International Driving Permit in Japan: Validity and Rules

Which IDPs are valid?

Japan recognises an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention by an authorised agency of a contracting country or region, in the prescribed format. A permit based only on the 1968 Vienna Convention, a private “international driving licence,” or a substantially different format may not be valid.

The National Police Agency also states that a digital IDP displayed on a phone is not accepted. Carry the original paper permit.

Documents to carry

• Original valid national driving licence.
• Original valid Geneva Convention IDP.
• Passport or other evidence relevant to the permitted driving period.
• Vehicle and insurance documents required for the vehicle.

An IDP is a supporting permit, not a replacement for the national licence.

The one-year and three-month rules

The permitted driving period is generally the shorter of:

• one year from the relevant date of landing in Japan, or
• the validity period of the IDP or eligible foreign licence.

For people recorded in the Basic Resident Register, leaving Japan and returning in less than three months normally does not reset the one-year clock. Obtaining a new IDP while remaining in Japan also does not create a fresh landing date.

Foreign licence plus Japanese translation

A separate temporary-driving route applies to valid licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan when accompanied by an authorised Japanese translation. The same general one-year/validity limit applies.

Other foreign licence holders generally need a valid Geneva IDP or a Japanese licence.

When to convert to a Japanese licence

Start conversion well before the IDP period ends. Appointments, translations, additional foreign records and practical-test dates can take months. You cannot legally continue driving simply because your conversion application is pending.

Read the conversion guide