1. Application procedures
Online application
How to apply: Online applications can be made on the Translation Application Site.
Method of payment: Credit card or cash payment (at a convenience store)
Receiving the translation: The translation can be printed out at any 7-Eleven store in Japan. If there is no 7-Eleven store near you, JAF will send a hard copy of the translation to your mailing address in Japan by registered mail.
Number of days required for issuance: About one week (may vary depending on JAF work load)
How to use "Foreign Driver’s License Translation Application Site"
2. Documents required for application
All countries
Image data showing the front and back of a currently valid driver’s license
Other additional documents required
Republic of the Philippines: Official receipt showing the driver’s license number and date of issue or a certificate from the driver’s license issuing authority
People’s Republic of China: Document showing the driver’s license subpage
Republic of Korea, Union of Myanmar, licenses written in Arabic: Residence card or copy of certificate of residence in Japan or passport
Afghanistan, Israel: A certificate issued by the embassy in Japan may be required.
4. Application process (credit card payment)
Flow of application
- *When applying online, payment can only be made by credit card. Debit/prepaid cards and other types of payment will not be accepted.
5-1. Application process (cash payment at convenience store)
Flow of application
For cash payment at a convenience store, you will receive an email from JAF with payment instructions after your translation request has been accepted. (This may take anywhere from the same day up to one or two weeks.) Please follow the instructions on the email to make your payment for the translation.JAF staff will begin working on the translation as soon as payment has been confirmed.
Please be aware that JAF may not be able to respond to problems that arise concerning the translation or application site outside of JAF business hours.
- *1Regardless of which convenience store payment is made at, the translation can only be printed at a 7-Eleven store.
- *2Payment at a convenience store can only be made by cash. Credit card, e-money or QR code* payments cannot be accepted.
- *3As a rule, cancellations cannot be made after JAF staff have begun working on the translation. If the translation work has not yet begun, you can make the cancellation on your My Page.
- *4Translations are generally issued the day after payment is confirmed. Do not wait at the convenience store after you make your payment, for the translation to be issued.
- *QR code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE.
5-2. How to pay at a convenience store
6. Printing the translation at 7-Eleven
How to print the translation out at a convenience store
If you have made your application through the Driver’s License Translation Application Site, you can use the netprint® service at any 7-Eleven store in Japan. For instructions, please see How to use a multifunction copier, below.
- *The initial print reference number is valid for one week. However, you can reissue a number from your My Page up to one year from the date of application.
How to use a multifunction copier
7. How receipts are issued
About receipts
After the translation work is complete and you are able to receive the translation, you can get a receipt from your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site. Please refer to FAQ for details regarding receipts.
8. Translation samples
Japanese translation
Sample of translation issued by JAF
(1) Japanese translation before December 2017
(2) Japanese translation as of December 2017 (using copy guard paper)
(3) Japanese translation as of November 2022 (copy-protection printing)
(4) After November 2024, text related to background pattern printing will be added to the red frame (copy prevention printing)
- *As of October 2022, translations collected at convenience stores are printed on paper noted in (3),(4)
and translations received by regular mail or picked up in person are printed on paper noted in (2).
Sample of translation with an appendix
Translations of driver’s licenses issued in some countries need an appendix attached to describe the type of license and/or other details. Be sure not to forget it if you are printing at a convenience store, as you will need to have it with the translation to drive in Japan. If the translation of your license has an appendix, it will be noted on the lower left corner of the main document. Please check.
If the translation has an appendix, text will be added within the red frame.
If the translation has an appendix, text will be added within the red frame.
- To switch from a foreign to a Japanese license (Gaimen Kirikae), the following two conditions must be met:
- 1.The foreign license must be valid (expired licenses cannot be transferred).
- 2.You must prove that you stayed in the country where your license was issued for a total of at least three months from the day you obtained the license.
- JAF does not translate International Driving Permits
- See here for the validity of the translation.
- If you renew your foreign driver’s license or make any changes on it (e.g. change of address), you will need to obtain a new translation.
- JAF may not be able to issue a translation, depending on the license.
- Applications can only be made online, from within Japan.
- Debit/prepaid cards will not be accepted, to avoid any trouble completing payment.
- JAF cannot be held responsible for any compensation due to changes in your itinerary as a result of being unable to obtain a JAF translation.
- For further information on JAF translations, please see the sections explaining each type of translation.
- Please be sure to read all of the information below and be mindful of the precautions, before making your application.
- QHow much does it cost to have a translation issued?
- AThe fee is 4,000 yen for a Japanese translation and 4,400 yen for a Chinese translation. The charge for printing at a convenience store is 20 yen per sheet (black and white). If your license needs an appendix (depending on the country of issue), the two sheets will cost you 40 yen.
- QHow do I print the translation at 7-Eleven?
- ASee here.
- QWhich credit cards are accepted for payment?
- AYou may use VISA, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, or Diners Club.
- QMy card payment resulted in a payment error.
- ADebit/prepaid cards cannot be used. If you have not yet received an email confirming completion of application, this means that your application has not been completed and that you need to apply again. No fees will be charged until the translation has been issued.
- QCan I pay in installments?
- ANo. We only accept lump sum payments. Thank you for your understanding.
- QWhen will my credit card be charged?
- AYour card will be charged when the translation is ready to be printed at a convenience store. If you have simultaneously submitted multiple applications as a representative, your card will be charged when all of the translations are ready to be printed.
- QHow are refunds handled?
- AThis will depend on your method of payment. Please contact JAF by Message at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site, or contact us here , at the JAF Customer Service Center.
- QHow do I apply for multiple people at once?
- AGo to the Foreign Driver’s License Translation Application Site and select the section at the top for representatives applying for multiple drivers, to make your entries. The number of applications should be limited to 30.
- QWhen is the payment deadline at a convenience store?
- AAbout 2 months. If the period has expired, please select the convenience store for payment again.
- QCan I change the convenience store where I pay?
- APlease cancel your application and reapply.
- QHow do I pay at a convenience store? /I did not receive an email regarding payment
- AAfter a JAF staff member confirms your registered application information, you will receive an email from JAF regarding payment. It may take about a week for the email to arrive. When you receive the email, please follow the instructions to select the convenience store you would like to pay to and make the payment.
- QWhere can I find my convenience store payment number?
- AYou can check from my page on the application site. However, it may take up to an hour for the changes to be reflected on My Page. If you are in a hurry, please contact us using the communication section.
- QWhat do I need to apply for a translation, other than my driver’s license?
- ATo apply for a translation, you will need the following:
1. Image data showing the front and back of a currently valid driver’s license
2. Translation fee
Other documents may also be required depending the country that issued your driver’s license. Please see here for details.
- QCan I apply in person?
- A: Applications are generally accepted online or by post, but if you need assistance in person, you can make an appointment in advance at a JAF branch office. Find contact information for each branch here.
- QIs it possible to have someone else apply on my behalf?
- AApplications are accepted from representatives. Go to the Foreign Driver’s License Translation Application Site and select the section at the top for representatives to enter information.
- QWhere do I register my email address?
- AClick Start application procedure to proceed to email address registration.
- QI haven’t received a verification email.
- APlease make sure that your registered email address is correct. Please also make sure that your setting allows you to receive emails from jafnavi.jp.
- QHow long does it take to receive/be able to print out the translation?
- AIt usually takes 1-2 weeks from application to delivery/ready to print. For licenses written in Arabic or those issued in countries including the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Federal Republic of Myanmar, we ask for 2-3 weeks. Depending on the license, it is possible that investigation may take more time. For this reason, please apply well in advance.
- QCan the translation be issued on the day I apply?
- AJAF does not offer same-day delivery.
- QWhich convenience stores can I print the translation out at?
- ATranslations can be printed out at any 7-Eleven in Japan (with the exception of a few).
- QI was not successful at convenience store printing.
- APlease contact JAF by Message at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site or contact us here at the JAF Customer Service Center.
- QCan I print the translation at a convenience store other than 7-Eleven?
- AUnfortunately, this printout service is only available at 7-Eleven stores. If there is no 7-Eleven store near you, we can send you the translation by regular mail. Please contact JAF by Message at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site or contact us here at the JAF Customer Service Center.
- QI want to know more about procedures for transferring my license.
- APlease contact the Driver’s License Center with jurisdiction in your area for details about transferring your license.
- QWhat is meant by “specific countries”?
- ASpecific countries refers to Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, and Taiwan. If you have a driver’s license issued by any of these countries or regions, you can drive a vehicle in Japan in accordance with Japanese laws and regulations by carrying your original license with a Japanese translation attached. Click here for details.
- QCan I reprint the translation?
- AThe translation can only be printed once. Please apply for a new translation.
- QCan I receive the translation as a PDF/Can I print it at home?
- AOnly the original paper translation printed at a 7-Eleven or JAF branch in Japan will be valid.
- QCan I have my International Driving Permit translated?
- AJAF does not offer translations of International Driving Permits.
- QIs there an expiration date for the translation? If so, how long is it valid for?
- AThe translation is valid for as long as the original driver’s license is.
Translations of licenses issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, and Taiwan are valid for one year from the date of entry into Japan. Holders can drive in Japan with this translation for one year from the date of entry into Japan. (For holders leaving and re-entering Japan, the validity is one year after reentry.) However, conditions differ for foreign residents who are registered in the Basic Resident Register leaving and re-entering Japan within three months. Please contact the Driver’s License Center with jurisdiction in your area for details.
- QAfter obtaining my driver’s license, I haven’t stayed in the country/region where it was issued for at least a total of three months. Can I still apply for a translation?
- AFirst, please check with the Driver’s License Center to see if you can switch your license.
- QWhat should I do, if I want to cancel my application for translation?
- AThis will depend on the type of payment you made.
If you paid by credit card before JAF started translation work, you can cancel the application on your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site.
If you were planning to pay in cash at a convenience store, you can cancel your application before you pay. You can check the issuance status on your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Site to see if the translation work has begun.
- QThere was an error in the translation. What should I do?
- APlease contact JAF by Message at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site or contact us here at the JAF Customer Service Center.
- QWhich language should I enter my name in?
- AEnter your name as it appears on your driver’s license, unless your name is written in a language other than the Latin alphabet. If the name on your driver’s license is written in other alphabets such as Arabic, Korean, Thai, Burmese, or Russian, please enter it in Japanese or English.
- QWhich address should I use, if I am staying at multiple hotels while registering my address?
- ARegister the address of the hotel you plan to be staying at on the scheduled delivery date (usually 1-2 weeks after application). If it is difficult for you to receive delivery at that address, please register the address of a representative.
- QI can’t find where my driver’s license number is written.
- AYour license number is usually written where it says “license no.” or “registration no.”. Please rest assured that the staff member in charge will confirm this before starting the translation.
- QWhen I come to Japan again, I would like to apply for another translation. May I use the same account?
- AYour account information will be deleted after a certain amount of time has elapsed from issuance of your first translation. Please apply with a new account, if you need a new translation.
For more details, please use the contact information here.
- QWhere can I find Message?
- AMessage at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site after you log in and check issuance status on the relevant application.
- QHow do I change information on my registration?
- AIf you are ready to confirm registration, you can return to your details by clicking the Back button, to make changes. If you have already confirmed your registration, please contact JAF from Message at the bottom of your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site, stating that you would like to make changes.
- QI want to apply for a Chinese, not a Japanese translation but am unable to change the setting.
- AClick the JAF logo at the upper left-hand corner of the application screen to return to the top page and log in to the Chinese translation page at the bottom of the screen to apply.
- QHow can I get a receipt of payment?
- AYour payment method will determine when your receipt will be issued.
Credit card payment: Specify who the receipt is to be addressed to on your My Page at the bottom of the Driver’s License Translation Application Site from the day after the translation is available for issue, to get your receipt.
Payment by cash at a convenience store: Specify who the receipt is to be addressed to on your My Page at the bottom of the Driver’s License Translation Application Site from the day after payment is made at a convenience store, to get your receipt.
- *Your receipt can only be issued before the time that your login to your My Page expires, so please print it out quickly.
- *Receipts are only issued once. If you need to change the name of the person the receipt is to be made out to, please immediately contact JAF by Message on your My Page at the bottom of the Driver’s License Translation Application Site or contact a JAF branch office.
JAF branches URL:https://jaf.or.jp/common/contact/global-support
- QCan I check the history of my past applications?
- AYou can check your application history on your My Page on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site for one year from the date of issue. Please be aware that your account information will be deleted one month after your last login.
- QHow do I contact the JAF translation service?
- ASee here for JAF translation service contact information.
You can also send a message to the staff preparing your translation from Message on the Driver’s License Translation Application Site.
- QI am not able to upload the image of my driver’s license.
- ACheck the format of where your image data is stored. Only JPEG format can be used on the Translation Application Site.
- QImage data taken with an iPhone cannot be registered.
- ATo save a photo in JPEG format on an iPhone, open Settings, go to Camera, then Format, then Most Compatible, before taking the photo.
*Check Steps 1 and 2 before making your application.
