Foreign License Conversion
in Shimane Prefecture

Police organization:

Shimane Prefectural Police (島根県警察)

Test center:

Shimane Driver's License Center (島根県運転免許センター)

City

Matsue (松江市打出町250-1)

Test languages:

20 languages (nationwide standard since June 2024)

Reservation required

How to reserve

Reservation required. Matsue (main) center: the document review/interview is booked online via the Shimane e-Application Service (しまね電子申請サービス); the knowledge test and skills test are also booked online. Western (Hamada) center: the document review is booked by phone (0855-23-7900, press 2; weekdays only); the knowledge and skills tests are booked online. Knowledge-test slots open on the 1st of each month for the following month; skills-test slots open up to 14 days ahead. Oki Auto Training School handles only ordinary car, small-sized MT motorcycle, and moped categories.

Reservation page ↗

https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/police/03_drivers_license/license_test/test_info/gaimenkirikaenoyoyaku.html

Phone

0855-23-7900 (Hamada center document-review phone reservation, press 2). Matsue center general contact: 0852-36-7400.

Reception hours

Hamada document-review phone reservation: weekdays (Mon-Fri) 9:45-12:00 and 14:00-17:00 (Sundays unavailable). Matsue online reservation system available ~24h except maintenance.

Applicants who cannot converse sufficiently in Japanese must bring a person able to interpret in Japanese. No official interpreter or foreign-language support is provided by the center.

The official conversion page does not state specific amounts; exam and license-issuance fees are charged separately and linked to a separate fees page. Exact amounts unconfirmed.

Three handling locations: Shimane Driver's License Center (Matsue), Western Driver's License Center (西部運転免許センター, Hamada City), and Oki Auto Training School (隠岐自動車練習所, Oki Town, limited to ordinary car, small MT motorcycle, and mopeds). Residence in Shimane Prefecture is required; applicants without a registered residence cannot apply except those holding a My Number License or a foreign-ministry ID. The required Japanese translation must be issued by the issuing-country government/consulate, JAF, ZIP Plus, or ALADDIN. Other required documents: the foreign license, proof of 3+ months' residence in the issuing country after license issuance, passport/entry-exit records, resident certificate (with domicile/nationality), and a photo (3.0cm x 2.4cm, taken within 6 months, bareheaded, front-facing). Process: document review/interview → knowledge & aptitude test → skills test → license issuance.

We could not confirm the following from primary sources. Please check the official page before relying on them:

• Exact in-person reception window hours/days for the conversion procedure itself at the Matsue center (general window hours not confirmed specifically for conversion)
• Exact address and public-transit access details of the Western/Hamada center (西部運転免許センター)
• Public-transit access details for the Matsue center
• Specific fee amounts for the conversion exam and license issuance
• Whether the online reservation system supports any non-Japanese language

Always verify on the prefectural police's official page before you go — addresses, reservation methods, and document requirements change frequently.

• Official page (Japanese) ↗ — open via Google Translate / DeepL
• Official source ↗ https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/police/03_drivers_license/license_test/test_info/gaimenkirikaenoyoyaku.html
• Official source ↗ https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/police/03_drivers_license/

The 6-step process (eligibility → translation → appointment → document screening → 50-question test → practical test) is the same nationwide. See the main hub for the complete walkthrough, document checklist, and translation services.