Ibaraki Licensing Guide

Compiled July 2011 • Latest Version May 2018 by PA’s

Table of Contents
IBARAKI LICENSING GUIDE 2

INTRODUCTION 4

CREDITS 5

IMPORTANT JAPANESE TERMS 6

TRANSLATING YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE 8

NECESSARY ITEMS: 8
TRANSLATION AT THE JAF BRANCH 8
TRANSLATION BY MAIL 9

BEFORE THE LICENSING CENTER 10

NECESSARY ITEMS: 10

GETTING TO THE LICENSING CENTER 11

AT THE LICENSING CENTER 12

REGISTRATION PAPERWORK 12
INTERVIEW PROCEDURE 13
WRITTEN TEST 13

BEHIND-THE-WHEEL 14

DRIVING TEST 14

PRE-TEST NOTES 14
TEST-TAKING TIPS 15
GETTING TEST RESULTS 16

THE FINAL STAGES 17

DOING THE VISION TEST 17

LICENSING FEE 17
TAKING YOUR PICTURE 17
GETTING THE DRIVER’S LICENSE 17

IMPORTANT AND USEFUL LINKS 18

APPENDIX ONE 19

BASIC ADVICE 19

APPENDIX TWO 21

BEHIND-THE-WHEEL TURN-BY-TURN TEST COURSE GUIDE 21

STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF THE DRIVING TEST 22

APPENDIX THREE 28
Introduction

Obtaining a Japanese driver’s license is essential for all foreigners planning to stay and drive in
Japan for more than a year. Make sure you have all of the necessary documents before
proceeding with each step. The entire process takes time and a lot of patience.

If you need to switch your overseas driver’s license into a Japanese driver’s license, you should do
so as early as possible--well before your international driving permit expires--or you may risk not
being able to drive for some time.

The following guide should help make the process easier and aims to help you complete the entire
process on your first attempt, but it will not guarantee that you will pass any of the necessary
tests. As with any guide, the actual process may be different. Always be ready in case things do
change.

If you do not possess a valid driver’s license from your home country, then you must go through
the process of obtaining a Japanese driver’s license exactly as Japanese citizens do. It requires
mandatory classes that can cost more than ¥200,000. This guide is meant for foreigners living in
Ibaraki Prefecture who already have a valid driver’s license from their home country.

Note: Please be aware that this guide does not guarantee that you will be able to obtain a
Japanese driver’s license successfully.
Credits
This guide is compiled by Albert David Valderrama using the links found in this guide,
advice from other foreigners and Japanese residents, and personal experience. Special
thanks to Daniel Ready for first compiling the information from the articles on Alien Times.

The most recent update is made in May of 2018, by Ibaraki CIR PA’s Gloria Chen and
Anthony Shima. The cover page is designed by Gloria.

If you have done the licensing test recently and have noticed recent changes in the
procedure that, please contact us to help keep this guide up to date with any new and
relevant information. Some procedures may no longer be necessary, and there may have
been changes to the process since the latest version of this guide was released.
Important Japanese Terms
What terms may be useful in regard to getting a Japanese driver’s license

English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

car 車 くるま kuruma

crive 運転 うんてん unten

driver’s license (card) 運転免許 うんてんめんきょ unten-menkyo

overseas (driver’s) license 外国免許 がいこくめんきょ gaikoku-menkyo

switching a foreign driver’s 外国免許を日 がいこくめんきょを gaikoku menkyo-o

license to a Japanese 本の免許証へ にほんのめんきょへ nihon no menkeyo-he
driver’s license 切替 きりかえ kirikae
(shortenned version) 外免切替 がいめんきりかえ gaimen kirikae

alien registration card 外国人登録証 がいこくじんとうろ gaikokujin-touroku-shou

くしょう
residence card 在留カード ざいりゅうカード zairyuu kaado

residence certificate 住民票 じゅうみんひょう juuminhyou

driver’s license center 運転免許セン うんてんめんきょセ unten-menkyo sentaa

ター ンター
Mito Station 水戸駅 みとえき mito-eki

North Exit 北口 きたぐち kita-guchi

Kanto-Tetsudo Bus 関東鉄道バス かんとうてつどうバ kantou-tetsudou basu

ス
Kita-Kanto Expressway 北関東自動車 きたかんとうじどう kita-kantou jidousha-dou
道 しゃどう
Prefectural Route 50 県道５０号 けんどうごじゅうご kendou-gojuu-gou
う
National Route 6 国道６号 こくどうろくごう kokudou-roku-gou

Ibaraki Prefectural Office 茨城県庁 いばらきけんちょう ibaraki-ken-chou

registered postal cash envelope 現金書留 げんきんかきとめ genkin-kakitome

test 試験 しけん shiken

going slowly 徐行 じょこう jokou

stop (command) 止まれ とまれ tomare

straight ahead 真っ直ぐ まっすぐ massugu

middle 真ん中 まんなか man-naka

left 左 ひだり hidari

right 右 みぎ migi

up 上 うえ ue

down 下 した shita

red 赤い あかい akai

yellow 黄色い きいろい kiiroi

green 緑 みどり midori

blue 青い あおい aoi

Translating Your Driver’s
License

All foreigners who wish to change their home country’s driver’s license into a Japanese

driver’s license must first obtain an official translation of their driver’s license from the

Japan Automotive Federation (JAF).

Necessary Items:
• Physical (valid) driver’s license from your home country

• Alien Registration Card / Residence Card

• Application form for Japanese Translation of foreign driver’s license

• Money – 3000 yen

Translation at the JAF Branch

See their official website for more detail: http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/translation/switch.htm

The JAF Branch of Ibaraki is located in Mito City on the southwest side of Senba Lake.

The office is easily accessible by car on Prefectural Route-50 (a.k.a. Hexagon-50) going

north from the Ibaraki Prefectural Government Office (a.k.a. ken-chou). They are open

Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 17:30 except on national holidays. (It is possible to

send someone else in your stead to obtain the translation by proxy.)

JAF 茨城支部: ３１０−０８５１茨城県水戸市千波町２４７５−７

(2475-7 Senba-cho, Mito-shi, Ibaraki-ken 310-0851)

At the JAF Branch, ask for a driver’s license translation. The word “translation” should
suffice. They will ask for which country. Then you will sit down and fill out the application
form (in English) while they make a photocopy of your home country’s driver’s license.

A single translation will take thirty (30) minutes or less if they aren’t busy, or up to two
weeks according to their website. They will return your home country’s driver’s license
and you will pay ¥3,000. When they finish, they will give you the official translation
(usually two sheets of paper stapled together), a payment receipt, and an information
sheet. Then, they will explain that you must go to the licensing center between 09:00 and
10:00 on a weekday.

Sign the confirmation of receipt, put your forms in the JAF envelope, and go about your
day.

Translation by Mail

If you are unable to visit the JAF Branch in Mito, you can apply for a translation by mail.
• Obtain an application form online, print it out, and fill it in.
• Photocopy your home country’s driver’s license, front and back, preferably in color and
legible.
• Optional: photocopy your alien registration or residence card, front and back.
• Obtain a registered postal cash envelope from the post office.
• Send all items above with ¥3,000 (application fee) and return postage fee ¥500 to
the JAF Branch office listed above.
• Wait.

It will take approximately one week from application to delivery of your translation.
Before the Licensing Center
All foreigners who wish to change their home country’s driver’s license into a Japanese driver’s
license must take the traffic rules test and have a vision test conducted by the prefecture’s
licensing center.
Due to international treaties, foreigners from some countries, like the United States, must take the
behind-the-wheel driving test. Meanwhile foreigners from other regions, like the United Kingdom,
Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, do not have to take the behind-the-wheel driving test.

Necessary Items:
• Alien Registration Card / Residence Card

• Original Residence Certificate (obtained from your city/town hall, ~¥300)

• Passport (current) and all other passports you possess

• Physical (valid) driver’s license from your home country and all other driver’s licenses you have

• Official Japanese translation of your home country’s driver’s license (see previous section)

• Two photos (no bigger than 3cm x 2.4cm), passport style

Passport-style photos can be taken in small photo booths located in front of a grocery store,
near city hall, or even next to the licensing center.
• International driving permit (if you have one)

• Certificate of original date of issue (or complete driving record) if your home country’s driver’s
license does not have the date of issue2

IMPORTANT: If your home country’s driver’s license doesn’t have a date of issue, you will need
to provide a certificate or complete driving record to prove that you had driven in your home
country for at least three months before arriving in Japan.
• Money (for transportation, licensing fees, and lunch)

• A Japanese translator (if you cannot speak adequate Japanese)

Getting to the Licensing
Center
The Ibaraki Prefectural Driver’s License Center is located in Ibaraki-machi, south-
southeast of the Ibaraki

Prefectural Government Office (a.k.a. ken-chou). The Foreign Driver’s License registration
window

(Window 14) is only open Monday through Friday between 09:00 and 10:00. Nobody
there speaks English.

The licensing center is easily accessible by car, off of National Route-6 (a.k.a. Triangle-6)
right next to the Kita-Kantou Expressway. When driving on Route-6, you will see a white
Japanese road sign with blue font and a red half-arrow indicating the street where the
licensing center is located.

It is also accessible by bus from Mito Station’s North Exit (3rd platform); take the Kanto-
Tetsudou Bus headed for the licensing center. The bus takes about thirty (30) minutes.
(An 08:20 bus from the station will get you to the licensing center by 08:49. A bus
departing at 08:50 will get you to the licensing center by 09:19.) It is the final stop on the
route. (Other buses from different terminals may also be available from your nearby bus
terminal.)

３１１−３１９７茨城県東茨城郡茨城町長岡３７８３−３

(3783-3 Nagaoka, Ibaraki-machi, Higashi Ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki-ken 311-3197)

At the Licensing Center
Registration Paperwork

Go to Window 14, there might be a little line-up depends on the time you arrive, but it is most
likely the less busy window of all. Tell them that you want to change your home country’s driver’s
license into a Japanese driver’s license. Inform them what country you are from, and say that it’s
your first time there. The easiest thing to do without having to speak too much Japanese is to
have all of your documents out in front of you; the staff should already know why you’re at their
window. (If you are early, you can go to Window 12 for the paperwork first.)

The staff will ask for your two passport-style photos and paste them onto a couple of forms: one
has red print with carbon copies and the other is a green-colored card. (If they tell you to do it by
yourself, one will need glue while the other has a pre-glued area under a white flap). They will
give you a payment form and a fourth form asking a few simple questions in English. You will
probably answer “No, I don’t” on that form.

Take the forms to one of the writing booths to your left. Fill out the forms with your name (in Romaji
and furigana reading above), your birthdate, and anything else that they ask you to write. It will
include an 8-digit “secret number” that you must make yourself.

Then, go to the Payment Window (it would have been behind you when you were facing
Window 14). Show them the payment form (it has a hand-written “¥2,400” in a box) and pay them
the fee of ¥2,400 to take the test. (If you don’t have to take the behind-the-wheel driving test, then
you may not have to pay this fee.) They will place ¥2,400 in stamps on your payment form.

Return with your payment form to Window 14. At this point, they should now have all of your
documents and all of the forms. When they inform you about the test, ask for the English written
test. Also tell them if you prefer automatic or manual for your behind-the-wheel driving test if
necessary. They will then ask you to wait in the seating area until they call your name again. (The
automatic test will allow you to drive only automatic-transmission automobiles, while the manual
test will allow you to drive both automatic-and manual-transmission automobiles with your
Japanese driver’s license.)
Interview Procedure

You will be asked to do an interview about your home country’s driver’s license. Someone from
behind the windows or behind the door will call your name and ask you to go to another window.

The interview will be in Japanese with a few English words. If you cannot speak Japanese, bring
someone who can translate for you. The main questions will be about how you obtained your
home country’s driver’s license; they will ask about the steps you took to do so and what you were
required to do in each step.

For example, you may have to describe your driver’s education courses, when you took them, how
long they were, how often you met, what things you learned, and if you had tests. If you took a
written test to obtain a driver’s permit, you must also describe that--when you took it, how many
questions were given, how many questions had to be correct to pass, etc. The same will be asked
about any form of driver’s training or behind-the-wheel experience before taking any official
licensing tests. They may then ask about your actual behind-the-wheel driving test in your home
country-when you took it, how long it took, where you did the test (licensing course or city streets),
what you had to do during the test, etc. Lastly, they will want to know how long you had to wait to
get your physical driver’s license. The more detailed and thorough your answer, the better.

Written Test

After your interview, you will again be asked to sit and wait (again) to take the written test. You
will be taken into a small room (possibly with other foreigners) to take the test. The questions are
very simple and rely a lot on common sense safety. If you have never read the rules of the road
for driving in Japan, you can take a few practice tests online.

For the test, you will be given an answer sheet with your name on it, a test booklet, a pencil, and
an eraser. The examiner will explain that each number on the answer sheet corresponds to a page
in the test booklet. There are twenty (20) in total. The examiner will then mark ten questions for
you to answer (either odds or evens, or another combination). Each page in the test booklet will
have a drawing with a statement in Japanese and English (for the English test). You must mark on
the answer sheet whether each statement is True or False. Read each question carefully. They
are not trick questions, but the English may seem confusing.

When you finish the test, the examiner will grade it in another room. You must answer seven
questions correctly out of ten (7/10) to pass. If you pass the test, the examiner will say so right
away and ask you to wait again.
Behind-the-Wheel
Driving Test
If you have to take the behind-the-wheel driving test, you will be asked to wait in another area:
Room 2 of the Driving Course. If you do not have to take the behind-the-wheel driving test, you
may be asked to come back at 13:00, after lunch, to wait for your name to be called again; you
can also skip this section completely and go to the Final Stages.

The waiting room is just outside the two sets of double doors under the television monitors on
the south side of the licensing center. In that room, you will see a monitor with a few things
highlighted. It will tell you if they will test using Foreign License Test Course A or Foreign
License Test Course B. Both course maps are posted on the far-right corner of the room when
you enter. They are labeled in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Study the course
and memorize it. For a turn-by-turn guide to the test course, please go to Appendix Two.

Pre-Test Notes
Once all of the foreigners have been gathered in Room 2, an examiner will come out and take
attendance. The examiner will then describe the course to all of the test-takers. Make sure to pay
attention to what they say is unacceptable. The examiner may describe the following:

• The speed limit is 40 kilometers per hour (kph). If you go over 40kph, you will fail.
• You must stop at all stop signs and traffic signals when they are red (or yellow). If you don’t
stop completely, you will fail.
• If you fall off the course (yes, you can literally fall off), you must fix your mistake by going in
reverse and realigning your car on the road. If you fall off the course and continue driving
forward, you will fail.
• If you hit any cars, obstructions (e.g., hanging poles in the “crank” section), or other
obstacles, you will fail.
• You are allowed to fall off the course and safely correct your mistake up to three times in
the “crank (90-degree)” and “S-curves” sections. You are also allowed to correct your car
up to three times (without having fallen off first) in order not to fall off or hit the obstructions.

The examiner is not your instructor, so the only other thing that the examiner will tell you
beforehand is that you must understand and obey all of the other signs on the road on your own,
drive carefully, listen closely to the instruction, and follow where the examiner tells you to go. (The
examiner may choose to deviate from the course map if s/he wants.) If your examiner is able to
speak a little English, you can request that s/he give you directions in English.

You will use one of the licensing center’s cars, which looks like a taxi with extra mirrors. Get used
to it quickly. Unless you are the first driver, you will ride in the back of the car during the test of the
person ahead of you on the list. Concurrently, you will also have another passenger in the back of
your car when you are taking your test.

At any given moment, there will probably be up to five other vehicles on the test course,
ranging from other cars, to a motorcycle, to a lorry. Treat the course as you would any city
streets. It should go without saying that if you crash, then you will fail.

Before 10:00 and during lunch between 12:00 and 13:00, the test course is open to pedestrians. You
can walk the course as many times as you want during these times. If you can, then you should.

Test-Taking Tips
There are many tips you should note about the behind-the-wheel driving test:

• The examiner only speaks Japanese and you can’t have your translator in the car.

• Memorize the course map

• Know the basic words for left, right, and straight

• Know the basic words for colors and numbers (the course is marked with them)

• Whenever you change lanes or turn a corner, always S.M.O.G.:

• Signal: turn on your indicators

• Mirrors: check the inside rear-view mirror and check the outside mirror

• Over-the-Shoulder: look back over your right shoulder for going right or over your left
shoulder for going left

•Go: self-explanatory

• Check your mirrors again when you finish your maneuver

• For left turns, check the left rear for virtual cyclists and pedestrians

• For right turns, check for virtual oncoming traffic

• The two curves where you must “go slow” means going less than 10kph (the speedometer
needle should be below the first major tick on the gauge)

•When stopping at a stop sign or traffic signal:

• Stop completely

• Look left, right, and then left again before moving on

 • Never stop on or passed the line

• Never stop on a crosswalk

• If you look closely on the road, there is a small tick mark on the left side just before each
stopping line. This is for the examiner to check if you have gone too far.

• Always keep left

• Keep to the left side of the lane at all times unless you are preparing to make a right turn

• Always turn into the left lane unless told otherwise by the examiner or after the maneuver
on the hill (see Appendix Two, Part Eight)

• You don’t have to stop at all the crosswalks unless marked with a stop sign or traffic signal. Do
slow down to check for virtual pedestrians.

Getting Test Results

If you pass, the examiner will tell you right away and ask you to wait again in Room 2 until all of
the testers have finished.

If you fail, the examiner will explain the main reasons of why you did so. You can have your
translator walk over to help you understand. The examiner will then give you back part of your
paperwork and tell you to return to Window 12. At that window, you must reschedule a re-test
(which may or may not have to be a month’s wait away). You must get another payment form, and
the person will return all of your paperwork and documents for you to bring again the next time.
The card with your picture will also have the date of your re-test stamped onto it. At this point, you
can go about your day. You will have to repeat all of the steps again, except without the written
test or the interview.
The Final Stages
Doing the Vision Test

The vision test is very easy. You will be asked to identify directions (left, right, up, down) and
colors (red, yellow, green, blue).

The examiner will ask if you are wearing contact lenses or note if you are wearing glasses.
Keep them on. You will then look into the box. The examiner will highlight some incomplete
circles and ask where the opening is (directions). Then, the examiner will ask you what color
the circles are.

Licensing Fee
You will be asked to get ¥2,050 worth of payment stamps. Bring these stamps with you
back to Window 14 to complete the paperwork procedures.

Taking Your Picture

Someone will come out and call the names of all the foreigners who have passed so far. As a
group, you will go to the second floor and take your pictures, one by one, for your Japanese
driver’s licenses. There is a mirror just inside the room to fix yourself up if you so desire. Sit up
straight, look at the camera inside the box, and smile if you want to. When you finish, you will be
asked to wait downstairs next to Room 30. It should be a relatively short wait.

Getting the Driver’s License

After a short while, the person who took your picture will come back with your documents and
your new Japanese driver’s license. The person will return all of your documents and explain a
few things.

The first thing that will be noted is that your Japanese driver’s license now has an IC chip inside.
The second thing that will be noted is that your Japanese driver’s license must be renewed during
a specific period (usually starting one month prior until one month after your birthday in the third
fiscal year from that day). You must choose between a Japanese or English guidebook, and the
staff member will explain to you personally about your renewal responsibilities.

Then, that’s it! You’re done.

Important and Useful Links
About Getting a Japanese Driver’s License
• http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/switch.htm (English)
Japan Automotive Federation website regarding switching overseas driver’s licenses into
Japanese driver’s licenses. The application for license translations and directions to the JAF
Branch office can be found on this website.

• http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/kenkei/a03_license/exam/gaimen.html (Japanese)
Ibaraki Police website regarding switching overseas driver’s licenses into Japanese driver’s

licenses. An English version of the information can be found as a PDF file at the top of the

page.

• http://www.alientimes.org/Category/Cars (English)
Alien Times website with articles related to driving and licensing in Japan.
• http://www.japandriverslicense.com/index.asp (English)
Japan Driver’s License website with written test practice, translated Japanese road signs, and a
driving test simulator.

About Getting to the Licensing Center

• http://www.kantetsu.co.jp/bus/rosen/timetable/mito.html (Japanese)
Kanto-Tetsudo website regarding the bus schedule from Mito Station. The bus timetable to the
licensing center can be found in PDF format in the section marked “North Exit 3”.

• http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ (English)
Hyperdia website for checking train times in Japan. Use this to find out which train(s) you’ll
need to take to get to Mito Station by the time the bus leaves for the licensing center.
Appendix One
Basic Advice

About Translating Your Driver’s License

• If you will already be in Mito on a weekday during business hours with time to spare, do your
translation at the JAF Branch. It will be faster and easier.

• If you apply for a translation by mail, ask someone how to get the registered postal cash
envelope. They should be available at the post office. You’ll spend more on postage, but less
on travel.

About the Licensing Center

• Expect long waiting times. It will be an all-day affair.

• The process could end as early as noon if you are missing documents or fail any of the tests.

• The process could last until late afternoon if you pass all of the tests.

• Bring something to do while you wait.

• Almost all of the paperwork will be conducted at Window 14.

• Photo booths are located across the street. You need two of the smallest size.

• There are vending machines with soft drinks inside.

• There is a Family Mart on the main road just outside the Center and a 7-Eleven farther down.

• There are a few small restaurants across the street for lunch.

• There is a Joyo Bank ATM just outside the Center but within the gates on the premises.

About the Behind-the-Wheel Driving Test

• Expect to fail at least once or twice.

• Keep a positive attitude.

• Don’t wear heels or sandals. Do wear shoes.

• Do wear comfortable clothing--something you always wear when driving.

• If you have a bag, you can put it in the backseat. Put it on the floor for safety.
• Aside for one or two seemingly unreasonable points, logically speaking, all of the required
actions and maneuvers are things you should be doing on the road at all times anyway for
safety.

• Spend time driving a Japanese car before taking the real test. Get used to the next two points
before your first attempt.

• Japanese cars are right-hand-drive. The windshield wiper controls are on the left side
and the turn signal controls are on the right side of the steering wheel.

• Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road in Japan. Don’t go the wrong way! Keep left!

• All of the lines on the course are white. Don’t get confused.

• Keep both hands on the wheel at all times and grip the steering wheel correctly. (Put your left
hand back on the wheel immediately each time after changing gears in a manual transmission
car.)

• If you drive a manual transmission car, make sure to test the release point of the clutch in the
beginning. If you stall your car during the test, you may fail.

• Don’t go over 40kph on the straight but be as close as possible. You may fail for being slow.

• Don’t go over 20kph on unmarked curves and corners.

• Don’t go over 10kph on explicitly marked curves.

• Be sincere when you check for traffic and virtual pedestrians. The examiners can see your face
through the various mirrors when you drive.

• Keep a good posture.

• Be confident while driving. You may fail for hesitation.

Appendix Two
Behind-the-Wheel Turn-by-Turn Test Course Guide
Below are pictures of the course maps posted in the waiting room (Room 2). Which
course you use will depend on the posted information inside the waiting room.

Course A Diagram

Every corner is marked with a colored number on the actual course. The distances between
each maneuver are very small. A near perfect run should take about ten minutes. The
examiner will give you directions long before you need to make each move. Pay attention.

Use the following turn-by-turn directions for Course A only as a guide. It is more detailed than
necessary. Remember to S.M.O.G. for every maneuver, and even though there may not be any
other cars on the road or actual pedestrians, you must check for them as if they were there.

Remember: S.M.O.G. = Signal, Mirrors, Over-the-Shoulder, Go

Course B Diagram

Step-by-Step Walkthrough of the Driving Test

Part One: The Approach
1. Look left and right before approaching the car.
2. Walk from the curb to the test car, going around the rear.
3. Walk to the front of the car, check the headlights.
4. Walk to the passenger side of the car, check the tires.
5. Walk to the rear of the car, check the taillights.
6. Walk to the driver side, look left and right, check for traffic and cyclist, check the tires.
7. Use both hands to open the door, right hand on the handle, left hand on the frame.
8. Get in the car and close the door firmly with both hands.

Part Two: Inside Preparations

1. Lock the doors.
2. Sit up straight and adjust the seat even if it fits.
3. Sit up straight, look forward, and adjust the rearview mirrors. The outside mirrors are
electric with controls to the right of the steering wheel. Don’t move them if you don’t have to
because the car must be turned on.
4. Put on your seatbelt.
5. Check to see if the examiner has put on his/her seatbelt.
6. Look in the backseat and check if the other tester has put on his/her seatbelt (even if
there is no other passenger).
7. Put both hands on the steering wheel at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. (Hold the steering wheel
by wrapping your four fingers around the back of the wheel and pointing your thumbs inward
and upward.)
8. Step on the brake pedal with your right foot. (Step on the clutch with your left foot if you are
in a manual transmission car.)
9. Make sure the car is in Park. (Put the gear lever to Neutral if you are in a manual
transmission car.)
10. Fully insert the key and start the engine.

Part Three: Exiting the Staging Area

1. Put the gear lever to Drive. (Put the gear lever to First if you are in a manual transmission
car.)
2. Disengage the parking brake. In an automatic transmission car, there may be a pedal on
the left. In most cases, it is the handbrake lever to the left of your seat.
3. Signal right. Check the rearview mirror, check the outside right mirror, and look over your
shoulder.
4. Move forward slowly towards the separating line.
5. Stop. The examiner may ask you to wait longer if there is another test car nearby on the
course.
6. If you started in the right-most lane, you can continue to signal right because you will be
near parallel to the flow of traffic. Check your mirrors, look over your shoulder. Then go into the
test course. (S.M.O.G.)
7. If you started in another lane, signal left because you will be near perpendicular to the
flow of traffic. Make sure to S.M.O.G.

Part Four: Speed Test

1. Immediately after the first curve, accelerate to almost 40kph. Once you get up to speed,
stay at almost 40kph.
2. Check the intersecting roads for traffic.
3. Ahead is a sign for “going slow” just before the curve. Before that, but just after the final
intersection, there is a black and white pylon/cone. Start braking before this pylon.
4. By the time you reach the triangular “going slow” sign, you should be moving less than
10kph.
5. Stay under 10kph throughout the curve.
6. You can go faster as soon as you start moving straight again.
Part Five: Obstacle Evasion
Halfway down the road, you will see some pylons in the left lane just after the intersection.
1. A quarter of the way, S.M.O.G. right to change lanes.
2. You can change lanes immediately after the main intersection.
3. As soon as you get into the right lane, S.M.O.G. left.
4. Change back to the left lane as soon as you pass the pylons. (The right lane is only for
passing.)
5. Continue forward and navigate the next curve between 10kph and 20kph.

Part Six: Right Turn at Number 11

The examiner will tell you to turn right at Number 11. (It is the intersection halfway down the
road where the wall is located. The wall is marked yellow on the maps above.)
1. A quarter of the way, S.M.O.G. right to change lanes.
2. You can change lanes inside the intersection just before Number 11.
3. S.M.O.G. right again to move to the right part of the lane.
4. Check for oncoming traffic by craning your neck to the right. (Pretend that there is a car in
front of you that is blocking your view.)
5. You do not have to stop completely unless there is actual traffic. Roll through the
intersection and then commit to the maneuver.
6. Turn into the left lane.

Part Seven: Hill Honk

The examiner will tell you to turn left at Number 5. (It is the road just before the traffic light.)
1. Immediately signal left after completing the last maneuver.
2. The examiner will then tell you which lane to turn into. There are three lanes, numbered
1, 2, and 3 starting from the right side. Usually you will be asked to turn into Lane 3 (left),
but if there is another tester on that part of the course, then you may be asked to turn into
Lane 1 (right).
3. S.M.O.G. left at Number 5. Make sure to check for virtual pedestrians and cyclists before
turning. Turn tightly for Lane 3 or turn wide for Lane 1.
4. On the hill, there will be a blue sign to honk. It looks like a volume symbol with two
lightning bolts coming out of it.
5. Halfway up the hill, slow down.
6. Check your rear left and rear right (over your shoulder).
7. As you slowly go up the hill, honk two times.
8. Go over and down the hill. Don’t change lanes.
Part Eight: Right-Right Turns
The examiner will tell you to turn right at the end of the road and to make a right at Number 2.
1. S.M.O.G. right to go into the right part of the lane.
2. There is a stop sign. Stop before the line.
3. Look right, left, and right again before proceeding.
4. Turn into the right lane.
5. Straighten your wheels.
6. Immediately signal right and pause. Be sure to S.M.O.G.
7. Turn right at Number 2 as you did at Number 11, making sure to go into the left lane.

Part Nine: Crank Turns

Usually you will be asked by the examiner to turn at Number 10, but if there is another tester
on that part of the course, then you may be asked to turn at Number 11.
1. Immediately signal left after completing the last maneuver.
2. S.M.O.G. left at Number 10 (or 11). Make sure to check for virtual pedestrians and
cyclists before turning.
3. Go very slowly. You are only allowed three mistakes with three proper corrections here.
4. The key to success is to make wide turns. Make sure half of the car has passed the
inside corner before “cranking” the wheel in the direction of the turn.
5. The initial left turn to get into the crank section will be the easiest. The subsequent right
and left turns will be the most difficult.
6. If you fall off the course or hit any of the hanging poles, stop immediately.
7. Take a breath.
8. Check all of your mirrors.
9. Look back through the rear window. You will have to turn your body to do so.
10. Put the car in reverse. Don’t turn the steering wheel away from where you had it before
falling off. If you do, fixing the mistake will be even more difficult.
11. Slowly back up while looking through the rear window. You won’t be able to see anything,
but you will feel your car come back onto the asphalt.
12. Once your car is back on the road, move back a few more centimeters so you don’t fall off
again.
13. Put the car back into the proper gear: Drive or First Gear.
14. Straighten the wheel.
15. Move forward a bit more if you fell off. Start the maneuver earlier if you hit a pole.
16. Then try the turn again.
17. As you reach the end of the crank section, straighten the wheel and stop before the
intersection.
18. Treat it as a stop sign. Look right, left, and right again before continuing forward.
Part Ten: S-Curves
At this point, you should be asked to go directly forward into the S-curves.
1. Enter the S-curves section slowly as you did with the crank turns.
2. Go very slowly.
3. Navigate the S-curves as you did with the crank turns.
4. If you fall off, then fix the mistake as described in the previous part.
5. As you reach the end of the S-curves, straighten the wheel, signal left, and stop before the
intersection.

Part Eleven: Back at Number 2

1. Make sure to look right, left, and right again.
2. Turn left onto the main road into the left lane.
3. Go slowly around the curve.
4. Pause (don’t stop) at the crosswalk. Check for virtual pedestrians and roll through.
5. The examiner will ask you to turn left at Number 2.
6. S.M.O.G. left at Number 2. Make sure to check for virtual cyclists and pedestrians.
7. Turn into the left lane.
Part Twelve: Right at the Light
The examiner will tell you to turn right at the traffic signal. No matter its color, you must stop.
1. Immediately signal right after completing the last maneuver.
2. S.M.O.G. right to change lanes halfway down the road.
3. S.M.O.G. right again to move to the right part of the lane.
4. Stop before the line at the traffic signal.
5. Look right, left, and right again. Check for pedestrians. Then check for oncoming traffic.
6. If the light is yellow or red, stay stopped at the line. (Stay in First Gear if you are
in a manual transmission car. Never idle in Neutral.)
7. If the light is green, inch forward and do the checks again.
8. Turn right at the intersection into the left lane.

Part Thirteen: Final Right

As you are turning at the traffic signal, the examiner will tell you to turn right at the end of the
road. Don’t let it confuse you; you must still turn into the left lane for the previous maneuver.
1. Immediately signal right after completing the last maneuver.
2. S.M.O.G. right to change lanes halfway down the road.
3. S.M.O.G. right again to move to the right part of the lane.
4. Do a rolling stop at the intersection to check around the blind corners. There is a wall
obstructing your view to the left.
5. If there is traffic, stop completely.
6. Look right, left, and right again.
7. Turn right at the intersection into the left lane.

Part Fourteen: Slow Ending

1. At the last curve, there is another sign for “going slow.” As before, start braking before
the black and white pylon on the left side of the road.
2. By the time you reach the triangular “going slow” sign, you should be moving less than
10kph.
3. Stay under 10kph throughout the curve.
4. You can go faster as soon as you start moving straight again.
5. Immediately signal left after the curve. S.M.O.G. left into the staging area where you began.
6. Keep your signal active until you get to the proper lane. The examiner will tell you which
lane to use, but it should be the same as the lane you initially came out of.
7. Stop the car where it was before the test began.

Part Fifteen: The End

1. Keep your right foot on the brake pedal. (Keep your left foot on the clutch in a manual
transmission car).
2. Put the gear lever to Park. (Put the gear lever to Neutral if you are in a manual transmission
car.)
3. Engage the parking brake.
4. Turn off the engine. (Put the gear lever to Reverse if you are in a manual transmission car.)
5. Take your feet off of the pedals.
6. Take off your seatbelt.
7. Unlock the doors.
8. Check the right side for traffic and virtual cyclists/pedestrians.
9. Open the door with both hands and exit the car.
10. Close the door with both hands.
11. Walk around the rear of the vehicle to the passenger side.
12. Await comments from the examiner. S/he will give you your test results.

Good Luck on your test!

Appendix Three