Japan Rental Car Guide: Licences, Costs and Driving

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

Before booking a rental car in Japan, confirm that every driver has documents accepted for driving in Japan, compare the rental company’s coverage and exclusions, and plan for tolls, fuel and parking. A car can make an itinerary more flexible when it involves several stops or luggage, but it also brings extra costs and responsibilities. Compare the complete rental plan with the train journey you could take instead, rather than looking at the rental price alone.

This guide covers the documents, charges and practical steps described by the National Police Agency, rental companies and expressway operators. Rules and product terms can differ between providers, so use the linked official guidance and the agreement for your own booking. Prices and terms below are those stated in the cited sources, checked on November 3, 2026 where noted.

1. Check Your Driving Documents

Confirm which document route applies to you before paying for a rental. Japan’s National Police Agency describes three routes: a valid Japanese driving licence, a qualifying International Driving Permit (IDP), or an eligible foreign licence accompanied by an approved Japanese translation. A foreign licence on its own is not a general substitute for these documents. Read the National Police Agency’s guidance for people with foreign licences and check that the document covers the vehicle you intend to drive.

For an IDP, the Police Agency says a digital display on a smartphone is not sufficient: carry the paper original, and check that the vehicle category you need is shown. The permit must have been issued by a competent authority in a Geneva Convention member country. Its validity as a permit is one year from the date of issue, but the period in which it can be used to drive in Japan is governed by the shorter of one year from your landing date and the document’s validity; see the Police Agency’s IDP information.

If you plan to use an eligible foreign licence and translation, check the current Police Agency list and who is authorised to prepare the translation. The listed places are Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan; the translation must be produced by an issuer designated in the guidance, such as a relevant issuing authority or consular organisation. The Police Agency specifically says that a foreign statutory translator is not an eligible translation issuer simply by virtue of that status. Confirm the required translation before travelling, rather than assuming that a translation prepared for another purpose will be accepted.

The permitted driving period for a qualifying IDP or eligible foreign licence is the shorter of one year from landing in Japan and the validity period of the document. There is also a special rule for certain people recorded in Japan’s Basic Resident Register: if they leave Japan under the specified procedures and return in less than three months, that return does not start a new driving period. Because the rule depends on the person’s circumstances and departure procedure, check the Police Agency’s explanation if it may apply to you.

Rental-company requirements are separate from the legal document rules. Toyota Rent a Car asks customers presenting an IDP or foreign licence to show a passport at pickup, and it requires a valid credit card for online reservation payment; it does not accept debit or prepaid cards under its stated policy. Some Toyota vehicle classes also require credit-card payment, so check the terms for the class you are booking and confirm the documents for every driver, not just the lead renter. See Toyota’s first-time user information.

2. Compare Rental Costs and Insurance

A rental quote depends on the dates, vehicle class and pickup and return branches, so request a price for your actual trip. Then add the cost of any protection options, tolls, fuel and parking that apply to your plan. The table below compares selected published protection prices and details; it is not a like-for-like quote for the same vehicle or rental dates.

Toyota’s basic coverage is included in its basic rental charge, but “included” does not mean that every possible cost is covered. Toyota lists unlimited bodily-injury coverage per person, property-damage coverage up to an unlimited amount per accident with a ¥50,000 deductible, and vehicle coverage up to the vehicle’s current value per accident. The vehicle deductible is ¥50,000, or ¥100,000 for buses and large cargo vehicles; personal injury coverage is up to ¥30 million per person. Review Toyota’s insurance terms and exclusions before deciding whether to add protection.

A deductible is the portion of a covered loss that remains the customer’s responsibility under the contract. Toyota’s Deductible Waiver System waives the specified property and vehicle deductibles for ¥1,100 including tax per 24 hours, or ¥2,200 for buses and large cargo vehicles. Its Double Coverage adds ¥550 including tax per 24 hours on top of that waiver and combines it with an NOC exemption under Toyota’s terms; Toyota also lists coverage for damaged tyre repairs and missing wheel caps under this option.

The non-operation charge (NOC) is separate from a deductible. Toyota describes it as a charge for the vehicle being unavailable when repair or cleaning is needed, and lists ¥20,000 if the vehicle is driven back to the planned branch and ¥50,000 if it is not. Whether an exemption applies depends on the chosen option and the circumstances. Toyota lists an accident not reported to police, unlicensed driving and driving under the influence among examples where insurance and compensation do not apply; losses beyond compensation limits and losses excluded under the terms may also remain the customer’s responsibility.

Nippon Rent-A-Car’s basic rental charge also includes basic compensation, but its published basic terms differ from Toyota’s: the property deductible is ¥50,000, the vehicle deductible is ¥50,000 or ¥100,000, property compensation is up to ¥30 million per accident, and personal injury compensation is up to ¥30 million per person. Its Full Support option starts at ¥2,200 including tax per day and combines the recommended course, CDW and ECO. Nippon says Full Support waives deductibles and NOC and includes roadside service subject to conditions; it lists property compensation up to an unlimited amount and personal injury compensation up to ¥50 million per person. Check the Full Support conditions, rather than assuming its package is identical to another company’s.

Nippon’s ECO is a separate NOC-waiver option priced at ¥440 including tax per day. Its terms say it cannot be added or cancelled after the rental procedure has been completed, and it does not apply to NOC caused by theft, contamination or odour for which Nippon is not responsible. This is why it is useful to compare the exclusions and the time at which an option must be selected, as well as the daily price.

3. Book and Pick Up the Car

Choose a vehicle and rental period that suit the people and luggage in your party, then request a quote using the actual pickup and return branches. Check document eligibility before booking, because a reservation does not establish that a driver’s licence is valid for Japan. When children under six will travel in the car, the transport ministry’s guide says a child seat is required; ask whether the branch can provide the equipment you need before confirming the booking.

Use this sequence to reduce avoidable pickup problems:

1. Verify every driver’s documents. Confirm the correct Japanese licence, qualifying IDP or eligible foreign licence and approved translation route, and check that the vehicle category is covered.
2. Set the dates and branches. Obtain a provider quote for the actual pickup and return locations, rather than using a general daily price as a trip estimate.
3. Request needed options. Ask about a child seat or rental ETC card when making the booking, and confirm availability and any applicable conditions.
4. Check payment and protection. Review the provider’s payment rules, basic cover, deductibles, NOC and any optional protection before the rental procedure is complete.
5. Bring documents to pickup. Toyota asks customers presenting an IDP or foreign licence to show a passport. Follow your own rental company’s document list as well.
6. Inspect the vehicle with staff. Toyota asks customers to check existing scratches and dents before departure. Make sure the condition is understood and recorded as part of the pickup process.

At the branch, ask staff to explain the controls you need to operate and the return instructions before leaving. Confirm where and how the car must be returned, what fuel condition is expected, and how to contact the company if the plan changes. Toyota asks customers who need to extend a rental to contact the rental branch or reservation centre in advance; other companies may have different procedures, so use the contact details in your agreement.

4. Plan ETC and Expressway Costs

ETC is Japan’s electronic toll collection system. To use it, the card must be inserted correctly into the vehicle’s ETC reader; Toyota warns that the barrier will not open if the card is not recognised. Toyota’s rental ETC card costs ¥550 including tax per rental, with tolls settled when the car is returned. It can be requested during an online reservation, but may be unavailable at some branches or under some booking conditions, and Toyota does not lend an ETC card by itself without a rental car. Check the Toyota options page when booking.

If you do not have an ETC card, do not enter a lane marked “ETC” or “ETC only,” including an ETC-only smart-interchange lane. If you enter an ETC-only lane by mistake, stop before the barrier and follow staff instructions; do not try to pass through the barrier. The expressway operator’s ETC system terms also instruct drivers to check the signs and slow to 20 km/h or less before entering an ETC lane.

For some itineraries, compare ordinary tolls with the San’in–Setouchi–Shikoku Expressway Pass (SEP). This is a fixed-price pass for eligible travellers and specified sections, with published prices from ¥10,700 for three days to ¥17,700 for ten days; the rental car is not included. To use it, an eligible traveller must have a driving licence valid in Japan, apply through a designated rental company together with the rental car, and use the specified ETC card. The official SEP page gives the pass conditions and covered-area information.

SEP eligibility is limited to foreign passport holders or Japanese nationals with foreign permanent residence permission, and the pass applies only to designated sections. Its day count runs from midnight to 23:59, rather than in the 24-hour units used for a rental car. The Honshu–Shikoku connecting expressways and urban expressways are among the excluded sections, so additional tolls apply there. Compare the pass map with the route you actually intend to drive before treating a fixed-price pass as a saving.

5. Manage Fuel, Parking and Accidents

Toyota generally asks customers to return the vehicle with a full tank. If it is not full, Toyota says it will charge a specified fuel amount based on the distance travelled, so check the fuel-return requirement and the return branch’s instructions before departure. Do not assume that the same fuel procedure applies to every rental company; follow the terms for your own vehicle.

Use a designated parking facility or a coin-operated parking lot rather than leaving the vehicle where parking is not permitted. There is no single nationwide parking price established in the cited guidance, so check the signs and conditions at the facility you use. If a parking-violation notice is attached to a Toyota rental, Toyota directs the renter to complete the procedure at a police station in the prefecture where the violation occurred and to show the police paperwork and payment receipt when returning the vehicle.

Toyota states that if the parking procedure has not been completed before return, it charges a non-taxable parking-violation fee of ¥25,000 for a regular car and ¥30,000 for a semi-medium, medium or large vehicle. Toyota also says it will refund that fee if the customer completes the police procedure and payment after returning the car and presents the violation notice and payment receipt. Read Toyota’s important-item instructions for the required documents and procedure.

If a road accident occurs, report it to the police even if nobody is injured. The National Police Agency’s safe-driving guidance says to call 110; if someone is injured, give first aid, call an ambulance on 119 and also report the accident to police on 110. After contacting emergency services as needed, contact the rental company using the details in your agreement and follow its instructions. Reporting the accident to police also matters because Toyota lists accidents without a police report among situations where its insurance and compensation do not apply; see the Police Agency’s safe-driving guidance.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

The answers below distinguish national document rules from individual rental-company terms. Always check the official guidance and the agreement for the company, vehicle and dates you plan to use. In particular, do not treat a protection-package name, an ETC card or a reservation confirmation as proof that every requirement has been met.

Can I show my International Driving Permit on my phone?

No. The Police Agency says a digital display on a smartphone is not sufficient, so carry the paper original. Check that the permit was issued by a competent authority in a Geneva Convention member country and that the vehicle category you need is shown. See the Police Agency’s IDP guidance before travel.

Does an ETC card include the San’in–Setouchi–Shikoku Expressway Pass?

No. An ETC card is the payment card used with the electronic toll system, while SEP is a separate fixed-price pass with its own eligibility rules, dates and covered sections. SEP must be arranged through a designated rental company with the rental car and used with the specified ETC card; check the official pass terms against your route.

Does “full coverage” mean I cannot be charged anything?

Not necessarily. Coverage depends on the provider’s limits, deductibles, exclusions and the circumstances of an incident, and an NOC may be separate from a deductible. Toyota, for example, describes its deductible waiver and NOC separately and lists circumstances such as unlicensed driving, driving under the influence and an accident not reported to police where coverage does not apply. Read the exact Toyota terms or the terms for your own provider.

What should I do if I need to extend the rental?

Contact the rental company before the agreed return time and follow the process in your contract. Toyota asks customers to contact the rental branch or reservation centre in advance when they need an extension. Do not assume an extension is automatic; the company’s instructions and agreement determine what to do.

What should I check before I confirm a booking?

First, verify the documents and vehicle category for every driver, then obtain the quote for your dates and branches. Ask whether child seats or an ETC card are available if needed, and compare the basic cover, deductibles, NOC and optional protection. Finally, check payment rules and bring the required documents to pickup; for a Toyota rental using an IDP or foreign licence, that includes a passport.