Tokutei Ginou Taxi exam requirements: who can sit it and what you need to drive

Updated October 7, 2026

Many candidates mix up two different things: being allowed to take the exam and being allowed to work as a taxi driver. The Tokutei Ginou taxi exam is one skills check along the way. This page separates the conditions for sitting the exam from the other conditions that come afterwards, based only on the official guidelines and the guide data in the app.

17+minimum age on exam day
1号Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 status the exam assesses
第二種Class 2 licence needed to work
10 yrsvalidity of the pass certificate

Conditions for taking the exam

According to the implementation guidelines published by MLIT, candidates must be at least 17 years old on the exam day. If you take the exam in Japan you also need a valid residence status. The exam may be held in Japan and in some other countries depending on the session; the specific venues appear on the ClassNK registration portal, so check it before you plan. The registration steps are in our registration guide.

About the driver's licence: a licence is a condition for working under the Specified Skilled Worker taxi category. Whether a licence is required already at exam registration is something the app does not guess about; it advises you to confirm directly on the ClassNK portal. This is the question people ask most, and the one where second-hand information is most often wrong.

Passing is not the whole story

Passing the exam shows that you reached the required skill level; it does not mean you are ready to drive a taxi. To actually work as a driver you also need:

A Class 2 driver's licence (第二種運転免許), the licence category for commercial passenger driving.
The Japanese-language requirement that applies to the Specified Skilled Worker status.
An employment contract with an accepting organization (a taxi company or other accepted employer).
A residence-status review by the immigration authorities.

Passing the exam also does not guarantee that Specified Skilled Worker status will be granted. The final decision is made by the competent authorities, not by the exam.

Try a full 50-question Tokutei Taxi practice test and see which answers you missed and why.

Try free exams on the web Download on the App Store

Exams 1 to 3 are free with furigana and translations, right in your browser. VIP is bought inside the app (App Store).

The route from exam to employment

Understand the exam: read what the Tokutei Taxi exam is for the 50-question, 80-minute structure and the 60% rule in each part.
Register and sit it: create a candidate account on ClassNK, get approved, then book.
Receive your result: according to the official guidelines, results are announced on a dedicated website within one month after the exam.
Get an employment contract: after you pass and sign with an accepting organization, that side applies for the pass certificate through the ClassNK process. According to the official guidelines the certificate is valid for 10 years from the exam date.
Complete the remaining steps: Class 2 licence, Japanese-language requirement and residence-status review.

The order and detailed requirements of each procedure can change. Confirm them on official sources: the ClassNK portal, MLIT's notices for the automobile transportation field, and the Immigration Services Agency for residence status. Take exam dates, fees and venues only from official sources, never from rumours.

Common misunderstandings

"If I pass, I have a job"

No. Employment depends on a contract with an accepting organization and the other reviews. The exam is only one of the conditions.

"I do not have a Japanese licence yet, so I need not worry"

A Class 2 licence is a condition for working. Ask the organization that will employ you about the plan for getting it, and check on the ClassNK portal whether a licence is required at registration.

"Last year's information is still valid"

Exam policy is updated over time. Always check the latest version on the official portal before you decide.

What you can do right now

While the other conditions are being sorted out, you can start studying. The first three Tokutei Taxi tests are free, with furigana and Vietnamese and English translations, in your browser: see free CBT mock tests. If Japanese is the obstacle, see Japanese taxi vocabulary with 500 words and furigana. The exam guide section of the app, 18 articles on structure, registration and exam day, is free.

VIP unlocks the remaining 17 tests and the exam tips. It is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment and the price is shown by Apple: download Tokutei Taxi on the App Store. You do not need to buy anything to get started.

Frequently asked questions

How old do I have to be to take the Tokutei Taxi exam?

According to the official guidelines you must be at least 17 years old on the exam day. Taking the exam in Japan also requires a valid residence status.

Can I drive a taxi right after passing?

Not automatically. You also need a Class 2 driver's licence, the Japanese-language requirement, an employment contract with an accepting organization and a residence-status review. Passing does not guarantee Specified Skilled Worker status.

Do I need a driver's licence to register for the exam?

A licence is a condition for working under this status. For whether one is needed at registration, confirm directly on the ClassNK portal, because the information can change.

How long is the pass certificate valid?

According to the official guidelines it is valid for 10 years from the exam date.