# My Number health insurance card (マイナ保険証): what replaced your insurance card

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/health/my-number-health-insurance-card/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 24, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, Japan has no paper health insurance cards: they expired on 1 December 2025, and clinics stopped accepting expired cards after 31 July 2026. You show a My Number card registered as your health insurance card (マイナ保険証), or the free certificate of eligibility (資格確認書) your insurer sends if you haven't registered. Registration is done once, at a clinic card reader, in the app or at a Seven Bank ATM. On National Health Insurance, a foreign resident's certificate ends no later than their period of stay.

## Key facts

- Paper insurance cards: Invalid since 2 December 2025
- No マイナ保険証?: Show the 資格確認書, sent free
- Register the card: Once: clinic reader, app or ATM
- NHI 資格確認書 expiry: Ends with your period of stay

The My Number health insurance card (マイナ保険証) is your My Number card (マイナンバーカード) registered for health insurance use, and it replaced the paper insurance card. As of October 2026, **paper cards are no longer valid**: they expired on 1 December 2025, and clinics stopped accepting expired ones after 31 July 2026. No My Number card, or not registered? Show the **certificate of eligibility (資格確認書)** your insurer sends you for free.

This page covers the insurance side. How to get the card itself, and how to extend it after a visa renewal, is in [My Number card for foreigners](/life/admin/my-number-card-foreigners/).

## What do I show at a clinic or pharmacy now?

You show one of two things at reception, according to the health ministry (厚生労働省):

| Your situation | What to show | Who sends it |
|---|---|---|
| My Number card registered for insurance | The card, at the card reader | You register once |
| No My Number card, or not registered | 資格確認書 (certificate of eligibility) | Your insurer, free, no application needed |
| Card registered, but the reader fails | The card plus the 資格情報のお知らせ notice or the insurance screen in the My Number app | Your insurer sends the notice |

The **資格確認書** looks different depending on your insurer: size, color and even paper or card format vary. Check that the title says 資格確認書.

The **資格情報のお知らせ** (notice of your insurance details) is not a replacement card. It shows your insurer's symbol and number, and you can't see a doctor with it alone. Use it only together with your My Number card.

If the reader can't confirm your insurance, for example because of equipment trouble or an expired electronic certificate, show your My Number card with the insurance screen in the app. The ministry says this way you don't pay the full 100% at the counter.

**Information in your language:** The health ministry publishes a guide to the マイナ保険証 for foreign residents in 15 languages, including English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian, Tagalog and Myanmar: [multilingual materials](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_51604.html). Card reader screens at clinics are often in Japanese, so a printed guide helps.

## How do I register my My Number card as a health insurance card?

You register **only once**, according to the Digital Agency (デジタル庁). There are three ways:

1. **At a clinic or pharmacy.** Place your card on the face-recognition card reader (顔認証付きカードリーダー), choose registration and follow the screen.
2. **In the app.** Log in to My Number Portal (マイナポータル) and register for health insurance use. The health ministry says the app was renamed マイナアプリ in August 2026.
3. **At a Seven Bank (セブン銀行) ATM** anywhere in Japan.

Some city offices also have a terminal at the insurance counter. You confirm your identity with face recognition or the **4-digit PIN** you set when you got the card.

Since 19 September 2025, compatible facilities also accept a smartphone. On an iPhone you use the My Number card in Apple Wallet. On Android you use the electronic certificate with the 4-digit PIN. Check first whether the clinic supports it.

**What you get:** with the card, the clinic can see past medical and medicine information you agree to share. For a large bill, you don't pay above the monthly high-cost limit at the counter, and you don't need to apply in advance.

**Changed your mind?** You can cancel the registration by applying to your insurer. After cancelling you use a 資格確認書. Inagi City says the change can take about 1 to 2 months to show in My Number Portal.

## Who gets a 資格確認書 (shikaku kakunin sho)?

For now, **everyone without a マイナ保険証 gets one automatically**, with no application, according to the health ministry. That includes foreign residents who never got a My Number card.

People who have a registered card but find it hard to use, for example because of age or disability, can also apply to their insurer for one. A relative or caregiver can apply for them.

**How long it lasts on National Health Insurance:** Meguro and Inagi set the certificate to expire on 31 July 2027 at the latest, or **on the last day of your period of stay (在留期間)** if that comes first. So for most foreign residents on National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), the certificate's date follows the residence card.

## My health insurance card hasn't arrived. Why?

Because no new insurance cards are issued. Since 2 December 2024, insurers send documents instead:

- **New job, Kyokai Kenpo (協会けんぽ):** every new member gets a 資格情報のお知らせ. Members without a マイナ保険証 get a 資格確認書 **30 to 50 days** after the Japan Pension Service confirms the enrollment. Your employer can also request one by ticking the box on the enrollment form (資格取得届).
- **National Health Insurance:** your city sends a 資格確認書 if you have no マイナ保険証, or a 資格情報のお知らせ if you do.

If your card is registered, the Digital Agency says you can use it after a job change or move without waiting for a new card. Your employer or city still has to finish the enrollment first.

If you had to pay 100% because you couldn't show proof, Kyokai Kenpo says you can apply afterward for a refund (療養費) of everything above your normal copay, when you had an unavoidable reason.

## What changes when you switch jobs or move to National Health Insurance?

Your registration stays. You don't register the card again, but you **always have to join the new insurer**. Old coverage ends the day after your last day at work, and Kyokai Kenpo says to return any 資格確認書 you can no longer use. Using one without coverage means paying back the insurer's 70% to 80% share.

Late National Health Insurance enrollment still costs you premiums back to the start date, according to Meguro City. For premiums and the full process, see [National Health Insurance for foreigners](/money/insurance/national-health-insurance-japan-foreigners/). If you are between jobs on a work visa, read [quitting a job in Japan on a visa](/work/jobs/quitting-job-japan-visa/) too.

## What happens to your insurance when you renew your visa?

**On National Health Insurance:** Koto City says you don't need to renew anything after a normal extension of your period of stay. The city mails a new 資格確認書 with a later date, or, if you have a マイナ保険証 and haven't had one yet, a 資格情報のお知らせ.

Two exceptions in Koto's rules:

- **Designated Activities (特定活動):** coverage continues only if your designation (指定書) is not for medical treatment or sightseeing and recreation. Bring your passport and 資格確認書 to the counter.
- **Renewal still pending:** if your 資格確認書 expires while immigration is deciding, Koto can issue one valid for **2 months** after your period-of-stay end date. Show the "application in progress" stamp on the back of your residence card or the online application receipt email.

**Your My Number card also expires with your period of stay**, and you extend it at the city office after each renewal (see [My Number card for foreigners](/life/admin/my-number-card-foreigners/)). Kawasaki City says that if the card or its electronic certificate expires, it still works as a health insurance card until the end of the month 3 months after the expiry date. Kyokai Kenpo sends a 資格確認書 through your employer once 2 months have passed since the end of the month the electronic certificate expired. Renewing early avoids the gap.

What immigration asks about health insurance at the counter is covered in [visa renewal in Japan](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/).

**Rules differ by insurer and city:** Expiry dates, mailing times and counter procedures above come from specific insurers and cities (Kyokai Kenpo, Koto, Meguro, Inagi, Kawasaki). Company health insurance societies (健康保険組合) and other cities can differ. Ask your insurer, or for National Health Insurance, the insurance counter at your city office.

**More guides:** [My Number card for foreigners](/life/admin/my-number-card-foreigners/) · [English-speaking hospitals](/life/health/english-speaking-hospital-japan/) · [National Health Insurance](/money/insurance/national-health-insurance-japan-foreigners/) · [prescription medicine in Japan](/life/health/prescription-medicine-japan/) · [leaving Japan checklist](/visa/leaving/leaving-japan-checklist/)

## Questions people ask

### Can I still use my old paper health insurance card?

No. Paper cards stopped being valid on 1 December 2025, and the temporary acceptance of expired cards at clinics ended on 31 July 2026. Use your registered My Number card or your 資格確認書.

### My health insurance card hasn't arrived. What should I do?

New insurance cards are no longer issued. If your My Number card is registered, use it once your enrollment is done. If not, your insurer sends a 資格確認書: Kyokai Kenpo sends it 30 to 50 days after your enrollment is confirmed, unless your employer asked for it on the enrollment form.

### Do I need to register my My Number card again when I change jobs?

No. You register it as a health insurance card only once. You still have to join the new insurer, which your employer does when you give them your My Number.

### Is the 資格情報のお知らせ the same as the 資格確認書?

No. The 資格情報のお知らせ only shows your insurance details and works together with your My Number card. The 資格確認書 replaces the card for people without a マイナ保険証.

## Sources

- [医療機関・薬局では、マイナ保険証か資格確認書をご提示ください](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/web_magazine/closeup/50.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [マイナンバーカードの健康保険証利用について](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_08277.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [マイナ保険証 多言語版資料](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_51604.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Use of health insurance card in My Number Card](https://digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber/insurance-card), Digital Agency (デジタル庁) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
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- [Notice of National Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate and Eligibility Information](https://www.city.inagi.tokyo.jp/en/kenko/kokuho/1003280/1012919.html), Inagi City (稲城市) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Use of Health Insurance Card with My Number Card](https://www.city.inagi.tokyo.jp/en/kenko/kokuho/1003280/1003281.html), Inagi City (稲城市) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
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