Country Guide

International Driving Permit for Japan

Japan is the strictest country in the world for the International Driving Permit (often shortened to IDP), and most websites will not tell you this: only 1949 Geneva Convention permits issued by government-authorized bodies (AAA in the US, CAA in Canada, national automobile clubs) are accepted. Privately issued permits — including the one we sell — are NOT valid in Japan, and we do not sell for Japan. This guide explains what actually works.

Countries Supported

Last updated: Jul 7, 2026

International Motor Traffic

International Driving Permit

Convention on International Road Traffic
of 19 September 1949 (United Nations)

Valid Until 9 JULY 2027

IMPORTANT — This permit is valid
when shown with Domestic Driver’s License

1.DOE
2.JOHN
3.UNITED STATES
4.15-MAR-1990
5.UNITED STATES

A. Sceau ou cachet de l’autorité

B. Sceau ou cachet de l’autorité

C. Sceau ou cachet de l’autorité

D. Sceau ou cachet de l’autorité

E. Sceau ou cachet de l’autorité

Signature de titulaire*

EXCLUSIONS
(pays)

I.V. II.VI. III.VII. IV.VIII.

Do you need an international driving permit in Japan?

Yes, most visitors need an International Driving Permit to drive in Japan — but only a 1949 Geneva permit issued by a government-authorized body (AAA, CAA, national auto clubs) is accepted. Privately issued permits, including ours, are not valid in Japan. Licence holders from Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan use a JAF translation instead.

Driving in Japan — Key Facts

International permit required	Yes — but only government-issued 1949 permits (AAA, CAA, national auto clubs)
Driving side	Left
UN Convention	1949 Geneva only (1968 Vienna permits not accepted)
Minimum driving age	18
Emergency number	110 (police), 119 (ambulance/fire)
Blood-alcohol limit	0.03% — effectively zero tolerance
Speed limits (urban / rural / highway)	40 / 60 / 100–120 km/h

Do tourists need an International Driving Permit in Japan?

Yes — and Japan is uniquely strict about which one. Under Japanese law, a foreign visitor may only drive with an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention by the government-authorized issuing body of their home country. Permits based on the 1968 Vienna, 1926 Paris or 1943 Washington conventions are not recognized, and neither are permits from private online sellers — no matter how official they look.

US licence holders: only a permit from AAA (the sole authorized US issuer) is valid.
Canadian licence holders: only a CAA-issued permit.
UK licence holders: a 1949 permit obtained via PayPoint shops (the Post Office stopped issuing them on 31 March 2024).
Singapore: the Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS). Australia: state motoring clubs (NRMA, RACV etc.). Most other 1949-signatory countries: the national automobile club or licensing authority.
Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan do not issue 1949 permits — drivers from these places use an official Japanese translation of their licence instead (see below).

To be direct: our document is not accepted in Japan and we do not sell permits for Japan — checkout is blocked for it. Any website that sells you an "International Driving Permit for Japan" that is not one of the government-authorized bodies above is selling you a document a Japanese rental desk will refuse.

How to get a valid International Driving Permit for Japan

For Japan, go straight to your home country's authorized issuer before you travel — the permit generally cannot be issued once you are already in Japan:

United States — AAA: $20 plus photos, at any AAA branch (walk-in, often same day) or by mail. You do not need to be a AAA member.
Canada — CAA: CA$32 (fee updated December 2025), at CAA stores or by mail.
United Kingdom — PayPoint shops: £5.50 over the counter with your photocard licence and a passport photo.
Singapore — AAS, Australia — state auto clubs, India — RTOs, and most other 1949 signatories through their national automobile association.

If your licence is from Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, your country does not issue 1949 permits. Instead, get an official Japanese translation of your licence from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) — around ¥4,000–¥6,000, orderable online before your trip or from JAF offices in Japan — and carry it together with your original licence and passport. It is valid for driving for up to one year from your date of entry. (Estonia used to be on this list but has issued its own 1949 Geneva permits since 2021.)

Our own service is a privately issued International Driving Permit translation and is not valid for Japan — we say so plainly because pretending otherwise gets travellers turned away at rental counters. It does work for 150+ other destinations that accept privately issued 1949-format permits; see the full country list or read what the document actually is.

Renting a car in Japan

Japanese rental companies check documents more carefully than almost anywhere else. At Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Orix and Nissan Rent a Car desks — including the big airport branches at Narita, Haneda, Kansai and New Chitose — staff will physically inspect your International Driving Permit, check the issuing body, the 1949 Geneva wording on the cover, and the issue date. A permit from a private website fails this check and the desk will refuse the car, even if you prepaid.

Bring your permit + original licence + passport. All three are checked, every time.
Your permit must be less than one year old (1949 permits are valid one year from issue) — and note that if you live in Japan long-term, you can only drive on the permit for up to one year from entry.
Minimum rental age is generally 18 with a full licence; an ETC card for expressway tolls is worth adding at the counter.
Book the rental before you fly, but sort the permit first — AAA and CAA can take time by mail, and JAF translations are faster to order online in advance.

Japan road rules tourists should know

Japan drives on the left. Speed limits are low by Western standards: typically 40 km/h in cities, 60 km/h on rural roads, and 100 km/h on expressways (up to 120 km/h on stretches of the Shin-Tomei and Tohoku Expressways). Speed cameras are everywhere and enforcement is automated.

Alcohol: effectively zero. The limit is 0.03% BAC (0.15 mg/L breath) — one drink can put you over. Penalties reach ¥1,000,000 and up to five years' imprisonment, and passengers and even the person who served you alcohol can be prosecuted.
Driving without a valid licence and International Driving Permit is a crime, not a ticket: up to ¥300,000 in fines for unlicensed driving, with penalties for serious cases reaching ¥500,000 or up to three years in prison. An invalid private permit counts as driving unlicensed.
Expressway tolls are significant (Tokyo–Osaka runs well over ¥10,000) — use an ETC card.
Emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire.
Any accident, however minor, must be reported to police before insurance will respond.

FAQ — Driving in Japan

Can I use a AAA international driving permit in Japan?

Yes. AAA is the only US body authorized to issue the 1949 Geneva International Driving Permit that Japan accepts. It costs $20 plus photos at any AAA branch, membership not required. Get it before you fly — it cannot be issued in Japan.

Can I drive in Japan with just a US license?

No. A US licence alone is not valid for driving in Japan. You must carry a AAA-issued 1949 Geneva International Driving Permit together with your US licence and passport. Driving without it is treated as unlicensed driving, with fines up to 300,000 yen.

Why do some websites sell international driving permits for Japan if they are not accepted?

Because most buyers never check. Japan only recognizes International Driving Permits issued by government-authorized bodies like AAA, CAA and national auto clubs. Privately issued permits — including ours — are refused at Japanese rental desks and by police. That is why we do not sell for Japan and say so openly.

Is your International Driving Permit valid in Japan?

No. Our document is a privately issued International Driving Permit translation and Japan does not accept privately issued permits, so we block Japan at checkout. For Japan, use AAA (US), CAA (Canada) or your national auto club. Our permit works in 150+ other destinations.

I have a German or French licence — how do I drive in Japan?

Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan do not issue 1949 Geneva International Driving Permits, so Japan accepts an official Japanese translation of your licence instead, issued by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). Carry the translation with your original licence; it is valid for one year from entry.

Do Japanese car rental companies really check the International Driving Permit?

Yes, rigorously. Toyota Rent a Car, Times, Nippon, Orix and Nissan desks inspect the issuing body and the 1949 Geneva wording before releasing a vehicle, and they refuse invalid permits even on prepaid bookings. Assume it will be checked every single time.

How long can I drive in Japan on an International Driving Permit?

A 1949 International Driving Permit is valid for one year from its issue date, and Japan additionally limits driving on the permit to one year from your date of entry. Residents cannot reset this by briefly leaving the country; long-term stayers must convert to a Japanese licence.