Seibishi 3kyu › Class 3 exam format
Class 3 automotive mechanic exam format (written test)
The 3級自動車整備士 test is the first step to Japan's national car mechanic qualification. This page explains how many items the written part (学科) has, how long it lasts, how it is scored and what each paper covers.
Last updated: 2026-10-19
At a glance
- 30items per paper, four options each
- 60minutes per paper
- 21/30pass mark published by JASPA (2025 first session)
- 3types: chassis, gasoline, diesel
What this test is
The full name is 自動車整備技能登録試験, the automobile maintenance skills registration test, run by the Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (日本自動車整備振興会連合会, JASPA or 日整連). According to JASPA, a pass in the registration test exempts you from the matching written and practical parts of the national 技能検定 (skills test) run by MLIT. Class 3 (3級) is the entry level, followed by Class 2 and Class 1.
Class 3 currently has these types: 三級シャシ (chassis), 三級ガソリン・エンジン (gasoline engine), 三級ジーゼル・エンジン (diesel engine) and 三級二輪 (motorcycles). Seibishi 3kyu covers the first three. JASPA's 2026 (令和8) guide also lists the new 三級（総合） type of the system that starts in 2027.
Written test format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Items | 30 per type |
| Format | 四肢択一: choose one of four options |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Answering | Mark sheet (マークシート), pencil |
| Pass mark | One point per item, 21 or more out of 30 (2025 first session) |
Besides the 学科 there is a 実技 (practical) part for some candidates; graduates of recognised training schools can be exempted from parts of it. For the conditions see registering for the Class 3 test.
What each paper covers
- 3級シャシ: clutch, manual and automatic gearboxes, propeller shaft, final drive and differential, suspension, steering, wheel alignment, brakes, tyres and wheels, frame, lamps and body electrics.
- 3級ガソリン・エンジン: block, head, pistons, crankshaft, valve train, lubrication, cooling, electronic fuel injection, intake and exhaust, ignition, starter, alternator, battery.
- 3級ジーゼル・エンジン: compression ignition, combustion chambers, injection pumps and nozzles, glow plugs, turbocharging, exhaust after-treatment, plus the shared mechanical and electrical topics.
All three include items on measuring tools, materials and lubricants, simple calculations and the law (保安基準). See measuring tools, calculations and safety standards.
Where foreign learners struggle
The technical level of Class 3 is manageable for anyone who has worked in a garage. The hard part is reading long Japanese sentences without furigana in 60 minutes, which is about two minutes per item. Items asking for the "適切なもの" (correct one) are mixed with items asking for the "不適切なもの" (incorrect one), and misreading that costs easy points. See answering four-choice items.
Practise with Seibishi 3kyu
The app has 20 papers per type, each with 30 items and a 60-minute timer like the real test. The questions are written by ViMai for the textbook scope, not JASPA papers. Keep furigana on while you learn, turn it off as you improve, and open the Vietnamese or English translation only when an item is unclear.
VIP unlocks papers 4 to 20 in all three subjects (51 papers), the per-item tips and the detailed explanations for missed items. VIP is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment, and Apple shows the price. The App Store version is coming soon. You can try the free exams on the web now.
Sources checked on 2026-10-19: the JASPA registration test page and its 2026 (令和8) guide, the JASPA results for the 2025 first session, the JASPA past papers page and the MLIT press release on the new mechanic qualifications. Rules can change, so check the latest version at these sources.
FAQ
How many questions are on the Class 3 written test?
Each type has 30 items, and each item has four options with one correct answer (四肢択一). You have 60 minutes and mark your answers on a mark sheet.
What score do I need to pass?
JASPA's results for the 2025 first session give the Class 3 pass mark as one point per item and 21 points or more out of 30. JASPA publishes the official criteria with each session's results.
Are chassis, gasoline and diesel one combined paper?
No. Each type is a separate test with its own 30 items. You apply for a type, sit that paper, and a pass counts for that type.
Does the test have furigana?
The Class 3 test is written in ordinary Japanese. That is why foreign learners should practise reading the terms beforehand; the app has furigana you can switch off step by step.
Take a 30-item mock paper and see right away which items you missed and why.
Try it free nowPapers 1–3 of every subject are free, with furigana. Opens in your browser, no sign-up.
More topics
- Seibishi 3kyuClass 3 automotive mechanic exam practice (vi / ja / en)
- Registering for Class 3Eligibility, application, 2026 test dates
- Class 3 practice test3 subjects × 20 papers, papers 1–3 free
- Car mechanic vocabularyWork words and part names with readings
- Class 3 study tipsStudy by subject, read items carefully, review
- Class 3 chassisClutch, gearbox, brakes, steering, tyres
- Class 3 gasoline engineFour-stroke engine, fuel, ignition, electrics
- Class 3 diesel engineCompression ignition, injection, glow plugs, exhaust
- Measuring toolsVernier caliper, micrometer, dial gauge, tester
- Calculation questionsDisplacement, compression ratio, gear ratio, Ohm's law
- Safety standardsSafety standards, periodic inspection, lamps, tyres
- Four-choice itemsCorrect vs incorrect items, elimination
- 30-day study planA 30-day plan for one Class 3 subject
- Sample questions6 sample four-choice items with answers
- Car parts in JapaneseEngine, chassis, electrical and body parts
- Pass mark and pass rate21/30 pass mark and the latest JASPA pass rates
- New system from 2027Class 3 (general) from 2027 and the old tests