# Parking in Japan: monthly lots and the parking certificate (車庫証明)

URL: https://japanhow.com/driving/cars/parking-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 27, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, owning a car in Japan means renting a monthly parking space, usually before you buy. For an ordinary car the police must certify the space (車庫証明): ¥2,400 at the counter in Tokyo, ¥2,300 online, 3 to 7 days, and the space must be within 2 km. Kei cars use a notification instead. Tokyo monthly lots averaged about ¥16,500 in Adachi and ¥62,000 in Chuo in a 2021 survey. An unattended-parking ticket for an ordinary car is ¥15,000 or ¥18,000.

## Key facts

- Parking certificate, Tokyo counter: ¥2,400
- Processing time: 3 to 7 days
- Space must be within: 2 km of home
- Unattended parking ticket: ¥15,000 to ¥18,000

Parking in Japan is not free: if you own a car, you need a monthly parking space, and for an ordinary car you need proof of it before you can register the car. As of October 2026, the police parking certificate (車庫証明) costs **¥2,400 at the counter in Tokyo** and takes 3 to 7 days. Monthly lot prices range from about ¥16,500 to ¥62,000 across Tokyo wards (2021 survey).

## Do I need a parking space to own a car in Japan?

For an ordinary car, yes. The Tokyo police say the parking certificate (保管場所証明) is required at the Transport Bureau (運輸支局) when you register a new car, a transfer or a change. The Cabinet Order sets the limit: the space must be **within 2 km of where you base the car**.

Kei cars (軽自動車) and cases where you only change your space use a notification (保管場所届出) instead. Some areas are exempt, depending on where you live or work, the Tokyo police say. Your city or prefecture's police page tells you which rule applies.

The police pages we read set no nationality or visa condition. For the car purchase itself, see [buying a car in Japan as a foreigner](/driving/cars/buying-a-car-in-japan-foreigner/).

## How do I get the parking certificate (車庫証明)?

You apply at the police station that covers the parking space, not your home station. Tokyo's counter hours are weekdays 8:30 to 16:30. Applications can also go through the online one-stop service (OSS).

Since 1 April 2025 there is no sticker (保管場所標章) and no sticker fee, according to Shizuoka police. Fees differ by prefecture, so check yours.

## How do I rent a monthly parking lot as a foreign resident?

Start with the lot, because the certificate depends on it. Lots are run by operators such as Times and by local real estate agents (不動産会社).

Times' contract page lists a **driver's license or My Number Card** as ID for individual contracts. It does not mention a residence card (在留カード). It also asks for the vehicle inspection record (自動車検査証記録事項); for a plain monthly contract, a catalog page showing the car's size can stand in. Neither page mentions 車庫証明 support, so tell the manager you need the usage approval certificate before you sign.

Cancellation has costs. Times charges one month's fee if you cancel after the full application, and treats a later stop as early termination with no refund. Read the notice period on any contract. We found no reliable figures for deposits or key money, so ask for a full list of up-front costs.

If you have no license yet or are still choosing, [car sharing](/driving/cars/car-sharing-japan-foreigners/) needs no parking space at all.

## How much does monthly parking cost?

Prices swing with location. A 2021 article using a parking search site gave these Tokyo ward averages per month for flat lots. It is a secondary source and the data date is not stated, so treat it as a rough guide.

| Ward | Flat lot, per month |
|---|---|
| Chuo (中央区) | ¥62,087 |
| Minato (港区) | ¥53,262 |
| Shinjuku (新宿区) | ¥37,655 |
| Setagaya (世田谷区) | ¥25,433 |
| Nerima (練馬区) | ¥17,949 |
| Adachi (足立区) | ¥16,506 |

We could not find a reliable current average for Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka or Sapporo, so we do not give one. Search the operator sites for your station area and compare three lots.

## What are the parking rules and fines?

Parking where it is banned gets a fixed fine. Tokyo police list these for an ordinary car, with points from the 1 April 2026 table:

| Violation | Fine | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Unattended in a no-stopping-or-parking place | ¥18,000 | 3 |
| Unattended in a no-parking place | ¥15,000 | 2 |
| Driver present, no-stopping-or-parking place | ¥12,000 | 2 |
| Driver present, no-parking place | ¥10,000 | 1 |

If the police cannot hold the driver responsible, the commission can order the car's user (usually the person named on the inspection certificate) to pay an unattended-parking fine (放置違反金) instead. You can submit an explanation (弁明). Late payment adds a fee, and an unpaid amount can mean you cannot get your inspection certificate back at the car inspection (車検). Repeated orders within six months can restrict use of the car.

Using the road as your parking space (道路使用) is 3 points, and long-term parking is 2 points. For how points affect your license, see [traffic tickets and license points](/driving/license/traffic-tickets-license-points-japan/).

**Check your own prefecture:** Fees, forms and counter hours differ by prefecture, and the figures above are mostly Tokyo's. Phone or visit the police station that covers your parking space, and bring a Japanese speaker or a translation of this page if you need one.

More guides: [buying a car in Japan](/driving/cars/buying-a-car-in-japan-foreigner/), [car insurance for foreigners](/driving/cars/car-insurance-japan-foreigners/), [car sharing](/driving/cars/car-sharing-japan-foreigners/), [traffic tickets and points](/driving/license/traffic-tickets-license-points-japan/).

## Questions people ask

### Do I need a parking space to buy a car in Japan?

For an ordinary car, yes. The police must certify a space within 2 km of where the car is based before you register it. Kei cars use a notification instead, and some areas are exempt.

### How much is the shako shomeisho (車庫証明)?

In Tokyo it is ¥2,400 at the counter and ¥2,300 online (OSS), and takes 3 to 7 days. Shizuoka also moved to ¥2,400 on 1 April 2026. Other prefectures set their own fee.

### Do I still get the parking certificate sticker?

No. The sticker (保管場所標章) was abolished on 1 April 2025, and the sticker fee is no longer charged. The certificate itself is still required.

### Can a foreigner rent a monthly parking lot in Japan?

The police pages we read set no nationality rule. Times lists a driver's license or My Number Card as ID for individual contracts and does not mention a residence card. Ask the lot manager first.

### What happens if I ignore a parking ticket in Japan?

If the driver cannot be identified, the car's user can be ordered to pay an unattended-parking fine (放置違反金). Late payment adds a fee, and with an unpaid amount you cannot get your inspection certificate back at the car inspection.

## Sources

- [車庫証明 FAQ](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/faq/tetuduki/syako.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [自動車保管場所証明申請](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tetsuzuki/kotsu/hokan/syako_tetsuzuki/jidousha_syomei.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [自動車の保管場所の確保等に関する法律施行令](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/337CO0000000329), e-Gov (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [車庫証明 (保管場所証明)](https://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/police/shinse/kotsu/kiseka/index.html), Shizuoka Prefectural Police (静岡県警察) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [反則行為の種別及び反則金一覧表](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/torishimari/tetsuzuki/hansoku.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [交通違反の点数一覧表](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/torishimari/gyosei/seido/tensu.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [放置駐車違反に対する責任追及の流れ](https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kotsu/torishimari/ihan/nagare.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (警視庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [Times monthly parking: contract flow](https://times-info.net/monthly/info/flow/), Times (タイムズ) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [都内23区の駐車場事情](https://kuruma-news.jp/post/389596), くるまのニュース (secondary source, 2021) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)