Driving in Japan on a Foreign Licence: IDP or Official Japanese Translation? Which One You Need and Where to Get It

Driving in Japan on a Foreign Licence: IDP or Official Japanese Translation? Which One You Need and Where to Get It

No complete set of documents, no keys (illustrative)

Before you book a rental car in Japan, check one thing: which document does Japan accept for your licence? For most visitors the answer is an International Driving Permit (IDP) in the 1949 Geneva Convention format. For drivers from six countries and regions — Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan — the answer is different: your national licence plus an official Japanese translation. A handful of licences cannot be used in Japan at all.

GoodCars arranges rentals with local suppliers across Japan; checking documents before departure avoids problems at pickup. This guide explains the three legal routes, who uses which, where translations come from, how long you may drive, and what rental counters check. It is based on National Police Agency (NPA) and JAF guidance checked on 13 November 2026; always confirm with the official sources before you travel.

The three documents Japan accepts

According to the NPA, you may drive in Japan only if you hold one of the following:

1. A Japanese driving licence.
2. An International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in the format the convention specifies. The NPA names the USA, Italy, the UK, Canada, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Hong Kong among the main Geneva countries.
3. A licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, accompanied by a Japanese translation made by a body designated under Japanese law.

Two points are easy to miss. First, an IDP in the Vienna Convention format is not valid in Japan, even if it looks official — some countries issue both formats, so ask your issuing authority for the Geneva one. Second, the NPA lists mainland China, Vietnam, Brazil and Indonesia among the main countries that are not Geneva parties, so an IDP issued there is not accepted in Japan. Check with the NPA or your embassy for your options. Hong Kong and Macau licence holders use a Geneva-format IDP.

Who needs an IDP and how to get one

If your licence was issued in a Geneva country, you need an IDP from your home licensing authority (or the body it authorises) before you leave. Japan cannot issue your country's IDP. Points to check:

• Format: the permit must follow the 1949 Geneva model. If your authority offers a choice, pick Geneva for Japan.
• Validity: a Geneva IDP is valid for one year from issue, so do not get it too early.
• Carry the licence too: GoodCars recommends always carrying your national licence with the IDP, and counters normally ask for both.
• Name spelling: make sure the names on your IDP, licence and passport match.

Driving from South Korea or Thailand? Our Korean and Thai editions of this guide cover your national IDP application step by step.

Who needs a Japanese translation and where to get it

Translations must come from a designated body, not a translator you hire (illustrative)

Drivers with licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan do not use an IDP in Japan: the NPA designates these six for the translation route instead of an IDP. They carry the original licence plus a Japanese translation. Self-made translations and translations by sworn translators abroad are not accepted — the NPA says only these bodies qualify:

Getting a translation from JAF

JAF is the option most visitors find, but it has firm rules (as shown on its official page, checked on 13 November 2026):

• Online only, from inside Japan. JAF accepts applications only through its website from a network in Japan — no counter or postal applications. A friend or relative in Japan can apply for you as a proxy.
• Fee: 6,000 yen (tax-exempt) for a translation used to drive temporarily in Japan, plus 20 yen per page to print. The 6,600 yen fee is for converting to a Japanese licence — a different purpose.
• Time: JAF quotes an average of 2–3 business days for the six countries; its Q&A says printing is usually possible 1–2 weeks after applying. There is no same-day service.
• Collection: you print it at a Japanese convenience store. Only the paper printed in Japan (or at a JAF branch) is valid — a PDF or home printout is not.

Taiwan licence holders

Taiwan's motor vehicles offices issue the translation before departure: same day at the counter (counter fee as posted at the office), or online for NT$100 plus postage in 7–12 working days. The official NT$100 fee is listed under the online application; for the counter fee, check the notice at the motor vehicles office. That is far cheaper and faster than applying in Japan. A Taiwanese IDP is not valid in Japan. See our guide to getting an international driving permit in Taiwan for the IDP side.

How long you may drive in Japan

Your one-year driving window starts on the day you land (illustrative)

The NPA rule is the same for IDPs and translated licences: you may drive for one year from the date you land in Japan, or until the permit or licence expires, whichever is shorter.

• Each new entry restarts the clock for short-term visitors.
• Exception for residents: if you are registered as a resident of Japan and come back within three months of leaving, re-entry does not restart the year. Ask your local licence centre.
• Translations follow the licence: JAF says a translation is valid as long as the licence, but you need a new one if the licence is renewed or its details change (for example, your address).
• Carry your passport: it proves your landing date.

Living in Japan long term? The licence-plus-translation route is for temporary driving. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan warns that mid- to long-term residents should switch to a Japanese licence.

What a translation or IDP has to show

Check every field of the translation against your licence (illustrative)

The NPA expects a translation to state the vehicle classes you may drive, the licence expiry date and any licence conditions. When yours arrives, GoodCars suggests checking it line by line against your licence:

Arrived in Japan without the right document?

JAF translations are collected by printing them at a Japanese convenience store (illustrative)

If you hold an IDP-country licence and forgot the IDP, note that Japan does not issue other countries' IDPs. Whether you can still obtain one while abroad depends on your home issuing authority — ask them; do not count on getting it during the trip. If you hold a translation-country licence, there are routes to apply from Japan (JAF online, ZIPLUS, ALADDIN or your embassy), but there is no same-day service, JAF notes that some licences cannot be translated, and it may not be ready before your pickup. GoodCars strongly recommends sorting documents out before departure: a rental that starts a few days late still costs you the trip.

What the rental counter checks

Every driver shows original documents at pickup (illustrative)

Every person who will drive must present originals, including when you book through GoodCars:

These are the documents Japanese law requires. Whether a rental goes ahead, and any extra conditions (age, licence history, payment), follow the rental company's terms and what your booking page shows — having the documents does not by itself guarantee a rental. This applies to bookings made through GoodCars too.

Common reasons drivers are turned away

• Vienna-format IDP instead of the 1949 Geneva format.
• IDP or licence expired, or more than one year since landing.
• IDP without the national licence, or a translation without the original licence.
• Self-made or sworn translation instead of one from a designated body.
• Translation does not match the licence after renewal or a change of details.
• Photocopies, phone photos or PDFs instead of originals.
• A second driver without documents — each driver needs a full set.

For costs, insurance and road rules once you are on the road, see the complete guide to renting a car in Japan and Japan traffic rules and fines.

With the right documents, mountain roads are yours to explore (illustrative)

FAQ

Q1. Is a US, UK, Canadian or Australian licence enough to rent a car in Japan?

Not by itself. Those countries use the Geneva route, so you need a 1949 Geneva-format IDP from home plus your licence and passport. Rental counters ask for all three.

Q2. I have a German or French licence. Do I need an IDP?

No. Japan accepts your licence with an official Japanese translation from your licensing authority, your embassy or consulate in Japan, ADAC (for Germany), JAF, ZIPLUS or ALADDIN.

Q3. Can I get an IDP after arriving in Japan?

Japan does not issue other countries' IDPs. An IDP comes from your home country's issuing authority, and whether it can be obtained while you are abroad depends on that authority. Japan only offers translations for the six eligible countries and regions, so GoodCars advises getting the IDP before you fly.

Q4. How much is a JAF translation and how long does it take?

6,000 yen for driving temporarily in Japan, applied online from inside Japan. JAF quotes an average of 2–3 business days for the six countries, with no same-day service, and you print it at a convenience store.

Q5. How long can I drive in Japan with an IDP?

One year from your landing date or until the IDP expires, whichever comes first. A Geneva IDP is valid for one year from issue.

Q6. Can I drive in Japan with a Chinese or Indonesian licence?

The NPA lists mainland China, Vietnam, Brazil and Indonesia among the main non-Geneva countries, so an IDP issued there is not accepted in Japan, and these licences are not on the translation list. Check with the NPA or your embassy for your options.

Q7. Can I show a photocopy or a photo on my phone?

No. Counters normally require originals; follow your rental company's rules. A JAF translation is valid only as the paper printed in Japan.

Book a rental car in Japan

GoodCars pickup details: Narita Airport / Kinshicho and Chiba stations / New Chitose Airport / Fukuoka Airport / Naha Airport.