If you plan to rent and ride a motorcycle in Japan, you’ll almost certainly need an International Driving Permit (IDP). It’s also one of the few requirements that can derail your trip on day one: arrive with the wrong document and you may be refused at the rental counter. The rules are specific (and easy to misunderstand), so it’s worth getting this right well before you fly.
What are the IDP conventions?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) exists because of international road traffic treaties (often called “conventions”) that standardise the IDP format and how countries recognise it.
You’ll commonly see references to the 1926 convention, the 1949 Geneva convention and the 1968 Vienna convention.
Different countries issue different IDP versions depending on which conventions they are signatories to and what the destination country accepts. Confusingly, some countries are signatories to both conventions, but that doesn’t mean Japan automatically accepts their IDP’s.
The key point for Japan
Japan only recognises IDP’s issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, in the prescribed format.
IDP’s issued under other conventions (most commonly the Vienna Convention) are not valid for driving or riding in Japan, even if they are issued by a country that is also a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention.
So, if your goal is riding in Japan, you need the 1949 IDP specifically.
Who is authorised to issue an IDP in Australia, the US and the UK?
Australia
In Australia, the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is the only authorised distributor of IDP’s. State/territory motoring clubs process applications as agents (e.g. NRMA in NSW, RACV/RACQ/RAC etc. in other states).
United States
In the US, there are two organisations authorised by the US Department of State to issue IDP’s:
- AAA (American Automobile Association), and
- AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance).
The US Federal Trade Commission has specifically warned that websites claiming you can apply through other companies are scams.
United Kingdom
UK government guidance states that you can get an IDP in person from PayPoint locations (in-store). Remember, for Japan you must get an IDP issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention.
If you’re from a country other than Australia, the US or the UK
Depending on your home country, you:
- may need a 1949 Geneva IDP, or
- you may fall into a limited set of countries where Japan allows driving with a Japanese translation of your home licence (rather than an IDP), or
- You do not fall into either of the above categories meaning you cannot ride in Japan
If your country is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention, great, make sure you get yours from an authorised issuer and confirm with them that it is valid for use in Japan.
The limited set of countries where a translation works is: Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan. These riders must use a translation that meets the required standard (commonly issued via Japan Automobile Federation).
Some countries’ IDP’s are simply issued under the wrong convention (usually Vienna Convention), making them completely invalid in Japan. For example, riders from Indonesia or Russia are simply unable to ride in Japan unless they obtain a domestic drivers licence from another country.
Scam warning: don’t just google “IDP” and buy from the first result
There are many scam sites selling “international driver’s licenses/permits” online that are not issued by an authorised body and will not be accepted by rental companies in Japan.
A practical safety rule is:
- If you’re an Australian licence-holder, only use channels connected to the AAA via your state motoring club
- If you’re a US licence-holder, only use AAA or AATA (the FTC explicitly warns other “online IDP” sellers are scams)
- If you’re a UK licence-holder, use the UK government’s PayPoint pathway.
For Japan, the 1949 UDP validity is one year from the date of issue. If a website is selling you an IDP valid for 3-5 years and presenting it as what you need for Japan, treat that with extreme caution. At best, it’s the wrong convention type for Japan, at worst it’s unauthorised.
How long can you drive/ride in Japan on an IDP
Authorised IDP’s are only valid for 1 year. So, you can only drive for the validity period of your IDP.
Carry physical copies
Importantly, you must have physical copies of both your domestic license and your IDP with you. Digital copies are not accepted in Japan.
What you should carry when riding
At a minimum, you need to carry physical copies of:
- Passport,
- Your home license,
- Your IDP (1949 Geneva format)
Final point: motorcycle entitlement
Rental companies will check that your documents reflect your entitlement to ride the class of motorcycle you are hiring. This is not a “government rule”, so there may be instances where this is not applied by the company, but it’s not worth the risk. Be sure to only hire a bike in the class that you are licensed to ride at home.
If you want Shogun to sanity-check your eligibility (country + licence) before you commit to dates, please contact us - we’d rather fix paperwork questions early than on the day you collect your bike!
