lights, road signs, markings and police signals
• pedestrian priority, crossings and bicycle rules
• speed, following distance, railway crossings and emergency vehicles
• no-parking and no-stopping rules, including frequently confused distances
Do not rely on old materials that still describe a 10-question, 70% check. The current format uses 50 written questions and a 90% threshold, which changes both time management and mock-test preparation.
Applicants converting a Chinese licence can also read the 50-question conversion study guide.
04 | Choosing Chinese, English or Vietnamese
The test language helps you understand each statement accurately; it does not change the traffic rules, number of questions or pass mark. Choose the language in which you can identify conditions and exceptions most quickly.
Studying in Chinese
• Pay close attention to words meaning “must”, “may”, “must not” and “except”.
• Do not automatically apply driving habits from China to Japanese rules.
Studying in English
• Learn how words such as must, may, unless and except reverse or limit a statement.
• Connect common traffic terms with the road situations they describe.
Studying in Vietnamese
• Understand the rule in Vietnamese first, then use diagrams to confirm positions and vehicle relationships.
• Keep a separate review list for numbers, distances and prohibition conditions that you confuse.
Whatever language you choose, keep a small list of common Japanese road-sign and driving terms. Real roads, supplementary signs and on-site instructions remain part of the Japanese driving environment.
Practice in your preferred language: search WeChat for「JP速通免许」, search the App Store for「日本免许速通」on iPhone, or switch among Chinese, English and Vietnamese directly on JapanDL.com.
05 | A seven-day study plan
Days 1–2: confirm the route and build a framework
• Choose full licence or conversion; do not mix the two exams at the start.
• Study by topic: signals, priority, pedestrian safety, speed, distance, parking and stopping.
Days 3–4: random practice and error analysis
• For every mistake, identify whether you forgot a rule, missed a limiting word, or applied experience from another country.
• If you miss the same concept twice, return to that topic before continuing.
Days 5–6: full mock tests
• Match the question count and time limit of your target exam.
• Check not only your total score but also whether errors cluster in one topic.
Day 7: review only high-risk errors
• Avoid adding large amounts of new material.
• Review your mistakes, confusing numbers and statements containing negatives or exceptions.
06 | Why you should not mix practice banks
Both exams use Japanese traffic rules, but mixing practice banks creates three problems:
• Your mock score no longer represents your actual target exam.
• Full-licence illustrated hazard questions require a different rhythm from the 50-question conversion check.
• During review, you may mistake a difference in scope for a complete lack of understanding.
Start with the correct bank, complete one cycle, and then add focused practice for weak topics. JapanDL provides random practice, full mock tests, explanations, wrong-answer review and language switching for a consistent study route.
07 | Frequently asked questions
Can I take a Japan driving licence written test in Chinese, English or Vietnamese?
Some test centres provide multiple foreign-language versions, but availability, exam type and booking rules vary. Confirm with your local centre before applying. JapanDL practice content can be switched among Chinese, English, Vietnamese and Japanese.
How many questions are on the full licence written test?
The ordinary first-class full licence theory test normally has 90 written questions and 5 illustrated questions. It is scored out of 100 and requires at least 90 points.
Is the foreign-licence conversion knowledge check still 10 questions?
No. The current check uses 50 written questions and requires at least 45 correct answers.
Should I study full-licence and conversion questions together?
Not at the beginning. Confirm your application route and finish the matching bank first. Use other topic-based material only after your foundation is stable.
08 | Start with the correct practice bank
Effective preparation is not about answering the largest possible number of questions in one sitting. It starts with choosing the correct exam and repeatedly reviewing why you made each mistake.
• Foreign-licence conversion: start the 50-question conversion practice route
• Full licence: start the full licence theory practice route
You can also search WeChat for「JP速通免许」, search the App Store for「日本免许速通」, or visit JapanDL.com and practise in Chinese, English, Vietnamese or Japanese.