Gaimen50-question practice tests in the real exam formatInternational Driving Permit vs License Conversion in Japan
Updated: 2026-10
An international driving permit (IDP, 国際運転免許証) only lets you drive temporarily in Japan on your foreign license — until one year after you landed or until the IDP expires, whichever comes first. Japan recognizes only IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, so IDPs from countries such as Vietnam and China are not valid. To keep driving long term, you need to convert to a Japanese license (外免切替).
IDP vs license conversion
An IDP is a temporary permission to drive in Japan on a foreign license (Road Traffic Act, Article 107-2); it is not a Japanese license. License conversion is the procedure in which a foreign license holder is exempted from parts of Japan's exams and receives an actual Japanese license.
| International driving permit | Conversion (Japanese license) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Driving on your foreign license | Getting a Japanese license |
| How long | 1 year from landing or IDP expiry, whichever is earlier | Validity of the Japanese license (renewable) |
| Who can use it | Holders of Geneva Convention IDPs, etc. | Any foreign license holder can apply |
| Procedure in Japan | None | Document check, knowledge test, driving test, etc. |
| Residence record (住民票) | Not needed | Required since Oct 2025 (limited exceptions) |
Which permits are valid in Japan
Only IDPs in the Annex 9 or Annex 10 format of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic are valid in Japan. IDPs based on the Paris, Washington or Vienna conventions — which Japan has not joined — are not valid (National Police Agency guidelines).
As an exception, six countries and regions that do not issue Geneva IDPs — Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan — can drive in Japan on their national license plus a Japanese translation prepared by a designated body (National Police Agency).
You can drive for up to one year from landing
You may drive only while both conditions are met. Once either one ends, you can no longer drive.
- Your IDP is still valid. An Annex 10 IDP is valid for one year from the date of issue
- No more than one year has passed since you landed in Japan. If you come and go, it counts from your most recent landing
- However, if you are registered as a resident (住民票) and leave with a re-entry permit or similar, then return within less than 3 months, that return does not restart the one-year period
- If you obtain an IDP while already in Japan, the period still counts from your landing date, not from the date you got the IDP
Vietnamese and Chinese IDPs can't be used
Vietnam is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention and issues Vienna-format IDPs, which Japan lists as not valid for driving (National Police Agency IDP reference, June 2026). The UN still lists Viet Nam as a Geneva party, but Vietnam's Ministry of Transport told Japan that this accession was made by the former South Vietnamese government (same document).
Mainland China is not on the UN list of Geneva Convention parties, so a Chinese IDP cannot be used to drive in Japan either.
Holders of Vietnamese or Chinese licenses therefore need to convert to a Japanese license to drive in Japan.
When IDP holders should start converting
Starting the conversion before your driving period ends makes it easier to keep driving without a gap. The National Police Agency's guidelines tell police to have IDP holders apply about one month before their driving period ends, and to issue the Japanese license as close as possible to that end date. Some prefectures, however, have waits of several months for the driving test, so check booking availability early.
To apply for conversion you need your original national license, not the IDP. Kanagawa police ask applicants who hold an IDP to bring it along as well.
Use your IDP year to prepare for the knowledge test
An IDP covers one year at most. Since October 2025 the conversion knowledge test has 50 questions and you need 45 correct, so it takes real preparation. menkyopass mock exams let you practice in English in the actual format.
FAQ
Q. How long can I drive in Japan with an international driving permit?
A. Up to one year from the day you landed, or until the IDP expires if that is sooner. Registered residents who leave Japan for less than 3 months do not get a new one-year period on return.
Q. Is a Vienna Convention IDP valid in Japan?
A. No. Japan only recognizes Geneva Convention (1949) IDPs. Vienna, Paris and Washington convention permits are not valid.
Q. Can I apply for conversion with only an IDP?
A. No. You need your original license issued by your home country and a Japanese translation of it.
Q. Can I convert after my IDP period has ended?
A. Yes, but you cannot drive until the Japanese license is issued. Police guidelines recommend applying about one month before your driving period ends.