“Valid driver’s license in Japan”

Booking

You must have any of the driver’s license listed below:

1. Japanese Driving License (residents of Japan)

The driver’s license issued by Public Safety Commission.

2. Passport with Foreign driving license and An international driving Permit

Please follow this link "internationaldrivingpermit.org" to check your countries IDP eligibility.

Driving with the International Driving Permit (IDP)

If you are visiting Japan as a tourist you will need an International Driving Permit(IDP), your own driving license and passport.
The only IDP that is valid in Japan is under the Geneva Convention 1949, so your country MUST be a signatory to it.
If it is not a signatory, then unfortunately you will not be able to drive here in Japan.
The IDP must also be issued in your own country and NOT from an external and/or an unofficial source (you can always contact us to check if your IDP is valid or not).

*As a disclaimer, it is the responsibility of the customer to bring the correct documentation for driving in Japan.
Failure to do this will lead to refusal of tour participation and refunds cannot be issued.

passprot

the International
Driving Permit (IDP)

Driver's license
(home country)

*When a person listed in the Japanese Basic Resident Register and/or registered as a residential alien drives a motor vehicle in Japan with IDP, he/she has to satisfy BOTH of the following conditions.

①Has stayed outside Japan for more than three (3) consecutive months and is less than one (1) year from the re-entry. (You do not necessarily have to stay in the country/region of issue.)
*In case you re-enter Japan after less than three (3) (not total but consecutive) months of staying abroad, the date of re-entry does not qualify as the “date of re-entry (initial date of calculation of the IDP’s and foreign driver’s license’s validity)” stated above.

②Has valid IDP

IDP issued by the parties (including 2 administrative districts) to the 1949 Geneva Convention. Must be accompanied by the valid passport.

*Note that you cannot drive in Japan with the IDP issued by the Japanese government.

IDP is valid for one (1) year from the date of issue (make sure to check), and you are allowed to drive in Japan for one (1) year from the date of entry to Japan (make sure to check the entry stamp to Japan on your passport). You are not allowed to drive in Japan with the IDP issued under Paris Convention (1926), Washington Convention (1943), and Vienna Convention (1968).

Parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention

Asia	Philippines
	India
	Thailand
	Bangladesh
	Malaysia
	Singapore
	Sri Lanka
	Cambodia
	Laos
	South Korea

Middle East	Turkey
	Israel
	Syria
	Cyprus
	Jordan
	Lebanon
	United Arab Emirates

Africa	South Africa
	Central African Republic
	Egypt
	Ghana
	Algeria
	Morocco
	Botswana
	Democratic Republic of the Congo
	Republic of the Congo
	Benin
	Ivory Coast
	Lesotho
	Madagascar
	Malawi
	Mali
	Niger
	Rwanda
	Senegal
	Sierra Leone
	Togo
	Tunisia
	Uganda
	Zimbabwe
	Namibia
	Burkina Faso
	Nigeria

Europe	United Kingdom
	Greece
	Norway
	Denmark
	Sweden
	Netherlands
	France
	Italy
	Russia
	Serbia
	Montenegro
	Spain
	Finland
	Portugal
	Austria
	Belgium
	Poland
	Ireland
	Hungary
	Romania
	Iceland
	Bulgaria
	Malta
	Albania
	Luxembourg
	Monaco
	San Marino
	Vatican City
	Kyrgyzstan
	Georgia
	Czech Republic
	Slovakia

America	United States
	Canada
	Peru
	Cuba
	Ecuador
	Argentina
	Chile
	Paraguay
	Barbados
	Dominican Republic
	Guatemala
	Haiti
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Venezuela
	Jamaica

Oceania	New Zealand
	Fiji
	Australia
	Papua New Guinea

Special Administrative Region	Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region	Macau

※FRAUDELENT IDP WARNING

Counterfeit IDPs are being offered for sale on the internet, usually at inflated prices. These forged IDPs are illegal and can get the holder into a great deal of difficulty with the traffic authorities in various countries. You MUST have your IDP issued by an official issuing authority from within your own country (you should check this by contacting your local Automobile Association).

The following is a list of fraudulent websites selling unauthorized and unofficial IDPs.

- International Transportation Authority
- IDL Travel
- IDLID Services
- International Automobile Association Inc.

3. Passport with Foreign driving license (issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, Slovenia or Monaco) with Japanese Translation by authorized organization.

If you have the driver’s license issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, Slovenia, or Monaco, you can drive in Japan for one (1) year from the date of entry to Japan, provided you carry your license together with the Japanese translation. Bring the following two items with the passport of the driver to the shop.

Driver's license
(home country)

Translation by Japanese
(home country)

Issuance of the Japanese translation

?Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Slovenia, and Monaco?

Available at the embassy/consulate of each country and JAF branches nationwide. See the page shown below for JAF.
Taiwanese drivers need the translation provided by JAF or Taiwan-Japan Relations Association.

JAF

*Please contact respective
Driver’s License Center for details.