Kyoto Prefectural Driver's License Test Centre

Address	647 Hazukashi Furukawa-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (612-8486)
Access	By bus from Hankyu Nagaokatenjin, JR Nagaokakyo, Takeda, Chushojima etc.; e.g. City Bus South 2 to 'Menkyo Shikenjo-mae'. Bus times not published.
Booking	Phone booking only: 075-631-5181, Mon-Fri 15:00-17:00 (excluding holidays and New Year). Skills check is also by appointment, explained after passing the knowledge check.
Days and times	Counter: main building 2nd floor, foreign-licence window 10. Date/time given when you book. The guide says document review/knowledge check and the skills check are each about 2 months out.
Driving test course	No course map is published online. Ask at the centre.
Fees	Application fee (ordinary car): ¥2,500 Application fee (semi-medium/medium/large): ¥3,900 Application fee (motorcycle): ¥2,800 Application fee (moped): ¥1,600 Issue fee, plastic licence only: ¥2,350 Issue fee, both cards: ¥2,450 Issue fee, My Number licence only: ¥1,550 Vehicle rental for skills check: ¥1,750

Documents

Valid foreign licence (needed until the skills check is passed)
Resident record (juminhyo) with nationality, status of residence, period of stay and expiry, residence card number, date became resident
Country-specific document list is published by the prefecture (PDF shikenr8.pdf)
Interpreter if you cannot hold a conversation in Japanese

Since 1 Oct 2025: knowledge check 50 questions (was 10), still 20 languages; resident record required for every application.
Skills check from 1 Apr 2026 uses MT or AT vehicles depending on licence type (e.g. MT ordinary car for an ordinary MT licence).
Exempt (no knowledge/skills check) countries listed in the guide, as of 24 Apr 2023 list.
Document review includes an interview; failures in documents or checks cause re-queueing and long waits.

Not checking the blind spot (turn your head) before moving off, changing lanes and turning.
Left turns: not moving close to the left edge first, then turning slowly along the edge of the intersection.
Right turns: not moving close to the centre line beforehand, or not turning just inside the centre of the intersection (wait there for oncoming traffic).
At a stop sign (止まれ): not stopping completely at the stop line, then stopping again where you can see.
Signalling late: signal 30 m before a turn, 3 seconds before a lane change.
Crossings: not slowing down or not stopping for a pedestrian who may cross.
Railway crossings: not stopping before the crossing and checking left and right with the window open.

Always check the official page before you go: times and rules change. Official page · Checked 2026-11-09