# Hanko for foreigners: when you need one, how to make it and inkan registration

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/admin/hanko-for-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 24, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, most foreign residents can live in Japan without a hanko, but you need a registered seal (実印) and a seal certificate to register a car or property and for some leases. Any resident with a 住民票, aged 15 or older, can register one at the city office. The seal must show your name as it appears on the 住民票: alphabet, a registered katakana name, a registered alias or your kanji name, between 8mm and 25mm.

## Key facts

- Who can register: Residents with a 住民票, 15 or older
- Name on the seal: Only as written on your 住民票
- Seal size: Between 8mm and 25mm
- Seal certificate: ¥300 in Chuo City

A hanko for foreigners is optional for most daily life, but you need a **registered seal (実印) to register a car or property**, and some landlords ask for one, as of October 2026. Any foreign resident with a certificate of residence (住民票), aged 15 or older, can register a seal at the city office. The seal must show your name **exactly as your 住民票 records it**: alphabet, a registered katakana name, a registered alias or your kanji name.

**Who can register a seal:** Residents with a 住民票, aged 15 or older (Age rule as set by Ota, Chuo and Hamamatsu. Short-term visitors and people without legal status can't register (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications).)

This page covers the practical steps. For why Japan still uses seals at all, and how far the government has cut them back, see [why Japan still runs on fax, hanko and cash](/life/admin/why-japan-still-uses-fax-hanko-cash/).

## Do foreigners need a hanko in Japan?

Often not, because the law doesn't require one for most contracts. A 2020 Q&A from the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice and METI says a contract is formed by agreement, and **leaving it unsealed doesn't affect its validity** unless a rule says otherwise. The Code of Civil Procedure treats a signature (署名) and a seal (押印) the same way: either one makes a private document presumed genuine.

Government forms also dropped most seals. In November 2020 the Cabinet Office said 14,909 of 14,992 procedures that asked for a seal were being abolished or prepared for abolition. The 83 that kept one are procedures such as those needing a seal certificate, a registration (登記・登録) or a seal registered with a bank.

So the cases where you still meet a seal are the ones where it proves who you are: property, cars, some leases and some bank accounts.

## What is the difference between jitsuin, ginkoin and mitomein?

| Type | What it is | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Registered seal (実印, jitsuin) | The one seal you register at your city office | Car and real-estate registration, notarial deeds, some leases, with a seal certificate |
| Bank seal (銀行印, ginkōin) | A seal you register with one bank for one account | Counter transactions and forms at that bank |
| Plain seal (認印, mitomein) | Any unregistered seal | Everyday paperwork; dropped from government procedures because it doesn't prove identity |

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省) says registered seals are legally required for real-estate registration, car registration and notarial deeds (公正証書). The seal proves your identity only together with the seal registration certificate (印鑑登録証明書) that the city issues.

## Which name can go on a hanko for foreigners?

For a registered seal, the rule is simple: **the seal must match a name on your 住民票**. Your city decides the details under its own seal ordinance, so a seal one city accepted can be refused in the next (Ota City says this directly).

| Your name on the 住民票 | What the seal can show |
|---|---|
| Alphabet name (from your residence card) | Full name, surname only, or given names, e.g. CLARK, or THOMAS ANDREW |
| Katakana name in the remarks column (備考欄) | Full katakana name, surname or given name, e.g. クラーク or トーマス |
| Alias (通称) in brackets in the name field | The full alias, its surname, its given name, or a mix of parts of both |
| Kanji name (only if your residence card shows one) | The kanji on your residence card; simplified forms if they represent the same standard characters |

Ota City's guide uses the name CLARK THOMAS ANDREW and refuses these:

- **initials only**, such as CTA
- **part of a name**, such as THOM
- nicknames, pen names or an alias that isn't on your 住民票
- self-styled signature lettering, pictures or patterns
- impressions smaller than 8mm or larger than 25mm across

Chuo City adds that rubber stamps and stamp-type seals that deform easily, and a seal already registered by someone in your household, can't be registered.

**Katakana and aliases come first:** A katakana or alias seal is accepted only after that name is on your 住民票. Hamamatsu and Chuo both say so. Add the name at the resident records desk before you order the seal, or order the seal in the alphabet spelling on your residence card.

### How do I add a katakana name or alias to my 住民票?

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications allows residents from alphabet-using countries to have a katakana form of their name written in the remarks column of the 住民票. Hamamatsu offers the katakana route to people from countries that don't use Chinese characters (kanji). Ask at the resident records counter (住民記録係).

An alias is stricter. Koto City asks for **2 or more documents showing you already use the alias**, such as an employment certificate, and allows only kanji, hiragana and katakana. Once recorded, the alias can't be changed except after a change such as marriage, so choose carefully. Your certificate of residence page explains the rest of the 住民票: [certificate of residence (住民票)](/life/admin/juminhyo-certificate-of-residence/).

## How do I register a hanko as a foreigner (印鑑登録)?

In Chuo City, your residence card (在留カード) is enough for same-day registration: the ward lists it with the My Number card, passport and driver's license as photo ID. Without photo ID, the ward mails an inquiry form to your registered address and you bring it back **within 30 days**, so registration takes two visits.

Costs vary by city. Registration is ¥50 in Chuo City and free in Hamamatsu (¥350 to re-register). A seal certificate costs **¥300 per copy** in Chuo City.

**Keep the registration card safe:** Chuo City won't issue a certificate without the seal registration card, even to you in person. Anyone holding your card can request a certificate without a letter of attorney, so keep the card and the seal apart.

If you have a My Number card, you can also print the seal certificate at a convenience store. See [My Number card for foreigners](/life/admin/my-number-card-foreigners/).

### What happens to my seal registration when I move or leave Japan?

The city erases your registration when you file a moving-out notification (転出届). Register again at your new city office after you move: see [moving within Japan](/life/admin/moving-within-japan-address-change/). If you're leaving Japan, get any certificate you need before your moving-out date, as covered in the [leaving Japan checklist](/visa/leaving/leaving-japan-checklist/).

## Where is a hanko still needed, and where does a signature work?

| Situation | Seal needed? |
|---|---|
| Buying or selling a regular car | Yes: registered seal and seal certificate. See [buying a car in Japan](/driving/cars/buying-a-car-in-japan-foreigner/). |
| Real-estate registration, mortgage | Yes: registered seal; SMBC requires a bank seal for a housing loan application |
| UR rental housing contract | Registered seal and certificate, **or** a consulate signature certificate; no seal certificate if you sign in person with photo ID |
| Bank account | Depends on the bank and route (below) |
| Most government forms | Usually no: in 2020 the government decided to drop seals from 14,909 of 14,992 procedures |

### Do I need a hanko for a bank account?

Not at every bank. **SMBC's app opens a seal-less account (印鑑レス口座)** with a residence card as ID, and at the branch your SMBC card (cash card or Olive card) plus PIN replaces the bank seal. SMBC still asks you to register a seal for a housing loan application and for forms going to other financial institutions.

MUFG's seal-less account also uses an IC cash card instead of a seal at the counter, but its account-opening app **can't be used by people without Japanese nationality**, according to its page dated 17 October 2025. Bank-by-bank requirements are in [bank accounts for foreigners](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/).

## Can a consulate signature certificate (署名証明) replace a hanko?

Sometimes. Some embassies in Tokyo issue a signature certificate (署名証明) that confirms your signature, for people with no registered seal. The Embassy of Denmark, for example, issues one to Danish citizens in person by appointment, for use with contracts in Japan. Services differ by country, so check your own embassy's consular page.

Who accepts it:

- **UR rental housing** lists a signature certificate from a consulate as an alternative to the registered seal and seal certificate for foreign nationals without a seal custom. If you come to sign in person with photo ID and hand over a copy, UR doesn't need the seal certificate at all.
- **Company registration**: the Ministry of Justice accepts a signature certificate from your home country's embassy in Japan or a home-country notary.
- **Cars and real estate**: we found no official page confirming acceptance from foreign residents. Ask the Land Transport Bureau (運輸支局) or the legal affairs bureau (法務局) first, or a judicial scrivener (司法書士) for property.

**When a registered seal is simpler:** If you have a 住民票, registering a seal costs ¥50 or less in the two cities above, and it is the document car and property registration are built around. The signature certificate is the fallback when you have no registered seal.

More guides: [why Japan still uses fax, hanko and cash](/life/admin/why-japan-still-uses-fax-hanko-cash/), [certificate of residence (住民票)](/life/admin/juminhyo-certificate-of-residence/), [bank accounts for foreigners](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/), [buying a car in Japan](/driving/cars/buying-a-car-in-japan-foreigner/).

## Questions people ask

### Can a foreigner register a hanko in Japan?

Yes, if you have a resident record (住民票) in that city and are 15 or older. Short-term visitors and people without legal status can't register a seal.

### Can my hanko be in English letters?

Yes. Chuo City says foreign residents register in the alphabet on their residence card. A katakana or alias seal is accepted only after that name is recorded on your 住民票.

### Can I use initials or a nickname on my hanko?

Not for a registered seal. Ota City refuses initials only, part of a name such as THOM, and names that aren't on your 住民票.

### Do I need a hanko to open a bank account?

Not always. SMBC's app opens a seal-less account (印鑑レス口座) with a residence card, and at the branch your SMBC card plus PIN replaces the seal. MUFG's account-opening app is not open to non-Japanese nationals, so foreigners apply at a branch.

### What if I don't have a registered seal?

Some counterparties accept a signature certificate from your embassy or consulate instead. UR rental housing does, and the Ministry of Justice accepts one for company registration. Ask the receiving office first.

## Sources

- [外国人住民に係る印鑑登録証明事務の取扱いについて](https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000105089.pdf), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [外国籍の方の印鑑登録について](https://www.city.ota.tokyo.jp/seikatsu/koseki_j/gaikoku/shomesho/gaikokujininkantou.files/gaikokusekiinnkannjp.pdf), Ota City (大田区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [印鑑登録について](https://www.city.chuo.lg.jp/a0012/kurashi/touroku/inkantouroku/inkan.html), Chuo City (中央区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [本人が印鑑登録をするとき](https://www.city.chuo.lg.jp/a0012/kurashi/touroku/inkantouroku/honnin.html), Chuo City (中央区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [印鑑登録証明書が必要なときは](https://www.city.chuo.lg.jp/a0012/kurashi/touroku/inkantouroku/shoumeisho.html), Chuo City (中央区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Legal procedures: Inkan registration](https://www.city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp/hamaeng/02life/02_5.html), Hamamatsu City (浜松市) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [外国人住民の住民基本台帳制度 (通称の記載)](https://www.city.koto.lg.jp/060301/kurashi/jumin/gaikoku/houkaisei.html), Koto City (江東区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [押印についてのＱ＆Ａ (2020年6月19日)](https://www8.cao.go.jp/kisei-kaikaku/kisei/imprint/document/200619document01.pdf), Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice and METI (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [河野内閣府特命担当大臣記者会見要旨 令和2年11月13日](https://www.cao.go.jp/minister/2009_t_kono/kaiken/20201113kaiken.html), Cabinet Office (内閣府) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [印鑑レス口座のご案内](https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/special/inkanless/), SMBC (三井住友銀行) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [印鑑レス口座について](https://www.bk.mufg.jp/tsukau/inkanless/index.html), MUFG Bank (三菱UFJ銀行) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [必要書類](https://www.ur-net.go.jp/chintai/rent/documents/), UR Urban Renaissance Agency (UR都市機構) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Procedures of commercial and corporation registration for foreign nationals and expatriates](https://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/m_minji06_00004.html), Ministry of Justice (法務省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Attester og certifikater](https://um.dk/japan/rejse-og-ophold/laengere-ophold/attester-og-certifikater/), Embassy of Denmark in Japan (accessed Oct 24, 2026)