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Driving in Japan: IDP, Car Rental and Tolls Explained

Which permit lets you drive in Japan (Geneva IDP or JAF translation), what the rental counter checks, how ETC tolls work, and the road rules that differ.

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Elevated Seto-Chuo Expressway ramps at Yoshima interchange, with green Japanese road signs and parked cars
Naokijp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

If you plan to explore rural Japan, a rental car can reach places the train network does not, but you can only drive with the right document: an International Driving Permit (IDP) in the 1949 Geneva format, or, for licences from six listed countries and regions, a JAF Japanese translation.[1],[2] In Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, take the train instead; the Japan Rail Pass review shows when rail travel pays off for longer routes.

Key facts

  • Time it takes: get an IDP in your home country before you fly; a JAF translation takes an average of 2–3 business days and can only be requested from inside Japan.[4],[3][4]
  • What it costs: IDP fees are set by the issuing body in your country; a JAF translation for driving costs ¥6,000 plus ¥20 per page for printing.[4],[3]
  • What to have ready: your original home licence, the IDP or JAF translation, your passport and a credit card.
  • Where it is done: the IDP at your home country’s issuing body, the translation on JAF’s website, the final document check at the rental counter.
  • Validity: you may drive for one year from entry into Japan, or until the IDP expires.[1],[2]

Which document lets me drive in Japan?

I have a licence from a 1949 Geneva Convention country

You need an IDP issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, in the booklet format that convention sets.[1],[2] Rental companies check it closely. Nippon Rent-A-Car, for example, looks for a booklet 148 mm by 105 mm with the date September 19, 1949 printed on it, issued within the past year, and refuses copies, digital permits and A4 sheets.[8]

My IDP is issued under the Vienna Convention

It is not valid in Japan, even if your country also signed the 1949 Geneva Convention.[1] Ask your issuing body for a Geneva-format permit before you travel.

My licence is from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan

You drive with your licence plus a Japanese translation, not with an IDP. The translation must come from an institution recognised by the National Public Safety Commission, such as JAF (Japan Automobile Federation).[3],[2] You apply on JAF’s online Translation Application Site, which works only from networks within Japan, and you print the translation at a convenience store in Japan.[4]

I live in Japan

This guide covers visitors. Registered residents of Japan follow separate rules; read the Hyogo Prefectural Police explanation on international driving permits for your own case.

Before you start

  • Your home driver’s licence: the original, not expired
  • An IDP in the 1949 Geneva format, or a JAF translation if your licence is from one of the six listed countries and regions
  • Your passport
  • A credit card in the driver’s name
  • Your rental booking confirmation
  • A child seat request if you travel with a child under six; it is required by law[7],[5]
  • An ETC card request for expressway tolls

How do I go from licence to rental car?

  1. Get your IDP at home, or apply for the JAF translationBefore departure

    Apply for the IDP through the issuing body in your home country well before you fly. If you need a JAF translation, apply after you land: JAF processes applications on weekdays 10:00-17:00 and takes an average of 2–3 business days.[4],[3]

  2. Book the car and add an ETC cardBefore departure

    Ask for a car with an ETC onboard device and an ETC card. Regional expressway passes for visitors also run through rental company ETC cards.[11],[10]

  3. Show your documents at the counterAt pick-up

    Staff check your licence, IDP or JAF translation, and passport. If the IDP fails their checkpoints, the company will not hand over the car.[8] Choose the insurance options and walk round the car with staff to note existing damage.

  4. Drive by Japan's basic rulesOn the road

    Keep to the left and yield to pedestrians.[5] Where no sign shows a limit, drive at no more than 60 km/h on ordinary roads and 100 km/h on expressways.[5] Do not drink at all before driving: a breath alcohol content of 0.15 mg/l already brings a 90-day licence suspension.[6]

  5. Pay tolls through the ETC laneAt each tollgate

    Insert the ETC card fully before you set off, then enter lanes marked ETC at less than 20 km/h. If the bar stays closed, stop and wait for staff; never reverse.[9]

  6. Refuel and return the carAt drop-off

    Follow your rental contract’s refuelling terms, keep the fuel receipt, and return the ETC card with the car.

If you land at Narita, ride into Tokyo by train and rent the car at your regional base; the Narita to Tokyo route guide compares the trains and buses.

If you fly into Okinawa, the Okinawa car rental guide covers the shuttle to the rental offices at Naha Airport and the expressway tolls on the island.

Is there an expressway pass for foreign visitors?

Yes, but only regional ones. JNTO lists passes for Hokkaido, Tohoku, San’in-Setouchi-Shikoku and Kyushu, sold through rental car companies with an ETC card. The nationwide Japan Expressway Pass and the Central Nippon Expressway Pass are no longer available.[11],[10] Prices and eligibility change, so check JNTO’s expressway pass page and your rental company before you book.

If you plan a mountain loop through Hida, the Takayama guide covers the town you will likely base yourself in.

For the Noto Peninsula and Hokuriku coast, start from the Kanazawa guide.

For the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes on the Kii Peninsula, the Kumano Kodo guide explains how to reach the trailheads.

In inland Shikoku, the Iya Valley guide compares driving with the bus and taxi options for the vine bridges.

For the San’in coast, the Matsue and Izumo guide covers the castle town, Izumo Taisha and the train and bus links between them.

In central Kyushu, the Takachiho Gorge guide covers the gorge, the night kagura and the bus routes from Kumamoto and Aso.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive in Japan on my home licence alone?

No. Unless your licence is from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, Japan recognises only an IDP issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, carried with your home licence.[1],[2]

Do I need a child seat for my child?

Yes, for children under six. Drivers are legally prohibited from driving with them without a child seat.[7],[5] Request one when you book the car.

Can I pay tolls without an ETC card?

Yes. Use a General lane, take a ticket at the entrance tollgate, and pay at the exit in cash (yen only) or by credit card.[10]

Sources

  1. International Driving Permit (English leaflet) — Hyogo Prefectural Police (checked )
  2. International Driving Permit — Hyogo Prefectural Police (checked )
  3. To apply for a translation of their driver's license — JAF (checked )
  4. How to apply for a translation — JAF (checked )
  5. Traffic Rules in Japan — JAF (checked )
  6. Eradication of Drinking and Driving — National Police Agency (checked )
  7. Child Seats Save Children — National Police Agency (checked )
  8. [Important] Please check your International Driving Permit (IDP) — Nippon Rent-A-Car (checked )
  9. How to Use ETC — Drive Plaza (NEXCO) (checked )
  10. How to Pay the Expressway Toll — Drive Plaza (NEXCO) (checked )
  11. Expressway Passes — Japan National Tourism Organization (checked )