Driver's License Requirements

Driver's License Requirements

The following types of driver's licenses allow individuals to drive automobiles in Japan.

Japanese Driver's License *Please bring all originals

Drivers licensed by each domestic Public Safety Commission must present their original residence card.

Additionally, if you have held your Japanese driver's license for less than three years, please also bring your foreign-issued driver's license to verify a total driving experience of over 3 years.

Foreign driver's licenses *Please bring all originals


Drivers from specific countries (Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, and Taiwan) must present their foreign driver’s license along with a Japanese translation and passport. Ensure that the driver's license from your home country is shown as well.

  • The Japanese translation must be issued by JAF, the respective embassy, or consulate.

  • Taiwan translations must be from JAF or the East Asia-related Formosa Association.

  • Germany translations can be from JAF or the German Automobile Federation (ADAC).

  • Validity in Japan lasts one year from entry, confirmed by your passport's landing date stamp.  

International driving permit *Please bring all originals

International Driver's License Information

International Driver's License Information

In accordance with the 1949 Geneva Convention, an international driver's license issued by a contracting country (excluding Japan) is required for driving in Japan. Please take note of the following important points:

  • You must bring your passport with the entry stamp, your international driver's license, and your home country's driver's license.
  • Originals of all documents are required; images or copies will not be accepted.
  • [United States] Passport cards are not valid for driving in Japan.
  • [Hong Kong] You must also bring your original Hong Kong ID card along with the other documents.
  • If you enter or exit Japan using automated gates, you must request an immigration stamp from the staff. Without this stamp, car rental services will not be available, as your entry and exit dates must be confirmed.

Additionally, please note:

  • International driver's licenses issued under the Paris Convention (1926), Washington Convention (1943), or Vienna Convention (1968) are not accepted in Japan.
  • The only valid international driver's license in Japan is the paper format issued by a country that is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention. Beware of counterfeit cards with incorrect formats; these will not be accepted.
  • The international driver's license must be issued within one year of its use in Japan. This is confirmed by the passport’s entry stamp, and the license is valid for one year from the date of issue.
  • For those re-entering Japan within three months, after being recorded in Japan’s Basic Resident Register, the re-entry date cannot be considered the landing date for calculating the license validity period.
  • If a resident leaves Japan and re-enters within three months, the Basic Resident Register will determine their driving eligibility without considering the re-entry date as the starting point.

If any of the required documents are missing or incomplete, the rental car cannot be provided. In such cases, cancellation fees as outlined in the rental agreement may apply.

Geneva Convention Parties
List of Parties in the Geneva Convention
Europe States Asia Africa States America Oceania Administrative Districts
United Kingdom Philippines South Africa United States New Zealand Hong Kong
Greece India Central African Republic Canada Fiji Macau
Norway Thailand Egypt Cuba Australia French Overseas Territories
Denmark Bangladesh Ghana Argentina Papua New Guinea Andorra
Iceland Malaysia Algeria Chile Monaco
Sweden Singapore Morocco Mexico Liechtenstein
France Sri Lanka Libya Ecuador San Marino
Italy Cambodia Sudan Venezuela
Russian Federation Lao Mali
Netherlands Israel Madagascar
Monaco Niger
International Driver's License Instructions
Updated: September 17, 2021

[Instructions in the international driver's license]

Countries that are party to the Geneva Convention but have not yet issued a Geneva-style international driver's license
Algeria Ivory Coast Haiti Botswana Russian Federation
Albania Democratic Republic of the Congo France Monaco
Kyrgyzstan Georgia Bulgaria Montenegro
Guatemala Serbia Belgium Rwanda
* Note 1: As Geneva-style international driver's licenses are not issued by these countries, it is not permitted to drive in Japan using the international driver's license from these countries (as of June 2020).
* Note 2: For the countries listed above, drivers from France, Belgium, and Monaco are allowed to drive in Japan by providing a Japanese translation of their domestic driver's license.

SOFA License *Please bring all originals

SOFA Driving Permit for U.S. Forces in Japan and U.S. Military Identification

Your go-to for modern, reliable car rentals in Osaka, offering the latest vehicles with flexible options and exceptional service.

© 2024 . All rights reserved.