Lesson · For the learner's permit test (仮免)
Changing lanes and overtaking
When to signal, when you may change lanes, and the places where overtaking is banned. Expect number questions here.
Rules as of Oct 22, 2026
What the test asks about
- Lane change: signal about 3 seconds before moving over. (教則 第5章 第5節 1(1))
- Check mirrors first, then signal. (教則 第5章 第5節 1(1))
- Yellow line on your side of a white line: don't cross. (教則 第5章 第5節 2(2))
- Overtaking: change course to get ahead of a moving vehicle. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(1))
- Overtake on the right, with set exceptions. (教則 第5章 第6節 2(1))
- Overtake a tram on its left. (教則 第5章 第6節 2(1))
- Car behind is overtaking you: don't start overtaking. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(2)エ)
- On a priority road, intersections are not no-overtaking places. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(3)オ)
- No overtaking near hilltops or on steep downslopes. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(3)ウ)
- Being overtaken: don't speed up; move left if needed. (教則 第5章 第6節 2(4))
- Turns: signal 30 m before. Lane changes: about 3 seconds before. (教則 第5章 第5節 1(1))
- Turn the signal off as soon as the move is done. (教則 第5章 第5節 1(3))
- Don't change course if a following car must brake or swerve. (教則 第5章 第5節 2(1))
- Yellow lane line: no crossing it to change lanes. (教則 第5章 第5節 2(2))
- Car ahead waiting to turn right: pass on its left. (教則 第5章 第6節 2(1))
- No overtaking while the car ahead is overtaking. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(2)ア)
- No overtaking on or within 30 m before a railway crossing. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(3)カ)
- Tunnels without lanes: no overtaking. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(3)エ)
- No overtaking near a bend in the road. (教則 第5章 第6節 1(3)イ)
- Signal right first, then move out about 3 seconds later. (教則 第5章 第6節 3)
Check yourself
10 questions from this topic, with the answer and the rule after each one.
Sources
Ready for a full test? Try the learner's permit mock exam.