Driving in Japan on an international driving permit: validity, the 3-month rule and translations

An international driving permit (国際運転免許証) lets you drive in Japan for 1 year from the day you land, or until the permit expires if that is sooner. Japan accepts only IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Licenses from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan use a Japanese translation instead. If you live in Japan, the year doesn’t restart when you return from a trip of under 3 months. Rules are as of October 2026.

Can I drive in Japan with an international license?

The National Police Agency (警察庁) says you need one of three documents to drive:

1. a Japanese driver’s license
2. an IDP issued under the Geneva Convention (道路交通に関する条約, signed in 1949)
3. a foreign license with an official Japanese translation, only for the six places listed above

Your home license alone is not enough. JAF adds that IDPs issued under other treaties, such as the 1968 Vienna Convention, are not valid in Japan. Check which convention is printed on your permit before you fly.

Which countries’ IDPs are valid in Japan?

Tokyo police publish a list of Geneva Convention countries, last updated July 2, 2026. It includes, among many others:

Several countries with large communities in Japan are not on the list: China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar and Mongolia. Tokyo police note that other countries may also be parties and not appear, so if your country is missing, ask your license center. Otherwise, getting a Japanese license is the only way to drive: by converting your license or through a driving school.

Two details from the same page:

• Bangladesh and the UAE issue two types of IDP. Only the Geneva-format one is valid in Japan.
• Some Geneva countries don’t issue a Geneva-format IDP at all (as of May 2026), including France, Belgium, Monaco and Russia. Their IDPs don’t work in Japan. France, Belgium and Monaco drivers use the translation route.

Which licenses need a JAF translation instead of an IDP?

Licenses from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan don’t use an IDP in Japan. The NPA says these places don’t issue Geneva IDPs but have licensing systems Japan treats as equivalent. You carry your license plus an official Japanese translation (日本語翻訳文).

Accepted translators are the issuing authority or your embassy or consulate in Japan, JAF, ZIPLUS (ジップラス) and the 訪日運転者支援協会. Taiwan licenses can also be translated by the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, and German licenses by the German automobile club.

At JAF, a translation for driving costs ¥6,000 (tax exempt) and takes about 2 to 3 business days for these six places. You apply online only and must print the original at a convenience store or JAF branch in Japan; a PDF on your phone is not valid. The same 1-year-from-entry limit applies.

How long is an international driving permit valid in Japan?

The rule has two limits, and the shorter one wins:

• 1 year from the day you landed in Japan
• the IDP’s own validity, which is 1 year from its issue date

So if your IDP was issued six months before your trip, you get about six months in Japan, not a year. The NPA says this 1-year period comes from the Geneva Convention itself.

You can’t renew a foreign IDP in Japan. The NPA says each country issues its own permits under the treaty. An IDP also can’t be converted into a Japanese license; only your home license can.

What is the 3-month re-entry rule for residents?

For people registered as residents (in the 住民基本台帳, the basic resident register), the NPA says:

• if you leave Japan with an exit confirmation or a re-entry permit and return in under 3 months, your return date does not start a new 1-year driving period
• if you are away 3 months or more, the day you re-enter starts a new period

So a resident can’t keep driving on an IDP by taking short trips abroad. If you plan to stay in Japan beyond your first year, plan for a Japanese license early. Conversions can take months to book in some prefectures.

Residents vs visitors: what’s the difference?

If you will stay longer than your first year, you need a Japanese license. If you meet the 3-month rule for your home license, you can convert it. If not, look at a driving camp (合宿免許), which takes about two weeks for an AT license.

Can I get an IDP in Japan to drive abroad?

Yes, if you hold a Japanese license. In Tokyo, a Japanese IDP (国外運転免許証) for Geneva countries costs ¥2,250, is valid for 1 year from issue and is usually issued the same day at the Fuchu, Samezu or Koto license centers and other designated offices. It is for driving outside Japan, not inside it.

More guides: converting a foreign license (外免切替), English driving schools, driving camps for foreigners and buying a car as a foreigner.