Gunma License Conversion: Online Booking + 20-Language Test
Gunma's traffic center in Maebashi handles all gaimen kirikae. Online reservation required since February 2025. Written test in 20 languages including Nepali and Portuguese. 14-min walk from Shin-Maebashi Station.
Information current as of March 2026 based on the Gunma Prefectural Police gaimen kirikae page and the online reservation system page. Multilingual PDF guides are available in English, Portuguese, Chinese, and Vietnamese from the prefecture website.
Gunma has the 4th highest car ownership rate in Japan (1.558 cars per household) and over 83,000 foreign residents — many in manufacturing areas like Oizumi and Isesaki where public transport is limited. If you live in Gunma, you almost certainly need to drive. This guide covers the Gunma-specific process for converting your foreign license after the October 2025 rule changes.
Where to go: Gunma Prefectural General Traffic Center
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | 群馬県総合交通センター (Gunma Prefectural General Traffic Center) |
| Address | 〒371-0846 群馬県前橋市元総社町80-4 |
| Window | 1F, Window #15 (1階15番窓口) |
| Phone | 027-253-9300 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8:30–11:30, 13:00–16:00 (closed holidays, Dec 29–Jan 3) |
| Access | JR Shin-Maebashi Station (新前橋駅) west exit, ~14 min walk |
| Bus | Gunma Chuo Bus to "Shikenjomae" (試験場前) — limited weekday service |
| Car | ~5 min from Maebashi IC (Kan-etsu Expressway). Free parking, ~500 spaces |
Gunma has only one center for foreign license conversion. All gaimen kirikae applicants in the prefecture come here.
How to book your appointment
Since February 2025, Gunma requires online reservation through the Gunma Prefectural Police website. Walk-ins are no longer accepted for gaimen kirikae.
- Go to the Gunma Police online reservation page
- Select 外国免許切替 (foreign license conversion)
- Choose an available date and time slot
- Enter your name and contact information
- You'll receive a confirmation — bring it on your appointment day
Current wait times: Expect 1–3 months from reservation to appointment due to high demand after the October 2025 rule changes. Book as early as possible.
If the online system is difficult to navigate in Japanese, post on LO-PAL and a local helper can make the reservation for you.
What to bring
- Valid foreign driver's license — bring all current and old licenses if you have them
- Japanese translation of your license from JAF (Gunma office or online), your embassy/consulate, ZIPLUS, or ALADDIN
- Passport(s) — current and old, to prove you stayed 3+ months in the country that issued your license
- Residence card (在留カード)
- Juminhyo (住民票) — must include nationality, residence status, period of stay. Get it from your city hall before the appointment.
- Photo: 3cm × 2.4cm, taken within the last 6 months
- International driving permit (if you have one — bring it even if expired)
The written test (since October 2025)
If your country is not on the 29-country exempt list, you must pass a written test:
| Before Oct 2025 | After Oct 2025 |
|---|---|
| 10 illustration-based questions | 50 text-based questions |
| 70% to pass (7/10) | 90% to pass (45/50) |
| National pass rate: ~92% | National pass rate: ~43% |
Languages available at Gunma (20 languages): English, Spanish, Persian, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer, Nepali, Myanmar, Mongolian, Ukrainian, Sinhala, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi.
This is notably comprehensive — Gunma's large Nepali, Vietnamese, and Portuguese-speaking communities are well served.
How to prepare
The questions are based on Japanese traffic rules, which may differ significantly from your home country. Key areas to study:
- Priority road rules (優先道路) — different from many countries
- Railroad crossing rules — you must stop before every crossing in Japan
- Speed limits — 30 km/h in residential areas, 60 km/h on regular roads, 100 km/h on expressways
- Parking rules — Japan has strict no-parking zones
- Alcohol limit — effectively zero tolerance (0.03% BAC)
Study materials: The JAF Rules of the Road handbook (available in English) covers all testable content. For the full guide to the new test format, see our nationwide license conversion guide.
The driving test (skills check)
Non-exempt applicants also take a driving skills test on the center's course. Since October 2025, this is scored to the same standard as Japan's provisional license exam (仮免許技能試験).
The course includes:
- S-curve (S字カーブ) and crank course (クランク)
- Hill start (坂道発進)
- Railroad crossing stop (踏切一時停止)
- Lane changes with mirror checks
- Intersection navigation with priority rules
The Five-Point Check (五点確認): Before pulling away from any stop, Japanese examiners expect you to check: left mirror → left blind spot → center mirror → right mirror → right blind spot. Skipping any of these is an immediate deduction. This catches most foreign applicants.
For detailed driving test strategies, see our Osaka driving test guide — the scoring criteria are identical nationwide.
Fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Examination/screening fee (審査手数料) | ~¥2,550 |
| Vehicle usage fee (試験車使用料) | ~¥800 |
| License issuance (交付手数料) | ¥2,250 |
| Myna license only | ¥1,550 |
| Both regular + Myna | ¥2,450 |
| Total (first-attempt pass, regular license) | ~¥5,600–7,000 |
Pay in revenue stamps (収入証紙), available at the center. Each failed attempt requires re-paying the examination and vehicle usage fees.
Useful Japanese at the center
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| I'm here for foreign license conversion | 外免切替の手続きに来ました | Gaimen kirikae no tetsuzuki ni kimashita |
| I have an online reservation | ネット予約をしています | Netto yoyaku o shite imasu |
| Where is window 15? | 15番窓口はどこですか？ | Jūgo-ban madoguchi wa doko desu ka? |
| I'd like the test in English | 英語で試験を受けたいです | Eigo de shiken o uketai desu |
| When will I get the result? | 結果はいつわかりますか？ | Kekka wa itsu wakarimasu ka? |
| Can I retake the test? | 再受験はできますか？ | Sai-juken wa dekimasu ka? |
Related articles
- Convert Foreign License Japan (2026): New Rules + 3-Month Proof
- Osaka License Conversion: Why Pass Rates Hit 30%
- Tokyo License in English (2026 Booking Guide)
Need help booking or preparing in Gunma? Post on LO-PAL for free — a local helper can navigate the online reservation system, translate your documents, or accompany you to the test center.
Written by
Founder, LO-PAL
Former Medical Coordinator for Foreign Patients (Ministry of Health programme) and legal affairs professional. Built LO-PAL from firsthand experience navigating life abroad.
Written with partial AI assistance
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