Honmen test (本免) – the final written test for a Japanese driving licence

Updated 7 October 2026

Honmen (本免) is the last written test before you receive an ordinary car licence in Japan. It is almost twice as long as the Karimen test, adds hazard illustration questions and demands 90 out of 100. This page explains the format, how illustration questions are scored and how to avoid failing on a handful of small mistakes.

95questions in 50 minutes
90 + 5true/false and illustration
90/100to pass

When do you take the Honmen test?

After you get your Karimen provisional licence, you practise on public roads. At a designated driving school you complete stage 2 and pass the school’s graduation driving test. A graduate is exempt from the practical test at the licence centre: you go there for the aptitude check (such as eyesight) and the Honmen written test. The graduation certificate is valid for 1 year, so do not leave it too long.

If you test directly without a school, you must complete the required road practice with a supervisor, then pass both the written and practical tests at the licence centre.

Honmen test format

Part	Questions	Points
True/false	90	1 point each, up to 90
Illustration (hazard scene)	5	2 points each when all 3 statements are right, up to 10
Total	95 questions, 50 minutes	100 points, pass with 90

A quick sum shows why the illustrations matter: miss two of them (4 points) and you can only afford 6 wrong true/false answers. They are worth practising on their own.

What is a hazard illustration question?

Each one shows a picture: say you are driving at 30 km/h, a bus is stopped at a bus stop ahead and a car is coming the other way. The test gives 3 statements about how to drive, such as "slow down because someone may step out from in front of the bus". You judge each statement true or false, and need all 3 right for the 2 points.

Tips for reading the scene:

Look for what is hidden: a pedestrian behind a parked car, a motorbike behind a truck, a child behind a fence.
Predict what others will do: the oncoming car may turn right across you, a cyclist may swing out into the road.
Favour slowing down and keeping space: a statement like "speed up to get through first" is almost always false.
Never assume others will give way: statements built on "they will probably stop" are usually false.

Sit a 95-question Honmen mock exam with 5 illustration questions, scored like the real test.

Study and take a free mock test

5 free mock exams for every test type. Opens in your browser, nothing to install.

What the Honmen theory covers

On top of everything in the Karimen test, Honmen asks about driving on your own:

Expressway driving: speeds, lanes, distance, breakdowns and crashes.
Night driving, rain, fog, snow and mountain roads.
Towing, loads, passengers and weight limits.
Alcohol, fatigue, phone use while driving and the penalties.
First aid and what to do after a crash.
The penalty point system, licence renewal and the beginner mark (shown front and back during the first year).
Compulsory insurance, daily vehicle checks and maintenance.

Why people fail the Honmen test

Only revising Karimen material. Expressways, towing and crash procedures make up many questions.
Skipping illustration practice. Losing just two scenes puts heavy pressure on the rest of the paper.
Using outdated questions. Some rules have changed, such as the expressway limit for large trucks (90 km/h since April 2024) and the breath-alcohol level that counts as drunk driving (from 21 July 2026). See Japan traffic law updates.
Rushing. 50 minutes for 95 questions is about 30 seconds each: enough to read carefully, so do not hurry.

Practise Honmen with ViMai Menkyo

ViMai Menkyo has 17 stage-2 lesson modules, more than 100 original hazard illustrations and 20 Honmen mock exams of 95 questions with a 50-minute timer. Every exam has exactly 5 illustration questions that score 2 points only when all 3 statements are right, just like the real test. Exams 1 to 5 are free. Wrong answers go into your review list and come back after 1, 3 and 7 days.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Honmen test?

The Honmen test has 95 questions in 50 minutes: 90 true/false questions worth 1 point each and 5 illustration questions worth 2 points each. The total is 100 and you need at least 90 to pass.

How are the illustration questions scored?

Each illustration question shows a traffic scene with 3 statements. You must get all 3 right to earn the 2 points; one wrong statement loses both points.

Where do I take the Honmen test?

Usually at the driving licence centre (運転免許センター or 運転免許試験場) of the prefecture where you are registered as a resident. Check test days, documents and fees on your prefectural police website.