To drive in Japan as a visitor you need an international driving permit (IDP) issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, carried with your own licence. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department says a permit under another convention, including the Vienna Convention, is invalid there, even if the country that issued it also signed the 1949 one. You may drive on it for one year from the day you enter Japan. GOV.UK gives UK drivers the same rule and lists Japan as a 1949 country. The Tokyo police also name six places whose licences work with a Japanese translation instead. Below are the pages side by side, then the UK and US routes, the translation case, hire cars and insurance, as read on 17 October 2026. It is not legal advice.
Which permit is valid in Japan
| Source | What it says | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department | Only IDPs issued by a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention, in conformity with it, are recognised | Read 17 October 2026 |
| GOV.UK, IDP country table | Japan: 1949 | Page updated 29 January 2025 |
| GOV.UK, Japan travel advice | You need the 1949 version of the IDP, your UK licence and insurance documents in the car | Page modified 28 August 2026 |
| AAA, list under the 1949 Geneva Convention | Japan is on the list | As of August 2026 |
| UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Geneva Convention | Japan acceded on 7 August 1964 | Read 17 October 2026 |
| UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Vienna Convention | Japan is not among the participants | Read 17 October 2026 |
The police leaflet dates the Vienna convention 1969; the UN record dates it 8 November 1968. Either way, it is the longer-lasting 1968 permit that Japan does not accept. GOV.UK says a 1968 permit lasts 3 years or until your UK licence expires, a 1949 permit 12 months, so check which type you are handed.
How long you can drive on it
The Tokyo police give two limits. The permit is valid for one year from the date of issue, and you may drive on it for one year from the date you entered Japan. GOV.UK puts it as one year regardless of the permit's expiry date. If you are a registered resident of Japan, you must have spent more than three consecutive months overseas before re-entering, under Article 107-2 of the Road Traffic Act: re-enter sooner and you may not drive on the permit, even a new one you got abroad.
For a stay beyond a year, the travel advice points you to applying for a Japanese licence. GOV.UK's Living in Japan page adds that you can convert a valid UK licence to a Japanese one without taking a test, and that for a stay of 12 months or less you can drive on the 1949 IDP, which you should apply for in the UK because you cannot do so from Japan.
From the UK
GOV.UK says you get an IDP in person from certain shops that have PayPoint, for £5.50. You must live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, hold a full UK licence and be 18 or over. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so do it before you fly. The steps and the documents are in how to get an international driving permit, and the three types and the country table are in the international driving permit guide. GOV.UK lists Thailand as a 1968 country, so the type changes with the country: see international driving permit Thailand.
From the US
USAGov says two organisations are authorised by the US Department of State to issue IDPs, AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. It tells you to carry the IDP and your licence, and that an IDP is valid for one year and cannot be renewed. AAA shows a $20 permit fee; online it adds a $10 photo fee and shipping. It may not issue a permit more than six months before the date you want it to start, and a permit that goes with a US licence can only be issued in the USA. The routes and what visitors to the US need are in the US international driving permit guide.
If your licence is from Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland or Taiwan
The Tokyo police sheet "Valid Foreign Driving License in Japan", dated 12 June 2026, says licences issued by the authorities of these six are valid if three conditions hold. A Japanese translation from an authorised body is attached: the issuing authority, the country's embassy or consulate in Japan, the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), the Japan-Taiwan Relations Association for Taiwanese licences, the German Automobile Federation (ADAC) for German ones, ZIPLUS Co., Ltd. or ALADDIN. It is less than one year since you entered Japan. And the three-month rule above is not broken.
Hire cars, insurance and the road
GOV.UK says you could be arrested and fined for driving without the correct documents, and that hire companies often ask for more, such as a year of driving experience and a minimum age. Japan has compulsory insurance and voluntary insurance; the compulsory cover alone may be insufficient in cases of personal liability. The legal limit for alcohol is about a third of the UK limit, and a passenger may face arrest if the police suspect they knew about the driver's drinking. Traffic drives on the left. GOV.UK names pedestrians crossing on green lights, cyclists on the wrong side without lights at night and sudden braking as things to watch for.
What BlitzBuddy does
BlitzBuddy does not check licences or permits, and it does not replace the documents above. Where speed camera warnings are allowed covers the rules by country. BlitzBuddy is free, with no ads and no subscription. It is available for iPhone; the Android version is coming soon. More guides on permits, tolls and low emission zones are collected under driving abroad.
Sources
- Japan travel advice: Safety and security, GOV.UK
- Check if you need an international driving permit (IDP), GOV.UK
- Get an international driving permit (IDP), GOV.UK
- Living in Japan: Driving in Japan, GOV.UK
- Valid International Driving Permit in Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (pdf)
- Valid Foreign Driving License in Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (pdf)
- Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva 1949: status, United Nations Treaty Collection
- Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna 1968: status, United Nations Treaty Collection
- International driver's license for U.S. citizens, USAGov
- International Driving Permit, AAA
- Countries that honor International Driving Permits, AAA (pdf, as of August 2026)
Sources read on 17 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an international driving permit to drive in Japan?
Yes, if your licence is not one of the six the Tokyo police list for a translation. GOV.UK says UK drivers need the 1949 version of the permit plus their UK licence and insurance documents, and could be arrested and fined without the correct documents.
Is the 1968 international driving permit valid in Japan?
No. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department says only permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are recognised, and that a permit under another convention, including the Vienna Convention, is invalid even if the issuing country also signed the 1949 one.
How long can I drive in Japan on an international driving permit?
For one year from the day you enter Japan, according to the Tokyo police. GOV.UK puts it as one year regardless of the permit's expiry date, and says that for a longer stay you should apply for a Japanese licence.
Can I get an international driving permit once I am in Japan?
Not with a UK licence: GOV.UK says you cannot buy one outside the UK. AAA says a permit that goes with a US licence can only be issued in the USA. Get the permit before you fly.
Can I drive in Japan with a German, French or Swiss licence?
Yes, with a Japanese translation from an authorised body. The Tokyo police name licences from Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland and Taiwan, for less than one year from entry. Other licences need the 1949 permit.
