Before you start

Residence registration and a residence card
Your foreign licence, with an official Japanese translation from JAF or the issuing embassy
Proof you held the licence and were physically present in the issuing country for at least three months after it was issued
A jūminhyō residence certificate

Step-by-step

1
Check whether your country is exempt from the practical test
A specific list of countries and territories can convert without a driving test — most of western Europe, Australia, Korea, Taiwan and others. If yours is not on it, expect a practical examination on a closed course with standards that surprise experienced drivers. Check before assuming.
OnlineWho: You
2
Get the official translation from JAF
The Japan Automobile Federation issues the accepted translation of a foreign licence, and it must come from JAF or your embassy — a private translation is not accepted. Allow time for it and do it before booking anything.
In personWho: You
3
Prove the three-month residence requirement
You must show you were in the issuing country for at least three months after the licence was issued. Old passport stamps are the usual evidence, so do not dispose of expired passports. This requirement blocks a surprising number of applications.
In personWho: You
4
Book at the Osaka licence centre and expect to return
The application, the eyesight check and the knowledge test are done at the prefectural driving licence centre. If a practical test is required, the failure rate on first attempt is high and repeat bookings can take weeks. Treat it as a process rather than an appointment.
In personWho: You
5
Understand that an International Driving Permit expires after one year
An IDP issued under the Geneva Convention is valid for one year from entry and cannot be extended by a short trip abroad — Japan applies a rule preventing that. If you intend to keep driving, start the conversion well before the year is up.
OnlineWho: You
6
Know that you must prove a parking space to own a car
Registering a vehicle in Osaka requires a shakoshōmeisho — a certificate from the police that you have a designated off-street parking space. There is no street parking option. Combined with monthly space rental costs, this is the practical reason most central residents do not own a car.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Foreign driving licence
JAF or embassy translation of it
Passport, including expired ones showing the three-month residence
Residence card and jūminhyō
Passport photographs

Things most newcomers don’t know

The three-month rule blocks more conversions than the driving test does.

You must prove you were physically present in the country that issued your licence for at least three months after issue. Someone who obtained a licence shortly before emigrating simply cannot convert, regardless of experience. Old passports with entry and exit stamps are the standard evidence, which is a strong argument for never throwing an expired passport away.

Source: National Police Agency

The practical test is exacting in ways experienced drivers find humbling.

For applicants from non-exempt countries the closed-course examination tests a specific Japanese procedural style — exaggerated mirror and shoulder checks, precise positioning, a crank course and an S-curve. Competent drivers with decades of experience routinely fail on the first attempt because they are being assessed on form rather than on safety. If your country is not exempt, budget for two or three attempts and consider a lesson at a local school first.

Source: community-reported

You cannot register a car without first proving you have somewhere to park it.

The shakoshōmeisho requires a police-verified certificate that you hold a designated off-street space within a set distance of your home. Overnight street parking is not legal. In central Osaka a monthly space is a significant recurring cost and in some buildings simply unavailable — which is the actual reason car ownership is low here, rather than any shortage of roads.

Source: Osaka Prefectural Police

The private railway network makes Osaka one of the best cities anywhere to be car-free.

Beyond the metro and JR, Osaka is served by five major private railways — Hankyu, Hanshin, Keihan, Kintetsu and Nankai — each with its own department store terminal and its own suburban corridor. The coverage is denser than almost anywhere on earth and employers reimburse commuter passes as standard. A car adds almost nothing to daily life here.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Discarding old passports and losing the evidence for the three-month residence requirement.
Assuming your country is exempt from the practical test without checking.
Relying on an International Driving Permit past its one-year validity.
Buying a car before securing a parking space certificate.
Underestimating the shaken inspection cost when budgeting for ownership.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.