Car registration and ownership transfer in Japan (名義変更)

Car registration in Japan changes whenever a regular car changes hands or its owner moves. As a foreign resident, you file an ownership transfer (移転登録, called 名義変更) at the transport bureau (運輸支局) within 15 days. As of October 2026 the fee is ¥700 at the counter or ¥600 online. You need a seal certificate, your registered seal (実印) and a parking certificate (車庫証明). A kei car is handled elsewhere.

What do I have to register, and when?

Two filings matter, and each has its own 15-day deadline. Ibaraki Prefecture says a violation can bring a fine of up to ¥500,000 under the Road Transport Vehicle Act.

• Transfer (移転登録, 名義変更): the car is sold or handed over and the owner changes.
• Address change (変更登録): you move house. Changing your 住民票 does not change the address on the inspection certificate (車検証).

The same prefecture notes that car tax (自動車税) is billed to the address on the 車検証. Changing the address on the 車検証 sends the notice to your new address from the following fiscal year. For the 住民票 itself, see how to get a certificate of residence and what to do when you move.

This page covers regular cars. A kei car is registered at the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization (軽自動車検査協会), with different papers. Buying steps and kei cars are in our guide to buying a car as a foreigner.

What documents do I need at the transport bureau?

The Aomori Transport Branch lists these for a transfer. It calls them a basic example, so phone your own bureau first.

Number plates cost extra if the car moves to another plate area or the number changes. The car must have a valid inspection: an expired 車検 cannot change owner. If the name or address on the 車検証 does not match the seller’s seal certificate, the seller also needs papers that show the changes, such as a 住民票 or a 住民票の除票.

Seal and signature: what foreign residents should know

The seal certificate is required by law for car registration, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (総務省). Foreigners who have a 住民票 can register a seal. Short-term visitors and people without legal status cannot.

Rules are set by each city. Hamamatsu City, for example, lets residents over 15 register a seal that shows the name on the residence card (在留カード), a registered alias or the katakana form of a name. It accepts a residence card or My Number card (マイナンバーカード) as ID and registers the same day, free of charge. Other cities differ, so check yours.

If a dealer or specialist files for you, the bureau asks for a power of attorney sealed with your 実印. You still supply the seal certificate and parking certificate.

What does car registration cost in Japan?

The statutory fee rose on 1 April 2026, according to the transport ministry’s notice. Online filing is cheaper than the counter.

The Aomori page still shows the old ¥500 stamp for transfers. We follow the April 2026 notice. A parking certificate is separate: in Tokyo it is ¥2,400 at the counter, and it takes 3 to 7 days. Plates and car tax are extra, and we have not checked those amounts.

Can I file online?

Sometimes. The one-stop service (OSS) lets you apply online for both the police parking certificate and the transport bureau registration. Hiroshima Prefecture says that if the eligibility check shows a car is not eligible, you apply at the counter as usual. Online applications are reviewed only Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 17:00, excluding holidays. We could not confirm whether OSS needs a My Number card, so check the portal.

What if I change my address and my car stays the same?

File an address change (変更登録) within 15 days. Ibaraki Prefecture’s flow is: get a parking certificate for the new address, get a new 住民票 at the city office, then update the 車検証 at the bureau. If your plate area changes, you also get new plates.

More guides: car insurance for foreigners, converting a foreign license and your My Number card.