Driver's license

[raindance1280]

How difficult is it to get a Driver's license in Japan? I have a current one in Texas. How expensive is it? how much does it cost to own a vehicle annually? #DL

 

[mdchachi]

How difficult is it to get a Driver's license in Japan? I have a current one in Texas. How expensive is it? how much does it cost to own a vehicle annually? #DL

Edited answer from Bing:

The difficulty and cost of getting a driver's license in Japan depend on whether you can convert your existing license or not. If you have a valid driver's license from Texas, you may be able to convert it to a Japanese one without taking a written or practical test. However, you will need to get an official translation of your license from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and apply for the conversion at a licensing examination center. The translation fee is about ¥3,000 and the application fee is about ¥2,400.
If you cannot convert your license, you will need to either attend a designated driving school or take theoretical and practical tests at the Driver's License Center. The driving school option is more expensive but easier, as it costs about ¥300,000 to ¥400,000 and takes about two to three months. The test option is cheaper but harder, as it costs about ¥10,000 to ¥20,000 and requires you to pass a written test and a driving course test. You can find more information about these options at this website.
The cost of owning a car in Japan varies depending on the type, size, and age of the car, as well as the location and usage of the car. Some of the main costs are:

• Parking space: You need to rent a parking space near your residence or workplace, which can cost from ¥0 to ¥20,000 per month depending on the area.
• Shaken: This is a mandatory car inspection that you need to do every two years for new cars and every year for older cars. It covers various fees and taxes, such as registration, weight, acquisition, and recycling. It can cost from ¥30,000 to ¥120,000 depending on the car type and condition.
• Insurance: You need to have at least the compulsory automobile liability insurance, which covers damages to third parties. It costs about ¥25,000 to ¥50,000 per year. You can also get voluntary insurance, which covers damages to yourself and your car. It costs from ¥10,000 to several hundred thousand yen per year depending on the coverage and your driving history.
• Gas: The gas price in Japan is relatively high due to taxes. It can cost from ¥100 to ¥200 per liter depending on the area and the season.
• Freeway tolls: The tolls for using the expressways in Japan are also high. They can cost from ¥100 to ¥500 per kilometer depending on the distance and the time.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I passed on my second practical test. They like to nitpick at the practical test. I think I failed the first time because I didn't pull all the way over to the side of the road before making a turn. They explained this to me, so I passed the next time. I was lucky in that I knew how to speak Japanese. There were other foreigners who didn't speak Japanese, and they took numerous attempts to pass. This was in Yamaguchi prefecture more than 20 years ago.

The written test was quite simple. For the practical test, at the time, you had to request an automatic transmission car for the test if you didn't know how to drive a manual transmission. The test was conducted on a closed course.

Some state drivers' licenses can be converted and others can't. I can't remember how to predict which is which any more.

But yeah, owning a car in Japan is very expensive.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

For the expense of owning a car you could take taxi , bus , or train for a couple of years probably. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road takes a while to get used to as does driving in heavy traffic. I was lucky being in the military made the license easy and fast to get.

 

[raindance1280]

Thank yall. I visited in March, I know the wrong side of the road feel. I rode public transportation a whole lot, though not a taxi and I didn't rent a car to drive. Some of the positions I am considering applying for require a vehicle. Anyone familiar with working on a US base?

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Quite possible the military may help you with obtaining a license and provide a vehicle even if you are not a service member. The Navy gave me a 6 passenger Dodge pick-up to drive and made getting my license easy to obtain , but I was stationed there. Hope you luck out with it.

 

[mdchachi]

Who knows how difficult it is to get a license in Tokyo?

Not hard just takes time and money.