Car Licenses and Driving

When you ride or drive vehicles in Japan, you need the right type of license for each vehicle type.

There are strict penalties for driving without a license or disobeying traffic rules. The driver and all passengers must wear seatbelts while driving. If you exceed the set number of passengers or carrying capacity, you may be subject to legal penalties. Please check the contents of your Car Registration Certificate (shaken-sho). Also you will have to use snow tires when driving on snowy or frozen roads. In addition, excessive speed on snowy or frozen roads can cause a major accident. Please watch your speed and drive carefully, especially in winter. Other major traffic rules can be obtained at a police station or driving license center.

Car Ownership

We strongly recommend that you purchase your car from a dealer rather than from an individual seller to avoid any issues later. Parking on the road is a traffic violation. If you buy a car, you need to have an off-road parking space.

It is strictly prohibited to drive a car without a valid vehicle inspection (shaken). Check this before driving. Car owners must renew their shaken before the expiration date.

Car Insurance and Tax

Two types of insurance are necessary in order to drive cars. These are Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance and Voluntary Automobile Insurance. If you hit commercial vehicles or traffic lights, you can be ordered to pay up to several million yen, and if you kill people in a traffic accident, you can be ordered to pay up to several billion yen. If you cause a traffic accident without vehicle insurance, you will be arrested and may not be released on bail. To purchase insurance, please ask the vehicle dealer directly. Car owners are obligated to pay taxes which depend on the vehicle type, engine size, etc. Please check this when you purchase a car.

Selling Your Car

If you are going to leave Japan, you should inquire with the automobile dealer in advance. If you leave your car without the proper disposal procedures, you may be punished under the law.

Avoid selling your car privately, as the procedures are very complicated and mistakes may cause problems later. It is better to go through a specialist dealer in second-hand cars.

Driver's License

To get a driver’s license in Japan

You usually need to go to a driving school, which will cost you a considerable amount of money (about 300,000 yen.) However, if you wish to get a license for a scooter, you can apply directly at the Vehicle Licensing Center and obtain the license by passing an examination on the road rules.

International Driver's License

Driving in Japan on an International Driver’s License is only permitted for drivers with licenses issued by member countries of the Geneva Convention. The International Driver’s License is only issued in your home country.

This license is valid for a period of one year from the date of issue but not longer than one year from the date of arrival in Japan. However someone with an address registered at the city hall who temporarily leaves Japan to obtain a driver’s license in their own country and comes back to Japan within three months cannot drive in Japan even with an International Driver’s License. For more details, please check the following information.

If you drive with a license which has exceeded the valid period, it will be automatically invalidated and you may be considered as driving without a license and face strict legal penalties.

Converting an Overseas License to a Japanese License

Upon fulfilling certain requirements and passing certain tests (physical or otherwise), individuals who hold a foreign driver’s license may be able to exchange it for a Japanese driver’s license. (Traffic Bylaw No. 97-2-2) For more information, please refer to the following.

Parking Permit Application

If you are commuting to university by car, you will need to apply for a parking permit.

It is a parking violation to park in a campus parking lot without a parking permit. Please ask your student affairs section about the application procedure.