Seibishi 3kyu › Safety standards

The law and safety standards (保安基準) in the Class 3 exam

Class 3 papers usually include items on the law: vehicle safety standards, the types of inspection and the duties of a garage. This part changes little between sessions, so learning it well once pays off.

Last updated: 2026-10-19

Two texts to know

道路運送車両法どうろうんそうしゃりょうほう (Road Transport Vehicle Act): registration, the roadworthiness inspection (車検しゃけん), inspections and maintenance.
道路運送車両どうろうんそうしゃりょうの保安基準ほあんきじゅん (safety standards): the technical standards a vehicle must meet for brakes, lamps, tyres, horn, mirrors, emissions and more.

Inspection and maintenance

Type	Japanese	Key point
Daily inspection	日常点検にちじょうてんけん	Done by the user: oil, coolant, tyres, lamps, brakes
Periodic inspection	定期点検ていきてんけん	At set intervals; private passenger cars have 12-month and 24-month inspections
Roadworthiness inspection	車検しゃけん	Confirms the vehicle meets the 保安基準 for its validity period

Lamps and colours

Headlamps (前照灯ぜんしょうとう): white.
Turn signals (方向指示器ほうこうしじき): amber, flashing 60 to 120 times a minute.
Stop lamps (制動灯せいどうとう): red. Reversing lamps (後退灯こうたいとう): white.

Tyres, brakes, horn

A passenger car tyre needs at least 1.6 mm of tread and no cracks or bulges. The brakes must reach the specified braking force without pulling. The horn (警音器けいおんき) must sound continuously with a steady volume and tone.

How to study the law

Make a small table: item, figure, colour. Every time a paper has a law item, check it against the table. Law items usually test one figure or one colour, so the wrong options change exactly that, for example 1.6 mm becomes 1.0 mm or amber becomes yellow.

This page sums up basics at Class 3 textbook level and does not replace the legal texts. At work, follow the current rules and your garage's instructions.

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

Do I need to memorise the whole law?

No. At Class 3 level you need the basic standards: lamp colours and numbers, tread depth, brakes, horn and the periodic inspection intervals.

How much tread must a passenger car tyre have?

Under the safety standards at least 1.6 mm. When the wear indicator (スリップ・サイン) shows, the tyre has reached the limit.

Does the law change?

It can. Study from the latest textbook and check specific figures again before the test.

Take a 30-item mock paper and see right away which items you missed and why.

Try it free now

Papers 1–3 of every subject are free, with furigana. Opens in your browser, no sign-up.