Chiba Driver's License Center - Chiba

Great experience if you do your homework. For my license conversion from Australian to Japanese, I had to have: 1. Japanese Translation of your license - look up JAF and they will do it over mail within two days. You need to send JAF you license colour copies, translation fees of ¥3,000 and return postal fees of ¥500 in a postal cash envelope. Ask post office staff and they will help you 2. Original residence certificate (Juminhyou). Driving license center will not return this. If you another one go to your local ward/council office 3. Original resident card - they will return this 4. Original passport - they will return this 5. Any utilities bills that will prove that you have stayed in your country for three months since issue your original license 6. Driving license history from your countries licensing authority (RTA in NSW, Australia). You can pay $22 and download immediately from your RTA website account 7. ¥4,600 in cash for stamps. Buy in the opposite counter for license fees. Yes. I know it is archaic and all. But take cash. There is a Lawson outside the building. You don’t want to run around if you bring cash. Do this and present it in order to the officer at Japan(Chiba) License Centre and you are golden. A bit of waiting around. There are vending machines and facilities. I recommend bringing work or entertainment during the wait. Charge your equipment as well. Not a lot of English here. Although a kind lady does her best to speak in English and help you. Don’t go counting on this though. It would help to look up some license vocabulary before you go and remember it as well. Last but not least: the license provided is beginners license, meaning that you have to drive with a sign in front and back of your car for a year. Don’t be surprised. License will need to be renewed in 3 years. Important: Open during weekdays only. 9:00 - 11:45 13:00 - 15:00 Cutoff within one hour. Don’t go after 10:00 or 14:00 hours. There will simply no time to complete this. A day at the License Centre indeed!

One of the best places in Japan for foreigners to experience what second class citizen feels like. Everything is “Japanese first.” “Omotenashi” my a**. Hope they get treated the same way when they travel abroad.

I think this place is the worst place ever since I lived in Japan. I was born in Japan and moved to the US. I got driver license in the US and then I tried to exchange in here. ATTENTION: They failed me because I made a mistake once. They didn’t even give me advice after that. I don’t think they are good people to give you advice if you need. I’m so shameful that there are people like them in Japan.

It's very strict about exam. Staffs don't speak English at all.

Surprisingly very smooth for renewal of Japanese license. Arrived by car on a wet Tues at 8am. Car park half full but guided to a spot. Collected my entrance time paper (8:30-45 Group 3) at the entrance and waited in a big tent, properly socially distanced from everyone. Quite a few people about though. Then called in, simple forms to fill out (Eng translation available), paid my money, went through the sight test, paperwork check, photo with little trouble. Then listened to the guy speed talk for 30 mins, picked up license and out. All done in about 90 minutes. Staff well organized and very polite too.

In the afternoon start from 1 PM counter application for those holding a driving licence issued by foreign Agencies is not a lot of ppl, is better to come on this time, morning will be a lot of people to submit the application

I went there for renewal of my license. The procedure was so efficient. Although there are tons of people wanting to renew their license, everyone is guided by the staff very well. Only, the two-hours lesson was really boring. I know that the content is important, but really really boring.

Strict or they don’t want you to have license at 1st drive test.. don’t speak English it’s ok but what they are saying in Japanese also difficult to understand.