Foreign License Conversion
in Yamagata Prefecture

Police organization:

Yamagata Prefectural Police (山形県警察)

Test center:

Yamagata General Traffic Safety Center (山形県総合交通安全センター)

City

Tendo City (天童市)

Access

Address confirmed on official page: 〒994-0068 天童市大字高擶1300 (Tendo City, Takatsuka 1300). Detailed transit access (nearest station, bus, parking) is provided only in a linked PDF (総合交通安全センター案内とアクセス) and was not verified.

Test languages:

20 languages (nationwide standard since June 2024)

Reservation required

How to reserve

Advance document pre-screening (事前審査) is required by mailing copies of the required documents to the center (attn: 試験係); the center arranges scheduling afterward. Inquiries/reservation by phone. No online reservation system found.

Phone

023-655-2150

Reception hours

Phone reception weekdays (平日) 9:00–17:00

Knowledge confirmation test available in 21 languages including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese (full list confirmed: 日本語、英語、中国語、韓国語、スペイン語、ポルトガル語、ペルシャ語、ロシア語、タイ語、タガログ語、ベトナム語、ネパール語、ミャンマー語、モンゴル語、インドネシア語、クメール語、ウクライナ語、シンハラ語、ウルドゥー語、アラビア語、ヒンディー語). An interpreter must accompany the applicant if they cannot understand or converse in Japanese during the procedure.

Knowledge exam (ordinary license): ¥2,500 (motorcycle ¥2,800). License exchange/issuance fee: ¥2,350 (physical card), ¥1,550 (digital-only), ¥2,450 (both).

Applicant must hold a registered residence (address) within Yamagata Prefecture and provide proof of 3+ cumulative months of residence in the country after the foreign license was issued (外国の運転免許を取得した日から、通算して3か月以上その国に滞在した). Skills (practical) testing is conducted on the center's own course (県総合交通安全センター技能試験コース). Document pre-screening (事前審査) is available/required by mailing copies of the required documents in advance.

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

• Detailed transit access (nearest station, bus route, parking) — only in a linked PDF, not verified on the HTML page
• General counter reception hours for foreign license conversion (only phone reservation hours 9:00–17:00 weekdays confirmed)
• Whether re-test reservation/timing differs from initial application (claim removed as unverified)

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.yamagata.jp/800033/kensei/police/untemmenkyo/untemmenkyo/untenmenkyo.html

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.