Tokyo pickup options
- Best for
- Airport, station or city starts for the regional drive.
- Trade-off
- A car held through city nights can add parking.
International Driving Permit Japan
Permit route1949Geneva bookletOriginalDriving licencePassportEntry evidence
Translation routeApprovedJapanese translationOriginalEligible licencePassportEntry evidence
Check your driving documents
Use the licence country, even when your passport is from somewhere else.
Check my driving dates
A short departure may not restart your driving period.
Your document route
Start with your licence country
Select a country to see the documents to arrange before travelling.
Your pickup checklist
0 of 5 readyThe routes follow Japanese police guidance and JAF’s document rules. A route is conditional on the actual document, class and dates; it is not rental approval.
Choose where your driving starts
Osaka pickup options
- Best for
- A driving stage after a flight or rail arrival.
- Trade-off
- The airport and station use different office routes.
What's covered5
Use the country printed on your driving licence to find your document route. A passport from another country does not change the licence you will present at the rental counter.
Which driving documents does Japan accept?
Visitors usually use one of two foreign-document routes: a genuine 1949 Geneva Convention permit, or an approved Japanese translation attached to a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan. A valid Japanese driving licence is a separate route.
The National Police Agency’s guidance sets out the legal routes and the allowed driving period. A rental company also checks its own age, payment and vehicle conditions. A booking confirmation does not replace either check.
Treaty membership is only the first check
Some treaty members do not issue the permit Japan accepts. Others remain under investigation in the police’s published list. The country reference below keeps these cases separate. For an unresolved entry, give a Japanese police licence office the actual issuing country, issuer and booklet format before reserving a car.
The United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh issue more than one permit type. Only the document matching the 1949 Geneva format qualifies. A 1968 Vienna permit, a digital-only card or an unauthorised “international licence” does not become valid because its seller lists Japan.
Check the booklet and vehicle category
Read the treaty on the booklet: it must identify the Convention on Road Traffic of 19 September 1949. Check your name, photograph, permitted vehicle categories, issue date and expiry. Get errors corrected by the issuer before travelling.
For a normal passenger car, check that your stamped category covers it. A larger vehicle can require a different category. Toyota requires category D for its W4 and BUS2 passenger classes. Read the ten-seater guide before choosing a large van; a home licence for an ordinary car is not enough by itself.
Carry the original licence, original permit or approved translation, passport and the supplier’s accepted entry evidence. A photograph or application receipt is useful as a backup, but it does not replace the documents used at pickup.
How long can you drive after arriving?
For the IDP route, the driving period is limited by the permit’s validity and one year from landing. The home licence must also stay valid. For the translation route, use the earlier of the licence expiry and the one-year landing limit.
The planner compares the dates you enter. It does not extend a permit or approve a document. If the limit falls during your rental, shorten the driving period or resolve the documents before booking. An extension to the rental contract does not extend your legal driving period.
If you are on Japan’s Basic Resident Register and return within three months of leaving, the latest entry may not restart the period. Use the re-entry checkbox and seek a case-specific answer from the police licence office. An ordinary tourist’s date calculation cannot settle a resident’s entry history.
Arrange the document before your trip
Apply to the authorised issuer for the licence you hold. Allow time to receive and inspect the physical document. An online application can be legitimate when it delivers the proper booklet; a digital-only “international licence” is different.
| Licence | Where to start | Preparation guide |
|---|---|---|
| United States | AAA’s current IDP application route | US documents and delivery |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK’s listed PayPoint route; request the 1949 permit | UK licence checklist |
| Singapore | Automobile Association of Singapore | Singapore application steps |
| Six translation jurisdictions | An issuer recognised for that licence | Check the original licence and accepted paper translation together |
JAF’s translation guidance explains its application service and the distinction between a visitor’s translation and resident licence conversion. A translation used for conversion does not automatically create a visitor driving route for an otherwise ineligible licence.
Make the rental desk check straightforward
Check every intended driver separately. Name each one under the rental contract and confirm the accepted payment card, vehicle class and pickup office. Resolve a renewed licence or changed surname with the issuer and supplier before the trip.
After an automated immigration gate, make sure you still have the entry evidence the rental company accepts. Toyota asks for a landing stamp or its stated alternative. The rules for the documents and the rental company’s evidence check are separate requirements.
Keep your checklist with the booking, then choose the office in the Japan rental guide or the Haneda pickup reference.
Japan driving documents by country
Every entry in the police’s country and territory table is included, alongside the six translation jurisdictions and the separate rules for mainland China, Indonesia, Brazil and Vietnam. Treaty membership alone does not prove that an accepted permit is issued.
114 countries and territories
| Licence issued in | Document route | Check before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Algeria | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Argentina | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Australia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Austria | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Bahrain | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Bangladesh | 1949 Geneva permit | Police confirms two permit types are issued. Only the one matching the 1949 Geneva format qualifies; inspect the booklet, not just the issuing country. Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Barbados | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Belgium | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Benin | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Botswana | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Brazil | Japanese driving licence needed | Brazil is outside the 1949 Geneva route and the six-jurisdiction Japanese-translation route. A Brazilian licence and Vienna-format permit do not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan; a Japanese licence is needed. |
| Brunei | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Bulgaria | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Burkina Faso | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Cambodia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Canada | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Central African Republic | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Chile | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| China (mainland) | Japanese driving licence needed | A mainland Chinese licence is outside Japan’s 1949-permit and six-jurisdiction translation routes. A private “international licence” or translation does not change that. A Japanese driving licence is needed; Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have separate entries. |
| Croatia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Cuba | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Cyprus | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Czechia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Denmark | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Dominican Republic | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Ecuador | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Egypt | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Estonia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Fiji | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Finland | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| France | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Georgia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Germany | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Ghana | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Gibraltar | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Greece | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Guatemala | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Guernsey | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Haiti | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Hong Kong | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Hungary | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Iceland | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| India | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Indonesia | Japanese driving licence needed | The Japanese embassy states that Indonesia’s Vienna-format IDP and an Indonesian licence with a translation are not valid visitor driving documents in Japan. A Japanese driving licence is a separate procedure. |
| Ireland | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Isle of Man | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Israel | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Italy | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Jamaica | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Japan | Japanese driving licence | Use your valid Japanese driving licence and the documents required by your rental company. |
| Jersey | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Jordan | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Laos | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Lebanon | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Lesotho | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Liechtenstein | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Lithuania | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Luxembourg | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Macao | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Madagascar | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Malawi | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Malaysia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Mali | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Malta | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Monaco | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Montenegro | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Morocco | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Namibia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Netherlands | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| New Zealand | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Niger | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Nigeria | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Norway | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Papua New Guinea | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Paraguay | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Peru | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Philippines | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Poland | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Portugal | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Republic of the Congo | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Romania | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Russia | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Rwanda | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| San Marino | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Senegal | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Serbia | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
| Sierra Leone | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Singapore | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Slovakia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Slovenia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| South Africa | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| South Korea | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Spain | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Sri Lanka | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Sweden | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Switzerland | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Syria | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Taiwan | Approved Japanese translation | Carry your original licence, an approved Japanese translation and passport. A private translation or digital copy does not replace the accepted documents. |
| Thailand | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Togo | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Tunisia | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Turkey | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Uganda | 1949 Geneva permit | Police notes a difference between Uganda’s treaty response and the UN list. Confirm the actual 1949-format permit before booking. Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| United Arab Emirates | 1949 Geneva permit | Police confirms two permit types are issued. Only the one matching the 1949 Geneva format qualifies; inspect the booklet, not just the issuing country. Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| United Kingdom | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| United States | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Vatican City | 1949 Geneva permit | Obtain a genuine 1949 Geneva-format booklet from the authorised issuer. Carry it with your original licence and passport; check vehicle class, dates and rental terms. |
| Venezuela | Confirm with Japanese police | Police records the treaty or permit-issuance check as unanswered or under investigation. Obtain confirmation for your actual permit from the Japanese police licence office before booking. |
| Vietnam | Japanese driving licence needed | Vietnam’s permit uses the 1968 Vienna system, which Japan does not accept. Vietnam is not one of the six translation jurisdictions. A Japanese licence is needed for driving in Japan. |
| Zimbabwe | 1949 permit not issued | Police lists this country as not issuing the 1949 Geneva-format IDP. Its IDP does not provide the visitor route to drive in Japan. A Japanese licence is a separate route. |
No matching country. Choose “Another country or territory” in the planner and confirm the actual document with Japanese police; an absent entry is not a refusal or permission.
Download country reference CSV