Exchanging a Vietnamese Driver’s License for a Japanese One — Gaimen Kirikae A-Z

Documents to prepare

Original documents (required)

1. Passport that is still valid + all old passports (or photocopies showing the stamps)
2. Zairyū Card (在留カード) — Japanese residence card, both sides
3. Juminhyo (住民票) — issued within the last 3 months, showing nationality + name in Katakana
4. Vietnamese driver’s license — original (the Menkyo Center does not keep it; it only checks it)
5. Translation of the Vietnamese driver’s license (重要 — most important)
   • Translate it through JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) — fee: 4,000 yen, processing time: 1 week
   • It can be sent by post: jaf.or.jp/inter/translation/
   • Self-made translations or translations by ordinary translators are NOT accepted

Copies + photo

6. 3×2.4cm ID photo — 1 photo, white background, taken within the last 6 months
7. Passport photocopies (photo page + all pages with entry and exit stamps)
8. Zairyū Card photocopy (both sides)

Fees

9. 4,850 yen in total:
   • Application fee (申請手数料): 2,550 yen
   • License issuance fee (交付手数料): 2,050 yen
   • Practical test fee: 250 yen/time (if you pass on the first attempt, you only pay it 1 time)

Process — 5 detailed steps

Step 1: Have your license translated by JAF (1-2 weeks before going to the Menkyo Center)

• Send a copy of your Vietnamese driver’s license + 4,000 yen to the nearest JAF branch
• Receive the official Japanese translation within 5-10 days
• Keep the translation safe — do not damage or fold it

Step 2: Register at the Menkyo Center (day 1)

Go to the Menkyo Center in the prefecture where your Juminhyo is registered (not another prefecture):

• Tokyo: 3 locations (Samezu, Fuchu, Koto) — online appointments required from 2025
• Osaka: Monzenji, Kadoma
• Aichi: Hirabari (Nagoya)
• Kanagawa: Futamatagawa

Arrive early (8:30 AM) with all your documents. Submit your application and wait for an interview with an official (usually through an interpreter):

• They will ask where you obtained your license, what type of vehicle it covers, and how long you have been driving
• They will verify that you spent 3 months in Vietnam after your license was issued (by checking your entry and exit stamps)
• If approved → you will be given a date for the written test (usually 2-4 weeks later)
• If rejected → you will be refused immediately and must attend the regular process

Step 3: Take the written test (day 2 — approximately 2-4 weeks after step 1)

Test structure:

• 10 multiple-choice questions (in Vietnamese or Japanese)
• Passing score = ≥7/10 correct
• Time limit: 10 minutes
• The test mainly covers Japanese road signs and basic traffic laws (for example, are you allowed to turn right on a red light? — the answer is NO in Japan)

Topics to study (there are ~50 questions in the pool):

• Road signs: 一時停止 (complete stop), 進入禁止 (do not enter), 駐車禁止 (no parking), 最高速度 (maximum speed)
• Speed limits: 40km/h on urban roads, 60km/h on national highways, 100km/h on expressways
• Traffic lights: yellow = you must stop (do not accelerate through the intersection)
• Priority vehicles: ambulances, fire trucks, police cars
• In an accident: call 110 (police) + 119 (ambulance)

Study materials:

• Menkyo Yasashi — Vietnamese-language guidebook (sold at Menkyo Centers for ~1,500 yen)
• Free 外国人のための運転免許 app (Vietnamese version available)
• Vietnamese YouTube channels in Japan: “10 câu thi lý thuyết Gaimen Kirikae” — many practical videos from people who have taken the test

If you fail: register again, pay an additional 2,550 yen, and wait 1-2 weeks.

Step 4: Take the practical test (day 3 — approximately 1-2 weeks after step 3 if you pass the written test)

This is the most difficult part — many Vietnamese applicants fail 2-5 times before passing.

Test procedure:

• Drive a Menkyo Center vehicle (a sedan, manual or automatic transmission — choose when registering)
• The test takes place on the course and may also include public roads
• 1 instructor sits in the passenger seat and grades you out of 100 points; you need ≥70 points to pass
• Duration: 15-30 minutes

Common mistakes made by Vietnamese applicants (immediate failure):

1. Not coming to a complete stop at 一時停止 signs — you must stop for ≥3 seconds, with the wheels completely still, and look left and right
2. Not checking the mirrors + turning your head when changing lanes or turning — the instructor will deduct points
3. Not honking when necessary (when entering a narrow lane)
4. Incorrect speed — driving too slowly (below 20km/h in a 40km/h zone) also costs points
5. Not maintaining the correct distance between the front of the car → the center line when stopping at a red light
6. Not checking before opening the door at the end of the test (even after parking safely)

Tips for passing the practical test:

• Take lessons at a private driving school in Japan for 4-6 hours (~30,000-60,000 yen) — the instructor will explain how Japanese driving techniques differ from Vietnamese standards
• Observe a practice test (見学) at the Menkyo Center — free of charge; watch 10 people take the test before you to learn from them
• Check your mirrors 3 times before every maneuver (side mirror, rear-view mirror, turn your head) — it is better to over-check than miss a check
• Make a full stop at every 一時停止 sign — count “1-2-3” in your head before moving
• Keep both hands on the steering wheel throughout the test; do not drive with 1 hand

If you fail: pay 2,550 yen + 250 yen/per test, then schedule a retake (1-4 weeks later).

Step 5: Receive your license (immediately after passing the practical test)

After passing → wait 2-3 hours for the paperwork:

1. Have your photo taken at the Menkyo Center (discard the photo you brought and use the photo taken by the Center)
2. Pay the additional 2,050 yen issuance fee
3. Sign your name → receive your license the same day

A Japanese license includes:

• Validity of 3-5 years depending on age (the first license is usually valid for 3 years, then renewals are valid for 5 years)
• Your Vietnamese name printed in Katakana (e.g. グエン・ヴァン・アン for Nguyễn Văn An)
• Photo + date of birth + address
• Official ID in Japan — can be used instead of a passport to sign contracts, open a bank account, and check in at hotels

Total cost summary

Compared with starting from scratch at a Japanese driving school: 300,000-400,000 yen + 3-5 months. Gaimen Kirikae is 6-8 times cheaper.

Major Menkyo Centers accepting Vietnamese licenses (2026)

For other smaller prefectures: call ahead to confirm whether Vietnamese is available or an interpreter is required.

Passing experiences from the Vietnamese community

Person 1 — Nguyễn Văn Nam (passed on the 2nd attempt, Fuchu Tokyo)

“I failed the 1st time because I did not stop for 3 seconds at the 一時停止 sign, losing 30 points and failing immediately. The 2nd time, I deliberately counted ‘one-two-three’ in my head and passed easily. My total cost: 12,000 yen.”

Person 2 — Trần Thị Mai (passed on the 4th attempt, Hirabari Nagoya)

“I failed 3 times because I was not used to Japanese manual-transmission cars — the gear stick is on the right, and you drive on the opposite side from Vietnam. I signed up for 6 hours at a private driving school (45,000 yen), then passed on my 4th attempt. If I did it again, I would attend private driving school BEFORE my 1st test.”

Person 3 — Lê Hoàng Minh (passed on the 1st attempt, Monzenji Osaka)

“I practiced for 1 week with YouTube videos and attended 2 observation sessions beforehand. The actual test went smoothly — the instructor was fairly lenient as long as I checked my mirrors properly and made proper stops. My total cost was only 8,850 yen. Incredible savings.”

Common mistakes

❌ Forgetting the JAF translation — self-translations are not accepted
❌ Underestimating the practical test — “knowing how to drive in Vietnam is enough” — completely wrong
❌ Taking the test in a prefecture without a Vietnamese version and not bringing an interpreter — immediate failure
❌ Not having a Juminhyo in the prefecture — moving without updating your Juminhyo → you will be sent home
❌ Moving to Japan immediately after your license is issued (<3 months) → you do not qualify and must attend driving school from scratch (costing 300k+ yen)

Conclusion

Gaimen Kirikae is the only route for Vietnamese people who already hold a driver’s license and want to drive legally in Japan. If you:

• Have a Vietnamese B2 license issued ≥3 months before moving to Japan
• Have a valid Juminhyo + Zairyū Card
• Are willing to spend 1-3 months + 10 million VND preparing for the tests

→ after completing this process, you will have an official Japanese driver’s license — usable throughout your life in Japan and exchangeable for an international license for other countries.

Get started now: call JAF (0570-00-2811) and send a copy of your Vietnamese license for translation. While waiting 1 week for the translation, watch “10 câu thi lý thuyết Gaimen Kirikae” on YouTube and read the “Menkyo Yasashi” book.

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