Driving Licence Translation

In Japan, an international driving licence is not valid for nationals of the following countries: France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Taiwan.

Only nationals of countries that have signed the 1949 Geneva Convention with Japan are allowed to drive in Japan with an International Driving Permit (for a maximum of one year). Note that some countries have signed the Geneva Convention, but issue their international licences on the model of the Vienna Convention. This is the case for France, for example, whose international licences are not valid in Japan.

If your driving licence was issued by one of the countries above, you'll need an official Japanese translation of your licence from the JAF (Japanese Automobile Association). To make it easier for you when organizing your trip, we can take care of this process for you!

Turnaround time

• It takes a minimum of 6 weeks from booking confirmation to delivery.

Useful information

• Your driving licence translation is taken care of in Japan by the Japanese Automobile Association (JAF).
• Once in Japan, you will need your original driving licence AND the translation we provide in order to drive.

What we need to translate your driving licence

1. Your home address and phone number.  Please note that we need contact details with which we can easily reach you in the event of any issues with your translation.
2. The date on which you plan to leave for Japan.
3. A double-sided color scan of your driving licence. You will receive an email once the order has been confirmed, with instructions for where and how to upload it.

Please note the following conditions:

• the scan must be a maximum of 1 page for front side and 1 page for back side
• it must be of sufficient resolution quality
• the entire driving licence must be scanned in full
• the licence must be legible, the photo and the stamp must be clearly visible
• the licence must be scanned without its plastic cover when possible

Should we be unable to translate your driving licence due to an issue with your scans, and if we are unable to contact you after several attempts, we reserve the right to cancel your order up to two weeks before the deadline and issue a refund.

The advantages of our driving licence translation service

• Our bilingual team of specialists on site in Japan will take care of the process.
• You will not have to deal with international calls or deliveries.
• In the event of a problem, our team will also take care of following up your file with JAF in Japan.
• Quick and easy, all you have to do is provide us with a color photocopy of your driving licence and your translation will be waiting for you in our agency, or will be sent to your home.

Before placing your order, please read the terms and conditions of the driving licence translation service carefully.