UK licence holders need an International Driving Permit to drive in Japan, and it has to be the 1949 type. GOV.UK lists Japan against the 1949 permit in its country table. You buy it over the counter at shops with PayPoint, for £5.50.
Where do I get a UK permit?
In person, at certain shops that have PayPoint. GOV.UK puts the price at £5.50. It's a paper booklet you carry with your licence, not something you download.
Why does the type matter?
The UK issues three kinds of permit, dated 1926, 1949 and 1968, and each country accepts a particular one. Japan is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and has never joined the 1968 Vienna convention. So if you have a 1968 permit left over from a trip in Europe, it won't cover you here. You'll need a 1949 one for Japan.
How long can I use it in Japan?
For up to a year from the day you arrive, provided the permit hasn't expired first. Keep it in the car with your photocard licence and your passport. The passport shows your entry date.
Is driving in Japan easy for British drivers?
The big thing is already familiar. Japan drives on the left, and rental cars are right-hand drive. What takes getting used to is elsewhere: narrow streets in older town centres, lower speed limits than on British motorways, and tolled expressways. We've written about speed limits and cameras and paying tolls without an ETC card.
Where would we go with a car?
We live in Fukuoka on Kyushu and rent campervans there under the name VAN TRIP JAPAN, and some of our recent guests came from the UK. The note at the end of this page explains what we'd suggest.
Checked against GOV.UK's guidance on international driving permits, the UN Treaty Collection and Japan's National Police Agency guidance in September 2026. Karen and Doko Shibagaki, Camjyo Inc., Fukuoka.
