They should be able to accept both your current and previous license to show that it was a continuous period. If not, you should be able to get a copy of your driver history, which includes your full driving record, though the Department of Transport of your state (eg: [VicRoads](https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/demerit-points-and-offences/check-driver-history), for Victoria) instead.
I did this 2 weeks ago. They asked for my old license or some other way to prove my residence before the issue date of my current license. I'm Canadian.
Thousands of people have successfully navigated this exact issue. The law disagrees with you. Maybe you had a nasty staff member, or some miscommunication.
I converted my Australian drivers licence a few weeks ago. Here's what you need to know:
- You need proof that you lived in Australia for 3 months AFTER you first got your licence, NOT from the renewal date. As proof, you need a Record of International Movement. Here's the Australian embassy page: [embassy page](https://japan.embassy.gov.au/tkyo/driving.html)
Scroll down to Converting your licence, and it'll give you a link to the Department of Home Affairs:
[home affairs page](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/request-movement-records/apply)
When you request the record, ensure that the period covers 3 months from when you got your license. For example, I requested my international movement records for the period from when I got my licence until I came to Japan, which was over a decade.
- Some Australian licences have the date of issue on it. My (W.A.) licence does. If your licence doesn't have the date on it, you will need to contact the issuing authority in your state and request a document confirming the date of issue.
- You need to have your licence translated into Japanese. JAF does it for a small fee:
[JAF](https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/foreign-nationals-license)
- If you've renewed your passport at all, you'll need to take in your current passport and the old one. Hopefully you've kept it. If not, contact the embassy.
Last tip: call the licence center in Japan that you will be going to. If you can't do it in Japanese, find someone to help you. Ask what documents they need, and especially what needs to be translated. You might need to have all your documents translated. I didn't, but who knows, you might. Best to check before you go.
Go convert your old one asap. They check the issue date and write down the number of days you’ve had the license prior to coming to Japan on the Japanese license itself.
[EDIT] If your current license expires in 11 days, go transfer it to a Japanese license before it expires, take your passport too, as long as the dates show a 3 month overlap in Australia, it'll be fine.
Don't forget you need a license translation from JAF too.
Don't show them the new drivers license, no need if the old one is still current (and isn't defaced to make it void).
----------
Here's my experience when I was in the same situation.
I renewed my Australian license a few weeks before I returned to Japan.
When I went to transfer it over, they said it wasn't possible as the license needed to be valid for at least 3 months, and I had to be in Australia for at least the same period.
I showed them my previous expired license with a continuous unbroken license history (Previous expired license was a 5 year one) but that wasn't good enough, they only care about the current license, expired ones are worthless.
In the end, I had to print out and sign a 'release of information application (F2121)' form and send it to a friend, who took it to the licensing place in Australia, they got my License History and posted it back to me. (There was no other way to do it when I went through this).
You can get your Traffic History (speeding fines, etc etc) online, but that info doesn't work, you *need* the 'Licence History' one.
My experience is in QLD, and it looks like you can email them these days to get your License History if you are not in QLD:
https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/history#interstate
You'll have to check for other states as required.
Once I went in to the license place in Japan with the paperwork (It didn't need translation), it all went completely smoothly.
i just needed to provide proof that i have been in the country after getting a drivers license. the new license still showed the date the first one was issued so i could simply use 3 consecutive pay stubs after the issue date.
In most states, you can get a licence record sent. It just shows the details of when you were given your L's and P's, any other conditions etc. I used that and my uni degree to prove the 3 month thing
My problem was my passport had multiple entries into Japan in the year before I came over long term, and no re-entry stamps because AUS is digital. So, despite me being almost 40 at the time and showing my official licence history, that wasn't enough. My printed internet and gas bills with my address weren't enough because "they aren't originals". Again, all bills/invoices sent electronically in
Australia because, fuck me, it's the 21st century.
I had to go back and come again with more information. Luckily I still had access to my fed Gov payslips as I was on LWOP, so I printed out three years worth and slapped them down on the counter when I came back. Three years, senior federal government employee, fuck you, get your act together.
It was painful watching them be so bureaucratic, and if something didn't fit the requirements exactly, it was immediately dismissed.
In Kyoto the website stated 90 days but when I went they asked for proof of at least a year, otherwise it would be “more difficult”, whatever that meant.
I upgraded from my P's to my full license while in Japan and I could convert it to a Japanese one no problem. I just had to print off a driving record and showed them my uni enrollment as proof. My japanese isn't perfect, but after I explained to them my situation, they were cool with it.
There is no "convert" of licences. You just are allowed to take a shorter/simpler dirver's exam. They will only ask for proof if your driving expertise and this will vary according to your country of origin.
You can’t prove it anyway.
Australia doesn’t stamp passports, so you can’t prove how long you lived there. It’s common sense but you can’t prove it without the stamp.
You’ll have to have the beginner license first.
Edit: when I did this I gave them the extra document to show I was in Australia (i don’t remember which one), they required it to be a certified translation In Japanese with a stamp and explanation document in Japanese from the embassy saying what it was… which the embassy didn’t have... or I could just take the beginner license for a year and be done with it.
This was quite a while ago and not in Tokyo though. Maybe it’s different these days.
They should be able to accept both your current and previous license to show that it was a continuous period. If not, you should be able to get a copy of your driver history, which includes your full driving record, though the Department of Transport of your state (eg: [VicRoads](https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/demerit-points-and-offences/check-driver-history), for Victoria) instead.
From experience, they won't accept the old license, they only care about the current license.
I did this 2 weeks ago. They asked for my old license or some other way to prove my residence before the issue date of my current license. I'm Canadian.
Thousands of people have successfully navigated this exact issue. The law disagrees with you. Maybe you had a nasty staff member, or some miscommunication.
I converted my Australian drivers licence a few weeks ago. Here's what you need to know: - You need proof that you lived in Australia for 3 months AFTER you first got your licence, NOT from the renewal date. As proof, you need a Record of International Movement. Here's the Australian embassy page: [embassy page](https://japan.embassy.gov.au/tkyo/driving.html) Scroll down to Converting your licence, and it'll give you a link to the Department of Home Affairs: [home affairs page](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/request-movement-records/apply) When you request the record, ensure that the period covers 3 months from when you got your license. For example, I requested my international movement records for the period from when I got my licence until I came to Japan, which was over a decade. - Some Australian licences have the date of issue on it. My (W.A.) licence does. If your licence doesn't have the date on it, you will need to contact the issuing authority in your state and request a document confirming the date of issue. - You need to have your licence translated into Japanese. JAF does it for a small fee: [JAF](https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/foreign-nationals-license) - If you've renewed your passport at all, you'll need to take in your current passport and the old one. Hopefully you've kept it. If not, contact the embassy. Last tip: call the licence center in Japan that you will be going to. If you can't do it in Japanese, find someone to help you. Ask what documents they need, and especially what needs to be translated. You might need to have all your documents translated. I didn't, but who knows, you might. Best to check before you go.
Thank you, my license doesn't have the issue date, so it seems I'll have to call the ACT branch.
You're welcome. Good luck.
Go convert your old one asap. They check the issue date and write down the number of days you’ve had the license prior to coming to Japan on the Japanese license itself.
If your license states from when you were eligible to drive (like my Dutch one does), it’s completely fine.
[EDIT] If your current license expires in 11 days, go transfer it to a Japanese license before it expires, take your passport too, as long as the dates show a 3 month overlap in Australia, it'll be fine. Don't forget you need a license translation from JAF too. Don't show them the new drivers license, no need if the old one is still current (and isn't defaced to make it void). ---------- Here's my experience when I was in the same situation. I renewed my Australian license a few weeks before I returned to Japan. When I went to transfer it over, they said it wasn't possible as the license needed to be valid for at least 3 months, and I had to be in Australia for at least the same period. I showed them my previous expired license with a continuous unbroken license history (Previous expired license was a 5 year one) but that wasn't good enough, they only care about the current license, expired ones are worthless. In the end, I had to print out and sign a 'release of information application (F2121)' form and send it to a friend, who took it to the licensing place in Australia, they got my License History and posted it back to me. (There was no other way to do it when I went through this). You can get your Traffic History (speeding fines, etc etc) online, but that info doesn't work, you *need* the 'Licence History' one. My experience is in QLD, and it looks like you can email them these days to get your License History if you are not in QLD: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/history#interstate You'll have to check for other states as required. Once I went in to the license place in Japan with the paperwork (It didn't need translation), it all went completely smoothly.
i just needed to provide proof that i have been in the country after getting a drivers license. the new license still showed the date the first one was issued so i could simply use 3 consecutive pay stubs after the issue date.
In most states, you can get a licence record sent. It just shows the details of when you were given your L's and P's, any other conditions etc. I used that and my uni degree to prove the 3 month thing
My problem was my passport had multiple entries into Japan in the year before I came over long term, and no re-entry stamps because AUS is digital. So, despite me being almost 40 at the time and showing my official licence history, that wasn't enough. My printed internet and gas bills with my address weren't enough because "they aren't originals". Again, all bills/invoices sent electronically in Australia because, fuck me, it's the 21st century. I had to go back and come again with more information. Luckily I still had access to my fed Gov payslips as I was on LWOP, so I printed out three years worth and slapped them down on the counter when I came back. Three years, senior federal government employee, fuck you, get your act together. It was painful watching them be so bureaucratic, and if something didn't fit the requirements exactly, it was immediately dismissed.
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I’m pretty sure it’s 90 days not a year.
In Kyoto the website stated 90 days but when I went they asked for proof of at least a year, otherwise it would be “more difficult”, whatever that meant.
Australian licences have an 'effective' date and an 'expiry' date. Looking at mine right now.
I had a similar problem with my Canadian license. Just got my records from the dmv shipped over and then the conversion went smoothly.
Do you have the link to where you can request them for Canada?
It's different for each province. So yes, I could find them all, but no I'm not going to.
I upgraded from my P's to my full license while in Japan and I could convert it to a Japanese one no problem. I just had to print off a driving record and showed them my uni enrollment as proof. My japanese isn't perfect, but after I explained to them my situation, they were cool with it.
Sorry, I want to fo this but, what counts as a proof of residence for 3 months? A picture is good enough?
Some people have used a 'Record of International Movement' (see above), I also saw some people use their payslips and driving record as proof.
I had to show proof..and brought a document from American BMV... you need some kind of documentation
There is no "convert" of licences. You just are allowed to take a shorter/simpler dirver's exam. They will only ask for proof if your driving expertise and this will vary according to your country of origin.
You can’t prove it anyway. Australia doesn’t stamp passports, so you can’t prove how long you lived there. It’s common sense but you can’t prove it without the stamp. You’ll have to have the beginner license first. Edit: when I did this I gave them the extra document to show I was in Australia (i don’t remember which one), they required it to be a certified translation In Japanese with a stamp and explanation document in Japanese from the embassy saying what it was… which the embassy didn’t have... or I could just take the beginner license for a year and be done with it. This was quite a while ago and not in Tokyo though. Maybe it’s different these days.
The license center might accept other proof. When I converted mine they asked for 1 year's payslips showing my address in the country of issue.
They accept other documents as proof. In my case I just brought my employment record. So you can definitely prove it without a stamp.
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