Selling or scrapping your car in Japan: transfer, deregistration and tax

To sell a car in Japan, you change the registered owner (移転登録) at the transport branch (運輸支局). A regular car needs the seller’s seal certificate (印鑑証明) issued within 3 months. Selling does not bring a car tax refund: only deregistration (抹消登録) does. Compulsory insurance (自賠責) is refunded only after deregistration. The same steps apply to foreign residents, whatever your visa. Details are as of October 2026.

How do I sell my car in Japan as a foreigner?

Nationality does not matter. The registered owner on the 車検証 (vehicle inspection certificate) transfers the car, and the buyer or a proxy files the application. The Aomori Transport Branch (青森運輸支局) lists what the seller provides for a regular car:

• a seal certificate issued within 3 months
• the registered seal (実印), or a power of attorney sealed with it
• a transfer certificate (譲渡証明書) sealed with the 実印
• the 車検証

The buyer brings their own seal certificate and a parking certificate. A car whose inspection (車検) has expired can’t change owner. Someone else, such as a dealer, can file for you with a sealed power of attorney, but you still provide the certificates.

If you have never registered a seal, do it first at your city office. See buying a car in Japan as a foreigner for how foreign residents register a seal.

What if I sell a kei car?

A kei car (軽自動車) is registered with the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization (軽自動車検査協会) instead. The organization’s page says the original 車検証 is required (copies are not accepted). Proof of the new user’s address, issued within 3 months, is needed if the user or address changes. The fee for changing the record is free.

The office that handles it is the one covering the new user’s base of use. If a dealer or loan company is the registered owner, get their consent first.

Do I get my car tax back when I sell?

No. Chiba Prefecture says no monthly refund of the annual car tax (自動車税) is made when the owner changes. For a mid-year transfer, that year’s tax is owed by whoever owned the car on 1 April. The new owner’s liability starts the next fiscal year.

That matters when you set the price: the tax office will not return unused months on a sale. A refund comes only from deregistration (see below). Chiba’s page covers prefectural tax on regular cars. Kei car tax is handled by your city, and the page does not cover it. Ask your city office.

How do I scrap a car and deregister it?

Scrapping uses permanent deregistration (永久抹消登録). The Niigata Transport Branch (新潟運輸支局) lists:

• the 車検証 and an application form
• the owner’s seal certificate (印鑑証明書) and the number plates
• the recycling movement report number (移動報告番号)
• a power of attorney if an agent applies
• papers showing any name or address change

You can’t file until you have received the notice that the car was dismantled (解体報告), which the dismantler or collector (引取業者) arranges. If you want to keep the car off the road but not scrap it, temporary deregistration (一時抹消登録) exists. Aomori lists the owner’s seal certificate issued within 3 months, the plates, the 車検証 and a form. The official page doesn’t show its fee, so ask the branch.

Which refunds can I get?

Car tax. Chiba pays back the months from the month after deregistration through March. A notice arrives about two months later. For example, a regular car deregistered in October gets the months November to March back.

Weight tax. The Niigata page says the refund must be requested together with the permanent deregistration, only by the final owner, for the unexpired 車検 period. It needs your My Number or a corporate number, and it is paid by bank or post office transfer.

Compulsory insurance. You cancel with the insurer after deregistration. Aioi Nissay Dowa says nothing is refunded when less than 1 month remains, cancellation is by post only, and the cancellation date is the day it receives your papers. Sompo Japan accepts documents such as a 一時抹消登録証明書, and says a dismantling certificate (解体証明書) does not count as proof.

What about the recycling fee (リサイクル料金)?

The Ministry of the Environment says the recycling fee is normally paid when a new car is bought. If it wasn’t, it’s paid when the car is handed to a collector. Ordinary vehicles cost about ¥6,000 to ¥18,000, and you can look up your amount on the 自動車リサイクルシステム website.

Keep the recycling slips (リサイクル券, also called 預託証明書) with the 車検証: the ministry says they are needed for inspections and when a scrapped car is handed over. We could not confirm from an official page how the fee is handled in a private sale, so agree it with the buyer in writing.

What if I am leaving Japan?

Do the car first. A regular-car transfer needs a seal certificate. Ask your city office when it can still issue one before you file your move-out, and get it and the other papers first. The leaving Japan checklist lists the order of other tasks.

Cancel your 任意保険 (voluntary insurance) too. We did not check refund rules for it. If you only need a car sometimes, car sharing can replace owning one.

More guides: buying a car, car insurance, car sharing, leaving Japan checklist.