Foreign License Conversion in Kanagawa: Appointments and Documents

1. Check whether you can apply in Kanagawa

You must live in Kanagawa, hold a valid foreign license and prove a combined stay of at least three months (90 days) in its issuing country after obtaining it. Only periods during which the license can be shown to have been valid count. Time spent living in Japan does not meet this requirement.

Foreign nationals outside the Basic Resident Registration system cannot obtain a license except for limited categories such as diplomats. Do not decide from nationality alone: explain your address, residence status and licensing history to the counter.

[2] 神奈川県警察

2. Arrange the first appointment at counter 12

The venue is the Kanagawa Driver's License Center, 1-1-1 Nakao, Asahi-ku, Yokohama. The Foreign License Section is on the third floor at counter 12. The initial-booking instructions say to visit counter 12 in person, Monday to Friday, 14:00–15:00. Check the official page for holiday and year-end arrangements before travelling.

Appointment enquiries go to 045-365-6000, Monday to Friday, 15:00–16:00. This is a consultation number; do not assume it completes the initial booking by phone. A Japanese-speaking person should make the call. The booking visit and the document-review appointment are distinct: return at your assigned date and time.

[2] 神奈川県警察

3. Prepare documents and evidence of your stay

Use this as a starting checklist, then confirm additional requirements for your issuing country and licensing history when booking. Certificates from the licensing authority may need to be originals, not copies or photographs.

If your passport lacks entry and exit stamps, original employment certificates, payslips or graduation records may be needed. Japanese immigration records alone do not prove time in the issuing country. Mark any gaps in your timeline before asking what evidence is acceptable.

• Valid foreign license, old licenses if available, current and old passports, and an accepted Japanese translation.
• A municipality-issued resident record from the last six months: all specified foreign-resident details for foreign nationals, or registered domicile for Japanese nationals. A photocopy you make yourself is not accepted.
• Residence card or special permanent resident certificate, etc., for foreign nationals; one application photo, 3.0 cm high × 2.4 cm wide, taken within six months. Check the official photo rules.
• Where applicable: current or expired Japanese license, international driving permit and glasses. Confirm fees and extra documents when booking.

[2] 神奈川県警察[3] 神奈川県警察

4. Arrange the license translation and an interpreter separately

Kanagawa specifies the organizations that may prepare the Japanese translation: embassies or consulates in Japan, JAF, ZIPLUS and ALADDIN. Check whether the chosen provider handles your issuing country. Do not assume a self-made or ordinary machine translation is accepted. Bring a Japanese interpreter if you have difficulty communicating in Japanese.

JAF accepts translation applications online only, with access from within Japan; counter and postal applications are not accepted. Check its current image, processing-time and printing instructions. Kanagawa also links to multilingual procedure guides, but translated guidance does not remove the interpreter requirement.

[2] 神奈川県警察[5] Japan Automobile Federation (JAF)[6] Kanagawa Prefectural Police

5. Confirm exemptions, then book the driving check separately

Exemptions depend on the license's issuing country, region or state. US licenses are not all treated alike: Indiana is listed as exempt from the driving check only. Confirm which checks your license requires. Where required, the knowledge check has 50 true-or-false questions and requires at least 90% correct; Kanagawa lists 21 languages.

If you need the driving check, book it after passing the knowledge check. Since 31 August 2026, online bookings for foreign-license practical checks for four-wheel vehicles have been temporarily suspended and replaced by counter and telephone bookings. Follow the latest Japanese police notice rather than the older English online-booking guide. For motorcycles, confirm the booking method for your vehicle category. This is separate from the first document-review appointment. You must pass the driving check before your foreign license expires, so allow time.

[2] 神奈川県警察[1] 神奈川県警察[4] 神奈川県警察