The 1949 Geneva Convention International Permit

If you are not from one of the countries listed above, you must be from a country that is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention. In that case, you will need a valid official International Driving Permit (IDP) along with your passport to drive in Japan.

  • Not Valid in Japan

    Original licenses and unofficial or digital IDPs are not valid for driving in Japan.
    Beware of fake international driving permits sold online, they are not valid in Japan.

  • 1949 IDP Only

    Only IDPs in booklet form with “1949” printed on the cover are accepted.

    Paper licenses without “1949” printed on the cover are not valid.

  • Validity Period

    The IDP is valid for one year from the date of issue and must be used within one year of entry into Japan. Learn more here

  • Must Show License Type

    The IDP must show appropriate license categories (A, B, C, D, or E) and include official stamps, especially in section B.

  • Format matters

    Digital or card-format driver’s licenses are not accepted for driving in Japan.

  • No Fake IDPs

    IDPs issued by unauthorized organizations or purchased online as digital/card versions are not valid and may be fraudulent.

Signatories of the 1949 Geneva Convention

AFRICA

Central Africa

  • Central African Republic
  • Congo
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

East Africa

  • Malawi
  • Rwanda
  • Uganda

North Africa

  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia

Southern Africa

  • Botswana
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

West Africa

  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Ghana
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Togo

AMERICA

Central America & Caribbean

  • Aruba
  • Barbados
  • Cayman Islands
  • Curacao
  • Cuba
  • Dominican Republic
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Jamaica
  • Saint Martin
  • Trinidad and Tobago

North America

  • Canada
  • United States

South America

  • Argentina
  • Chile
  • Ecuador
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Venezuela

ASIA

East Asia

  • Hong Kong
  • Macau
  • Republic of Korea

Southeast Asia

  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cambodia
  • Laos (Lao People’s Democratic Republic)
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand

South Asia

  • Bangladesh
  • India

EUROPE

Eastern Europe

  • Bulgaria
  • Czech Republic
  • Georgia
  • Hungary
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Poland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Estonia
  • Lithuania
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Montenegro

Northern Europe

  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom

Southern Europe

  • Albania
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Malta
  • San Marino
  • Slovenia
  • Spain

Western Europe

  • Austria
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Vatican

MIDDLE EAST

  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Bahrain
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Syrian Arab Republic

PACIFIC

  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • New Zealand
  • Papua New Guinea

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

  • French Overseas Territories (French Polynesia, etc.)
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Territories of the United States (Guam, Puerto Rico, etc.)

Alternative Driver’s Licenses Recognized by Japan

Drivers holding a license from specific countries may be allowed to drive in Japan, provided they carry an official Japanese translation issued by the JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) or approved authority. To learn more, please see the details below.

Taiwan

Passport with foreign driving license issued by Taiwan, and a translation provided by an authorized organization:

A translation can be provided by:

  • JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)
  • ROC-Taiwan
  • East Asia Relations Commission

Western Europe

A passport along with a foreign driving license issued by one of the following countries : Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Estonia, Slovenia or Monaco — is valid for driving in Japan, provided that an official Japanese translation of the license is included. Learn more here

A translation can be provided by JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)

Drivers license from the EU is not allowed to drive in Japan

US Armed Forces Member

A U.S. military ID card along with a valid U.S. driver’s license is not enough to drive in Japan on its own.
Members of the U.S. Forces, civilians, and their dependents stationed in Japan must obtain the official SODA Driving license (U.S. Forces Japan Operator’s Permit) to drive legally.

Japanese Driver’s License

To join our activity as a Japanese participant, a regular Japanese car driving license is all you need.

Countries Whose Licenses Are Not Valid in Japan

If you are not from one of the countries listed above, unfortunately, you cannot drive in Japan and therefore cannot participate in our tour as a driver.

If your license is not valid for driving in Japan, no worries! You can still enjoy the experience by joining the tour as a non-driver in our guide’s regular car! It follows the same scenic route as the mini car tour with amazing views, photo stops, and all the fun included! For more informations click here