Driver’s license categories in Japan
Typesoflicense

Types of vehicle that can be

Validity period

Eligibility for examination(category)

operated

Large motor vehicle license

・Large motor vehicles

・If bearer has been a licensed driver for 5 or more continuous years, and・Age of license eligibility: 21 years

・Mid-sized motor vehicles

is an excellent driver with no accidents or violations or a driver with only・After 3 or more years have passed since

・Semi-mid-sized motor vehicles

one minor violation during the past 5 years: 5 years

driver obtained a mid-sized motor vehicle

・Standard motor vehicles

・All other drivers: 3 years

license, a semi-mid-sized motor vehicle

・Special small motor vehicles

・Regardless of the above, drivers aged 70 years old, 4 years; drivers aged

license, a standard motor vehicle license, or a・Motorized bicycles

71 years or older, 3 years

special large motor vehicle license

・Mid-sized motor vehicles

Same as above

・Age of license eligibility: 20 years

Mid-sizedmotorvehicle

license・Semi-mid-sized motor vehicles

・After 2 or more years have passed since・Standard motor vehicles

driver obtained a semi-mid-sized motor

・Special small motor vehicles

vehicle license, a standard motor vehicle

・Motorized bicycles

license, or a special large motor vehicle
licenseSemi-mid-sizedmotor

・Semi-mid-sized motor vehicles

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 18 years

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 18 years

・Standard motor vehicles

vehicle license

・Special small motor vehicles・Motorized bicycles
Standardlicense

motorvehicle

・Standard motor vehicles
・Special small motor vehicles
・Motorized bicycles

Special large motor vehicle

・Special large motor vehicles

license・Special small motor vehicles

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 18 years

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 18 years

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 16 years

・Special small motor vehicles

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 16 years

Motorized bicycle license

・Motorized bicycles

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 16 years

Towing license

See note

Same as above

Age of license eligibility: 18 years

・Motorized bicycles

Large motorcycle license

・Large motorcycles
・Standard motorcycles
・Special small motor vehicles
・Motorized bicycles

Standardmotorcycle

license・Standard motorcycles
・Special small motor vehicles
・Motorized bicycles

Special small motor vehicle
licenseNote: A person possessing a towing license may tow a heavy towed vehicle (a vehicle whose total weight exceeds 750 kg) with a vehicle that can be
operated using a large motor vehicle, a mid-sized motor vehicle, a semi-mid-sized motor vehicle, a standard motor vehicle, a special large motor vehicle,
a class 2 large motor vehicle, a class 2 mid-sized motor vehicle, a class 2 standard motor vehicle, or a class 2 special large motor vehicle license.

Vehicle types in Japan
Vehicle type

Body size, etc.

Large motor

A vehicle other than a special large motor vehicle, a large motorcycle, avehicle

standard motorcycle, or a special small motor vehicle that has a totalvehicle weight of 11,000 kg or more, a maximum loading capacity of 6,500
kg or more, or a passenger capacity of 30 people or more.

Mid-sized motor

A vehicle other than a large motor vehicle, a special large motor vehicle, avehicle

large motorcycle, a standard motorcycle, or a special small motor vehicle
that has a total vehicle weight of 7,500 kg or more but less than 11,000 kg,a maximum loading capacity of 4,500 kg or more but less than 6,500 kg, ora passenger capacity of 11 people or more but less than 30 people.

Semi-mid-sized
motor vehicle

A vehicle other than a large motor vehicle, a mid-sized motor vehicle, a
special large motor vehicle, a large motorcycle, a standard motorcycle, or a
special small motor vehicle that has a total vehicle weight of 3,500 kg or
more but less than 7,500 kg or a maximum loading capacity of 2,000 kg or
more but less than 4,500 kg.

Standard motor

A vehicle whose body size, etc., does not correspond to the body size, etc.,

vehicleestablished for a large motor vehicle, a mid-sized motor vehicle, a semimid-sized motor vehicle, a special large motor vehicle, a large motorcycle,
a standard motorcycle, or a special small motor vehicle.

Special large motor A vehicle other than a special small motor vehicle that is a vehicle withvehicle

continuous tracks (excluding vehicles designated by the Prime Minister), aroad roller, a tire roller, a road stabilizer, a rubber tire dozer, a grader, ascraper, a shovel loader, a dump truck, a motor sweeper, a forklift, a truckcrane, a straddle carrier, an asphalt finisher, a motorized demolition
hammer, a motorized demolition breaker, a fork loader, a vehicle for
agricultural work, a rotary snowplow, a turret-type platform truck, avehicle with a body that can bend during operation, or a vehicle having a
special structure designated by the Prime Minister (hereinafter “specialmotor vehicle”).

Large motorcycle

A two-wheeled vehicle (including a vehicle with a sidecar) with aninternal-combustion engine having a total engine displacement of morethan 0.400 liters that is not a special large motor vehicle or a special small
motor vehicle.

Standard

A two-wheeled vehicle (including a vehicle with a sidecar) that is not amotorcycle

special large motor vehicle, a large motorcycle, or a special small motorvehicle.

Special small motor A special motor vehicle whose body size fits the description in the columns
vehiclebelow and which has a structure that cannot exceed 15 kilometers perhour.

Body size
LengthWidthHeight

4.70

1.70

2.00 meters or less (a vehicle equipped with ameters or

meters orhead guard, etc., can have a height of 2.80

less

less

meters if its body height is 2.00 meters or lesswhen said guard, etc., is removed)

Motorized bicycle

For a two-wheeled or three- or more wheeled vehicle: total engine
displacement of 0.050 liters or rated output of 0.60 kW; other vehicle: total
engine displacement of 0.020 liters or rated output of 0.25 kW.

* Heavy towed

A vehicle with structure and/or device that allows towing and a totalvehicle

vehicle weight of more than 750 kg.