Eyesight Requirements for a Japanese Driver's License: 0.7 with Both Eyes and 0.3 per Eye for a Standard License, Other Classes, and Checking at Home Before Renewal
When the renewal notice arrives, many people start to worry: "Things look a bit blurry lately. Will I pass the eye test?" In Japan the eyesight standard depends on the license class. For a standard car license you need 0.7 or better with both eyes and 0.3 or better in each eye (decimal visual acuity, where 1.0 is normal vision). This article covers the standards for mopeds, standard, large and Class 2 licenses, the rule for people who see poorly in one eye, the depth perception test required for large and Class 2 licenses, how the test works at the license center, what to do if you fail, and how to check at home before renewal.
Eyesight standards by license class
Eyesight standards for Japanese driver's licenses are set in Article 23 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Road Traffic Act (pass criteria for the aptitude test). The same standards apply whether you're getting a new license or renewing. Vision corrected with glasses or contact lenses is fine. Values are decimal acuity, where 1.0 corresponds roughly to 20/20.
| License class | Both eyes | Each eye | Other tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moped, small special | 0.5 or better | No rule | — |
| Standard, large special, motorcycle (large and standard) | 0.7 or better | 0.3 or better | — |
| Semi-medium (5 t limited), medium (8 t limited) | 0.7 or better | 0.3 or better | Same as a standard license |
| Semi-medium, medium, large, towing (Class 1) | 0.8 or better | 0.5 or better | Depth perception |
| Class 2 (taxi, bus, etc.) | 0.8 or better | 0.5 or better | Depth perception |
"Both eyes" is your vision with both eyes open, and "each eye" is the right and left eye separately. For a standard license, even if you can see 0.7 with both eyes, a 0.2 in one eye doesn't meet the standard. On the other hand, right 0.6 and left 0.5 still passes if you can see 0.7 with both eyes. Vision with both eyes is often about one step better than either eye alone.
If you can't see, or see poorly, in one eye
Even if one eye can't see, or its vision falls short of the standard, you may still be able to get a license. The conditions are the field of view and the vision of the eye that can see.
| License class | Condition when one eye is below the standard or can't see |
|---|---|
| Moped, small special | The other eye has a horizontal field of view of 150 degrees or more and vision of 0.5 or better |
| Standard, large special, motorcycle, etc. | The other eye has a horizontal field of view of 150 degrees or more and vision of 0.7 or better |
| Large, medium, semi-medium, towing, Class 2 | No such exception; each eye needs 0.5 or better |
In this case you also take a visual field test at the license center. If surgery or illness has changed how one eye sees, consulting the license center or its driving aptitude counter before renewal makes the day itself go more smoothly.
What is the depth perception test for large and Class 2 licenses?
Depth perception is the ability to judge whether things are far or near (your sense of depth). For large, medium, unlimited semi-medium, towing and Class 2 licenses, this test comes on top of the acuity test. It uses a three-rod device (sankanhō): inside a box 2.5 m away, a single rod moves back and forth between two fixed rods on the left and right, and you press a button when you think all three line up.
- The test is done 3 times, and you pass if the average error from the aligned position is 2 cm or less
- You judge depth with both eyes, so people with a large difference between their eyes, or who rely on one eye, tend to find it hard
- If your glasses or contacts don't match left and right, the error can grow
- On-screen eye tests and apps can't measure depth perception accurately
If you're worried about depth perception, it helps to first check how much your left and right eyes differ. When the gap is large, many people have glasses made with the two eyes balanced at an optician or eye clinic before taking the test.
How the eye test works at a license center or police station
- 1
Look into the tester
Most venues use a tester you look into. Landolt rings (C shapes) are shown one at a time inside.
- 2
Say which way the gap points
Answer out loud, such as "up" or "right", or show the direction with a lever. Both eyes are tested first, then the right and left eye one at a time.
- 3
Pass if you can see the required size
For a standard license, you pass if you can make out rings sized for 0.7 with both eyes and 0.3 per eye. The test doesn't measure your exact acuity; it only checks whether you reach the standard.
- 4
Color test
They also check that you can tell red, green and yellow traffic lights apart.
If you pass with glasses or contacts, your license gets the condition "glasses, etc." (megane-tō) printed in the conditions field. With this condition you must always wear glasses or contacts when driving. Driving without them is a violation of license conditions.
What to do if you fail the eye test at renewal
- Get glasses or contacts and retake the test: at many venues you can retake it the same day, or on a later day within the license's validity period. There's often an optician near the venue.
- Replace glasses whose prescription no longer fits: glasses made several years ago are often no longer strong enough.
- See an eye doctor if your vision dropped suddenly: cataracts, glaucoma and other conditions can lower your vision. If treatment restores it, you may meet the standard again.
- Ask at the counter if you can't make it before the expiry date: once the license expires, you go through the lapsed-license procedure, so contact the venue or police station early.
Checking your eyesight at home before renewal
Rather than worrying until the day whether you'll fail, checking once at home one or two months ahead leaves time to get new glasses. The Visual Acuity Test (Landolt Ring) tool shows correctly sized rings on a phone or computer screen so you can test your right eye, left eye and both eyes in turn.
- 1
Wear the glasses or contacts you drive with
The license standard allows corrected vision, so test in the state you normally drive in.
- 2
Calibrate the screen and choose a distance
Match the screen scale with a card or coin, choose 1–2 m for a phone or 2–3 m for a computer, and measure the distance with a tape measure.
- 3
Test the right eye, left eye and both eyes
Below the result, the tool shows how you compare with the moped, standard and large-license standards. For a standard license, look at whether both eyes reach 0.7 or better and each eye 0.3 or better.
If your home result is just 0.7, lighting or nerves on the day may keep you from reaching it, so 0.8–0.9, one step of margin, is more reassuring. If you don't reach 0.7, have your prescription checked at an optician or eye clinic early. Tips for accurate measurement are covered in detail in How to test your eyesight at home: 7 tips for accurate results.
FAQ
- What eyesight do I need to renew a standard driver's license in Japan?
- 0.7 or better with both eyes and 0.3 or better in each eye. Vision with glasses or contact lenses is fine. If one eye doesn't reach 0.3 or can't see, you meet the standard if the other eye has a horizontal field of view of 150 degrees or more and vision of 0.7 or better.
- Can I renew a standard license if one eye is 0.2?
- You don't meet the 0.3-per-eye standard, but you can renew if the other eye has a horizontal field of view of 150 degrees or more and vision of 0.7 or better. In that case you also take a visual field test at the venue. If glasses bring the weak eye up to 0.3, you can also take the test wearing glasses.
- What eyesight do I need for a moped license?
- 0.5 or better with both eyes. There's no per-eye standard. If you can't see in one eye, you meet the standard if the other eye has a horizontal field of view of 150 degrees or more and vision of 0.5 or better.
- What are the eyesight standards for large and Class 2 licenses?
- 0.8 or better with both eyes and 0.5 or better in each eye. There's also a depth perception test, in which the average error over 3 measurements with the three-rod device at 2.5 m must be 2 cm or less. Unlimited medium and semi-medium licenses and towing licenses use the same standard.
- If I fail the eye test at renewal, can I retake it on the spot?
- At many venues, once you have glasses or contacts, you can retake it the same day or on a later day within the validity period. Opening hours and procedures differ by prefecture and venue, so ask at the information counter.
- If I passed with glasses, do I always have to wear them when driving?
- Yes. Your license shows the condition "glasses, etc.", and driving without glasses or contacts is a violation of license conditions. If you later meet the standard without correction, you can have the condition removed through a procedure.
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