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The Specified Skilled Worker exam for truck drivers (トラック): what it is

This is the skills evaluation exam you take to apply for Specified Skilled Worker (i) status as a truck driver in Japan. This page explains how many questions it has, how long it is, how it is scored, and what else you need after passing.

Last updated: 2026-10-07

At a glance

50questions: 30 true/false and 20 practical
80minutes for both parts, on a computer
60%in each part: 18/30 and 12/20
10 yearspass certificate validity from the exam date

Who takes this exam

The official name is 自動車運送業分野特定技能１号評価試験, truck category (トラック). It is set by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and run by ClassNK (日本海事協会). You take it when you want to work as a truck driver under Specified Skilled Worker (i) status in the automobile transport sector. The same sector has separate exams for buses and taxis, so choose the truck category when you register.

Exam structure

The exam has two parts taken in one sitting of 80 minutes. The official guideline lists three subject areas: operations (運行業務), cargo handling (荷役業務) and safety and health (安全衛生).

Part	Questions	Format	Needed to pass
学科 Theory	30	True/false (○×)	60% or more, i.e. 18/30
実技 Practical	20	Choose A/B/C, usually a situation or picture	60% or more, i.e. 12/20

Depending on the session, the exam is given as a computer-based test (CBT) or on paper. MLIT and ClassNK decide the timing and venues, so check the registration portal for actual dates. This page does not list dates.

Scoring: each part on its own

Many candidates overlook this. The guideline requires a correct-answer rate of at least 60% in each part. The 50 questions are not simply added up. For example, 25 of 30 correct in theory with only 10 of 20 in practical is still a fail, because the practical part is below 12.

What this means for studying: do not practise only the ○× items just because they are quick. The 20 practical items are 40% of the paper and have their own pass line.

How the two parts differ

Theory true/false

Each item is a Japanese statement and you mark it correct (○) or wrong (×). A wrong statement is often a true rule with one small detail changed: who acts, when, what to do, or a number. Read every word slowly.

Practical A/B/C

Each item describes a situation (driving, loading, securing cargo, hazard prediction) with three possible responses. The best answer is usually the safest and most rule-abiding action, not the fastest one and not the one that pleases the customer.

What to study

The official study material for foreigners is 「（外国人向け）トラック運転者をめざす人のための学習用テキスト」. It has four chapters: driver basics, operations, cargo handling, and hazard prediction training (危険予知トレーニング, KYT). Every question in the Tokutei Transport app is based on this textbook, with no rules added from outside it.

What you still need after passing

The exam only proves your skills. According to the Immigration Services Agency page for the automobile transport sector, to work as a truck driver under this status you also need a Class 1 driving licence (第一種運転免許) and Japanese ability shown by JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) or JLPT N4 or higher. You also need an accepting employer and residence-status screening, so passing does not guarantee that status.

Practise with Tokutei Transport

The app has 20 CBT-style exams of 50 questions (30 ○× and 20 practical) in 80 minutes, scored part by part like the real exam, with furigana on kanji and English and Vietnamese translation. See free truck mock exams, Japanese trucking vocabulary and study tips. To sign up for the exam, read the step-by-step registration guide.

Sources checked: the MLIT exam implementation guideline (December 2024 edition), the Immigration Services Agency page for the automobile transport sector and the ClassNK portal. Rules can change, so check the latest version at these sources.

FAQ

How many questions are in the truck exam and how long is it?

50 questions: 30 theory true/false (○×) and 20 practical items with three choices. The time limit is 80 minutes for both parts together.

What score do I need to pass?

You need at least 60% in each part: 18 of 30 in theory and 12 of 20 in practical. The two parts are not added together.

Does passing the exam let me work as a truck driver immediately?

Not by itself. You also need a Class 1 driving licence (第一種運転免許), Japanese at JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 or higher, an accepting employer and residence-status screening.

How long is the pass certificate valid?

According to the MLIT exam guideline, the pass certificate is valid for 10 years from the exam date.

Take a mock exam and see right away which items you missed and why.

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