Under the Empress Shotoku, who was the Retired Empress Koken and who restored to the throne, Dokyo became her right hand and in 765 he became Daijo-daijin (Grand minister of state) without leaving his priesthood; in the next year (766) he became Hoo (Emperor of the Buddhist Law).
復位した称徳天皇のもとで道鏡はその片腕となり、天平神護元年（765年）には僧籍のまま太政大臣となり、翌2年（766年）には法王となる。