Licence renewal in four words
The renewal day revolves around four things: the renewal itself, the postcard that tells you about it, the colour band on your licence and the eye test that comes first.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 免許の更新に来ました | Menkyo no kōshin ni kimashita | I've come to renew my licence |
| 更新連絡書 | kōshin renrakusho | renewal reminder postcard |
| ゴールド免許 | gōrudo menkyo | gold licence |
| 視力検査 | shiryoku kensa | eye test |
When to renew, and where the date is
Your licence shows its expiry as a date with the words made yūkō, valid until. Renewal opens one month before your birthday in that year and closes on that date, one month after your birthday. Japanese dates may use the imperial era: 令和 (Reiwa) 8 is 2026, so read the year carefully.
The postcard usually arrives a little before the renewal period opens, at the address on your licence. If you moved and did not update the licence, it will not reach you, which is one more reason to update the address at a police station when you move.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 令和9年5月20日まで有効 | Reiwa kyūnen gogatsu hatsuka made yūkō | valid until 20 May, Reiwa 9 (2027) |
| 更新期間 | kōshin kikan | renewal period |
| 誕生日の前後一か月 | tanjōbi no zengo ikkagetsu | one month either side of your birthday |
Green, blue and gold
The colour of the band on your licence reflects your record, and it decides the lecture class at renewal and how long the new licence lasts. The postcard states your class. The table gives the common pattern for drivers under 70; check the details on your postcard.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 優良運転者講習 | yūryō untensha kōshū | excellent driver lecture (gold) |
| 一般運転者講習 | ippan untensha kōshū | general driver lecture |
| 違反運転者講習 | ihan untensha kōshū | violator lecture |
| 初回更新者講習 | shokai kōshinsha kōshū | first-renewal lecture |
| Colour | Who has it | Lecture at renewal | Validity of the new licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | New drivers with their first licence | First-renewal lecture, about two hours | Usually three years |
| Blue | Standard drivers, or those with recent violations | General lecture about one hour, or violators' lecture about two hours | Three or five years, depending on record |
| Gold | Five years or more with a clean record | Excellent driver lecture, about 30 minutes | Five years |
What to bring
- Your current licence.
- The renewal postcard, if you received it.
- Glasses or contact lenses if your licence says you need them to drive, which is printed as a condition on the licence.
- The fee, paid at the centre; some prefectures still sell revenue stamps for it, others take cash or cards.
- A photo only if your prefecture asks for one; most take the photo on site.
- Your residence card, in case the counter asks to check your details.
The renewal day, step by step
At a licence centre the steps follow numbered counters, and staff move people along quickly. At a police station the process is smaller and slower, and some only handle certain lecture classes. The usual order is below.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 次はどこへ行けばいいですか。 | Tsugi wa doko e ikeba ii desu ka. | Where should I go next? |
| 講習は何時からですか。 | Kōshū wa nanji kara desu ka. | What time does the lecture start? |
| 暗証番号を二つ決めてください。 | Anshō bangō o futatsu kimete kudasai. | Staff: Please choose two PIN codes. |
- Fill in the application form, kōshin shinseisho, or a questionnaire about your health, often at a writing desk near the entrance.
- Pay the fee at the cashier counter.
- Take the eye test.
- Have your photo taken.
- Attend the lecture for your class.
- Collect the new licence and check the details before leaving.
Japanese licences have an IC chip, and you are asked to set two four-digit PINs. Write them down somewhere safe; you need them to read the chip at some counters later.
The lecture is a video and a talk on recent law changes, accident statistics for your area and safe driving, with a booklet to take home. It starts at fixed times, so arriving late can mean waiting for the next session or coming back another day. Phones must be off, and you cannot leave early.
Mini dialogue: at the reception counter
At a large licence centre the first counter checks your licence and postcard, confirms your address and lecture class, and hands you the form. The conversation is short, but the clerk speaks quickly because the queue is long. If you have moved, say so here; the address can often be updated as part of the renewal if you bring proof such as your residence card or a jūminhyō.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 更新です。お願いします。 | Kōshin desu. Onegai shimasu. | You: I'm here to renew, please. |
| はがきと免許証をお願いします。 | Hagaki to menkyoshō o onegai shimasu. | Clerk: Your postcard and licence, please. |
| 住所は変わっていませんか。 | Jūsho wa kawatte imasen ka. | Clerk: Has your address changed? |
| 先月、引っ越しました。 | Sengetsu, hikkoshimashita. | You: I moved last month. |
| では、在留カードも見せてください。 | Dewa, zairyū kādo mo misete kudasai. | Clerk: Then please show your residence card too. |
| こちらに記入して、三番の窓口へどうぞ。 | Kochira ni kinyū shite, sanban no madoguchi e dōzo. | Clerk: Fill this in and go to window three. |
At the eye test
The eye test uses a ring with a gap, the Landolt ring, and you say which direction the gap faces. You can also point. The test checks each eye and both together, and some classes include a colour check.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| のぞいてください。 | Nozoite kudasai. | Staff: Please look into the machine. |
| 切れ目はどちらですか。 | Kireme wa dochira desu ka. | Staff: Which way is the gap? |
| 右です。 | Migi desu. | You: Right. |
| 上です。 | Ue desu. | You: Up. |
| 見えません。 | Miemasen. | You: I can't see it. |
Special cases worth knowing
- Abroad during the renewal period: many prefectures allow early renewal with proof of travel, such as a passport and ticket. Ask before you leave.
- Missed the date: the licence has expired. There are time-limited procedures to get a licence again more simply, depending on how long ago and why; contact the licence centre without driving.
- Drivers aged 70 and over: a lecture for older drivers must be completed before renewal, and drivers 75 and over also take a cognitive check. The postcard explains the steps.
- My Number licence: since March 2025 you can choose to link your licence to your My Number card, or use the card as your licence. Some lectures can then be taken online. Ask whether it suits you before choosing.
Make the counters easy
Try asking Mocchi: Quiz me on the words on a Japanese licence renewal postcard and at the eye test, like kōshin kikan, yūryō untensha and kireme. Mocchi asks one item at a time, explains the kanji you miss and remembers them for your next review, so the postcard reads clearly by the time it arrives.
Then load the same words as flashcards into Listen & Pick in Unihongo's games, a quick way to train your ear on short answers like ue and hidari.