Section 1 General Rules
第一節 通則
第八十四条（運転免許）
A person seeking to drive a motor vehicle or general motorized bicycle (hereinafter referred to as a "motor vehicle or motorized bicycle") must obtain a driver's license (hereinafter referred to as a "license") from a public safety commission.
A license is classified as either a class 1 driver's license (hereinafter referred to as a "class 1 license"), a class 2 driver's license (hereinafter referred to as a "class 2 license"), or a provisional driver's license (hereinafter referred to as a "provisional license").
免許は、第一種運転免許（以下「第一種免許」という。）、第二種運転免許（以下「第二種免許」という。）及び仮運転免許（以下「仮免許」という。）に区分する。
Class 1 licenses are classified into 10 categories: large motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "L-MVL"); mid-sized motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "M-MVL"); semi-mid-sized motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "SM-MVL"); standard motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "S-MVL"); special large motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "SL-MVL"); large motorcycle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "L-ML"); standard motorcycle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "S-ML"); special small motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "SS-MVL"); motorized bicycle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "MBL"); and towing licenses.
第一種免許を分けて、大型自動車免許（以下「大型免許」という。）、中型自動車免許（以下「中型免許」という。）、準中型自動車免許（以下「準中型免許」という。）、普通自動車免許（以下「普通免許」という。）、大型特殊自動車免許（以下「大型特殊免許」という。）、大型自動二輪車免許（以下「大型二輪免許」という。）、普通自動二輪車免許（以下「普通二輪免許」という。）、小型特殊自動車免許（以下「小型特殊免許」という。）、原動機付自転車免許（以下「原付免許」という。）及び牽引免許の十種類とする。
Class 2 licenses are classified into five categories: class 2 large motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "class 2 L-MVL"); class 2 mid-sized motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "class 2 M-MVL"); class 2 standard motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "class 2 S-MVL"); class 2 special large motor vehicle license (hereinafter referred to as "class 2 SL-MVL"); and class 2 towing licenses.
第二種免許を分けて、大型自動車第二種免許（以下「大型第二種免許」という。）、中型自動車第二種免許（以下「中型第二種免許」という。）、普通自動車第二種免許（以下「普通第二種免許」という。）、大型特殊自動車第二種免許（以下「大型特殊第二種免許」という。）及び牽引第二種免許の五種類とする。
Provisional licenses are classified into four categories: provisional large motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "provisional L-MVL"); provisional mid-sized motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "provisional M-MVL"); provisional semi-mid-sized motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "provisional SM-MVL"); and provisional standard motor vehicle licenses (hereinafter referred to as "provisional S-MVL").
仮免許を分けて、大型自動車仮免許（以下「大型仮免許」という。）、中型自動車仮免許（以下「中型仮免許」という。）、準中型自動車仮免許（以下「準中型仮免許」という。）及び普通自動車仮免許（以下「普通仮免許」という。）の四種類とする。
第八十五条（第一種免許）
A person seeking to drive a motor vehicle or motorized bicycle as set forth in the left-hand column of the following Table must obtain the corresponding class 1 license set forth in the right-hand column of that Table:
| Type of motor vehicle or motorized bicycle | Type of class 1 license |
| Large motor vehicle | L-MVL |
| Mid-sized motor vehicle | M-MVL |
| Semi-mid-sized motor vehicle | SM-MVL |
| Standard motor vehicle | S-MVL |
| Special large motor vehicle | SL-MVL |
| Large motorcycle | L-ML |
| Standard motorcycle | S-ML |
| Special small motor vehicle | SS-MVL |
| General motorized bicycle | MBL |
A person who has obtained a class 1 license set forth in the right-hand column of the Table in the preceding paragraph may, in addition to driving the motor vehicle or motorized bicycle of the category that the Table sets forth, drive the types of motor vehicles or motorized bicycles set forth in the right-hand column of the following Table, according to the type of license set forth in the left-hand column of that Table:
| Type of class 1 license | Types of motor vehicles or motorized bicycles that may be driven |
| L-MVL | Mid-sized motor vehicles, semi-mid-sized motor vehicles, standard motor vehicles, special small motor vehicles, and general motorized bicycles |
| M-MVL | Semi-mid-sized motor vehicles, standard motor vehicles, special small motor vehicles, and general motorized bicycles |
| SM-MVL | Standard motor vehicles, special small motor vehicles, and general motorized bicycles |
| S-MVL | Special small motor vehicles and general motorized bicycles |
| SL-MVL | Special small motor vehicles and general motorized bicycles |
| L-ML | Standard motorcycles, special small motor vehicles, and general motorized bicycles |
| S-ML | Special small motor vehicles and general motorized bicycles |
In addition to obtaining a license (other than a provisional license) for a motor vehicle equipped for towing, a person seeking to drive that motor vehicle equipped for towing in order to tow a heavy towable vehicle must obtain a towing license.
A person holding a towing license who also holds an L-MVL, M-MVL, SM-MVL, S-MVL, SL-MVL, class 2 L-MVL, class 2 M-MVL, class 2 S-MVL, or class 2 SL-MVL at the time in question may tow a heavy towable vehicle while driving a motor vehicle equipped for towing that the license permits the licensee to drive.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an L-MVL who is under 21 years of age or who has not held an L-MVL, M-MVL, SM-MVL, S-MVL, or SL-MVL for at least three years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) to drive a large motor vehicle, mid-sized motor vehicle, or semi-mid-sized motor vehicle that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an M-MVL (other than a person also holding an L-MVL) who is under 21 years of age or who has not held an L-MVL, M-MVL, SM-MVL, S-MVL, or SL-MVL for at least three years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) to drive a mid-sized motor vehicle or semi-mid-sized motor vehicle that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an SM-MVL (other than a person also holding an L-MVL or M-MVL) who is as set forth in one of the following items to drive a motor vehicle as provided in the item:
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an S-MVL (other than a person also holding an SM-MVL) who has not held a L-MVL, M-MVL, SM-MVL, S-MVL, or SL-MVL for at least two years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) to drive a standard motor vehicle that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an L-ML who has not held a L-ML or S-ML for at least two years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) to drive a large motorcycle or standard motorcycle that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an S-ML (other than a person also holding an L-ML) who has not held an L-ML or S-ML for at least two years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) to drive a standard motorcycle that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2) or (4), if a motor vehicle that a person may drive pursuant to paragraph (2) is a motor vehicle used for passenger motor carrier services (hereinafter referred to as a "motor vehicle used for passenger services"), or if a heavy towable vehicle towed by a motor vehicle equipped for towing that a person may drive pursuant to paragraph (4) is a heavy towable vehicle used for passenger motor carrier services (hereinafter referred to as a "vehicle used for passenger services"), it is not permissible for a person holding a class 1 license to drive the motor vehicle used for passenger services or the motor vehicle towing the vehicle used for passenger services in order to transport passengers as a part of passenger motor carrier services.
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), it is not permissible for a person holding an S-MVL, SM-MVL, M-MVL, or L-MVL to drive a motor vehicle that is to be driven by a professional designated driver as prescribed in paragraph (6) of Article 2 of the Act on Regulation of Professional Designated Driving Services (Act No. 57 of 2001) (limited to standard motor vehicles; hereinafter referred to as a "standard motor vehicle that is to be driven by a professional designated driver").
第八十六条（第二種免許）
A person seeking to drive a motor vehicle as set forth in the left-hand column of the following Table as a motor vehicle used for passenger services, to transport passengers as a part of passenger motor carrier services must obtain the corresponding class 2 license set forth in the right-hand column of that Table:
| Type of motor vehicle | Type of class 2 license |
| Large motor vehicle | Class 2 L-MVL |
| Mid-sized or semi-mid-sized motor vehicle | Class 2 M-MVL |
| Standard motor vehicle | Class 2 S-MVL |
| Special large motor vehicle | Class 2 SL-MVL |
In addition to its being permissible for a person holding a class 2 license set forth in the right-hand column of the Table following the preceding paragraph to drive, for the referenced purpose, a motor vehicle of the category that the Table sets forth for that type of license; it is also permissible for such a person to drive the motor vehicles and motorized bicycles that, pursuant to paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, it is permissible to drive for a person holding the class-1-license equivalent of the class 2 license that the relevant person holds (and it is also permissible for a person holding a class 2 L-MVL to drive, for the referenced purpose, a mid-sized, semi-mid-sized, or standard motor vehicle as a motor vehicle used for passenger services; and for a person holding a class 2 M-MVL to drive, for the referenced purpose, a standard motor vehicle as a motor vehicle used for passenger services).
In addition to obtaining a license (other than a provisional license) for a motor vehicle equipped for towing, a person seeking to drive that motor vehicle to tow a vehicle used for passenger services in order to transport passengers as a part of passenger motor carrier services must obtain a class 2 towing license.
In addition to its being permissible for a person holding a class 2 towing license who also holds an L-MVL, M-MVL, SM-MVL, S-MVL, SL-MVL, class 2 L-MVL, class 2 M-MVL, class 2 S-MVL, or class 2 SL-MVL to drive any of the motor vehicles equipped for towing that the license permits the person to drive while towing a vehicle used for passenger services to transport passengers as a part of passenger motor carrier services, it is also permissible for that person to drive any of the motor vehicles equipped for towing that the license permits the person to drive while towing a heavy towable vehicle.
A person seeking to drive a standard motor vehicle that is to be driven by a professional designated driver must obtain a class 2 S-MVL.
A person holding a class 2 M-MVL or a class 2 L-MVL may drive a standard motor vehicle that is to be driven by a professional designated driver in addition to what is provided for in paragraph (2).