International Driving Permit for Japan: Which Permit Works, Getting It Before You Fly, the Translation Option and the One-Year Rule

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If you'd like to drive in Japan, the document is the part to sort out at home. Japan accepts only one format of International Driving Permit (IDP), six countries and regions use an official Japanese translation instead, and a permit in the wrong format means the rental counter can't hand you the keys. This guide covers the paperwork side only, from the National Police Agency's guide, the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and a major rental company's own checker, so you can arrive with the right papers.

The rules depend on where your license was issued, so read the section that fits you and check the official pages linked at the end. For ETC toll cards, insurance and booking, see renting a car in Japan.

The three ways to drive legally in Japan

The National Police Agency (NPA) guide "How to Drive in Japan" (as of April 1, 2026) lists three:

1. A Japanese driver's license.
2. An IDP issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. The NPA's leaflet for visitors names, as examples, drivers from the U.S., Italy, the U.K., Canada, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.
3. A license from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, with an official Japanese translation attached.

If none of these fits you, a short trip isn't long enough to fix it: the NPA says foreign nationals who aren't registered as residents of Japan can't apply for a Japanese license, apart from special cases set out in law. Plan your trip around trains and buses instead, as in our 7-day first-trip itinerary.

The NPA also warns that heavy penalties apply to driving without a valid license, and to anyone who knowingly lends a car to an unlicensed driver or rides with one.

Is your IDP the right kind?

The NPA says IDPs from countries or regions that aren't parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention, or permits not in the form the convention sets out, can't be used in Japan. JAF adds that IDPs issued under other treaties, such as the 1968 Vienna Convention, are not valid. So look at the permit itself, not just its name, before you pack it.

Toyota Rent a Car's online license checker lists what a Geneva-format IDP looks like:

The same checker adds that even a Geneva-format IDP is not valid for driving in Japan if it comes from one of a short list of countries whose permit format is "currently being reviewed by the Japanese authorities" (updated July 2, 2026). The list can change, so if you're unsure, run the checker or ask your rental company before you book.

Get the IDP at home, and not too early

An IDP is issued by the country that issued your license, not by Japan, so ask your own licensing authority which office issues it and how long it takes. Two dates matter:

• The IDP itself is valid for one year from the date it's issued (NPA). Get it early enough to have it in hand, but not so early that it runs out before or during your trip.
• Your home license must stay valid too. The NPA's leaflet sets the limit at one year from arrival or the expiry of your license, whichever is sooner.

The NPA also lists a point that surprises some drivers: the vehicle categories you may drive in Japan can differ from those on your home license, so check the categories stamped in your IDP before you pick a vehicle.

The translation route: Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan

For licenses from these six, Japan uses a different system: you bring the license itself plus a Japanese translation. According to the NPA, the translation must come from one of these:

• the authority that issued the license, or its embassy or consulate in Japan;
• the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (for Taiwanese licenses) or ADAC (for German licenses);
• a corporation designated by Japan's National Public Safety Commission. JAF issues these translations.

A translation by a certified translator in your own country doesn't count. Toyota's checker also asks that the details on the license and the translation, such as the address, match.

Timing matters with JAF. JAF takes applications online only, and only from within Japan. For these six, it quotes an average of 2 to 3 business days, then you print the translation once at a convenience store in Japan; only that paper original is valid, not a PDF or a photo. The fee for a translation to attach to your license is 6,000 yen. If you want to drive on the day you land, arrange the translation before you travel through the issuing authority, an embassy or consulate, or, for German licenses, ADAC, as JAF's page for people outside Japan suggests. JAF says translations for these six are valid for one year from the date of entry into Japan.

How long you can drive

With an IDP or a license plus translation, you can drive for up to one year from the day you land in Japan, or until the permit or license expires, whichever is shorter.

• The NPA's figure shows that if you receive an IDP after you've landed, for example by mail from home, the one year still counts from your landing date.
• JAF notes that a police officer may ask for your passport while you're driving, to check how many days have passed since you entered Japan. Keep it with you.
• For people registered as residents of Japan, a return after less than three months abroad doesn't start a new year. This mainly affects people who live in Japan, not visitors.

What to bring to the rental counter

Toyota Rent a Car says your final eligibility is decided at the rental location after checking your license, passport and actual date of entry into Japan. Bring the originals:

• Your passport, which shows your entry date.
• Your home driver's license. The NPA's guide shows the translation attached to the license, and JAF says the translation must be carried with the original license.
• Your Geneva-format IDP, or the paper Japanese translation.

Rental companies can set their own conditions, so read the booking terms. ETC toll cards, insurance, the "NOC" charge and child seats are covered in renting a car in Japan.

Once your documents are ready, you can compare companies on Klook's car rental page (affiliate link); its search asks where your license was issued and the driver's age. You'll book directly on the partner site, so check each offer's conditions and cancellation terms on the booking page.

Before your first drive: keep left

Toyota Rent a Car's guide to Japanese traffic rules starts with the basics: vehicles drive on the left, and the steering wheel is on the right. A few more from its guide and the NPA's leaflet:

• Pedestrians always have the right of way when you turn. Stop when someone is crossing, or about to cross.
• When you turn right, oncoming vehicles have the right of way.
• Stop completely at a stop sign and at every railway crossing.
• Don't drive after drinking any alcohol; the NPA adds that driving with a hangover is illegal too.
• Report every accident to the police by calling 110, even if no one is hurt. If someone is injured, give first aid and call 119 for an ambulance.

Heading to Okinawa? Its weekday bus lanes and Sunday road closures are explained in driving a rental car in Okinawa. And for medical costs if something goes wrong, see travel insurance for Japan.

With the right permit in your bag, the rest is choosing where to go. Check your IDP's cover tonight, and you'll know whether you're set.

Last reviewed: October 23, 2026. Rules and rental conditions can change. Please check the official pages below and your rental company's terms before you travel.