What you need to drive here on a foreign license.
There are two ways to drive in Japan on a foreign license: an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, or an official Japanese translation of your license. If your license is from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, an IDP won't work and the translation is the only route. It takes 2-3 business days, so apply once your flights are booked.
Three things to bring on pickup day
- 01
Your original driver's license
The physical card itself, not a copy or a photo. The translation is never valid on its own — you have to show both together.
- 02
An official Japanese translation of it
Issued by one of the authorized bodies below. Japanese law requires it, and without it we can't hand over the car. If you're driving on an IDP instead, bring that in place of the translation.
- 03
Your passport
We check the date you entered Japan on it. The period you're allowed to drive is counted from that date, so we confirm it at pickup.
An IDP doesn't work for these six countries
Japan only accepts International Driving Permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan aren't covered by it, so an IDP from any of them can't be used to drive here. Drivers from those six need their original license plus an official Japanese translation instead. If your license is from anywhere else, check that your IDP is the 1949 Geneva Convention version.
Driving on an IDP Japan doesn't recognize counts as driving without a license, and your insurance won't cover you.
Who can issue the Japanese translation
Only translations from the bodies below are valid. A translation from a private translation agency isn't accepted, however official it looks. JAF is the practical option if you're applying from abroad, since it takes applications online.
- The authority that issued your license免許を発給した国の当局
- Your country's embassy or consulate in Japan在日大使館・領事館
- JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)JAF（日本自動車連盟）
- Japan Inbound Driver Support Association訪日ドライバーサポート協会
- ADAC (Germany)ADAC（ドイツ）
- Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (Taiwan)台湾日本関係協会
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan (Taiwan)台北駐日経済文化代表処
- Zip Plus (Taiwan)ジップ・プラス
Applying online through JAF
- It takes about 2-3 business days, weekends and holidays not included.
- The fee is ¥6,000 when the purpose is temporary driving.
- You can have it delivered to a convenience store in Japan, so applying after you land still works.
Go to JAF's translation service page
If your trip is tight, check that it will reach you before your pickup date.
How long you can drive
- One year from the day you entered Japan.
- Leaving Japan and coming back resets that one-year window.
- Once the year is up you can't drive, even if the translation itself hasn't expired.
The class on your translation has to match the car
Your Japanese translation lists the vehicle classes your home license covers. That class has to include the car you booked, or we can't hand it over. We rent standard passenger cars, so check your translation shows the matching class.
The Roadster is a 6-speed manual, so an automatic-only license (code 78 on an EU license) can't cover it. A motorcycle-only class can't cover any of our cars.
Documents sorted? Send us a DM.
You don't need the translation in hand to ask. Tell us your dates and we'll work out together whether it will arrive in time.
Book by Instagram DMQuestions alone are welcome.