This article is based on guidance from Japan’s National Police Agency and Metropolitan Police Department, the Road Traffic Act, Indian government forms and guidance from Japanese rental car companies checked on 24 October 2026. It is not an explanation of the law. Rules can change. Before departure, check the latest information in the official guidance at the end of this article and with the company you book with.
You drive every day in India. Perhaps you would like to drive your family around Japan, too. Here is the answer first.
You can drive if you get one International Driving Permit (IDP) in India.
India is a party to the 1949 road traffic convention recognised by Japan. Materials from Japan’s National Police Agency also mark IDPs issued by India as “VALID” for driving.
An Indian driving licence alone, however, is not enough. Adding a Japanese translation does not change that.
First, have these four things ready
- Your Indian driving licence (the original, valid throughout your trip)
- An IDP issued in India (a booklet bearing the name of the 1949 convention, valid on each day you drive in Japan)
- Your passport (with a Japanese entry stamp)
- A stamp for the vehicle you rent (category B for a vehicle seating up to 9 people; category D for one seating 10)
The fourth point matters more as your family group gets larger. Let’s look at each in turn.
Why is an Indian licence alone insufficient?
Foreign visitors may drive in Japan only if they hold one of these three:
- A Japanese driving licence
- An IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention
- A licence from one of six designated countries and regions (Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan), accompanied by a Japanese translation made by a designated organisation
India follows the second route. It is not among the six in the third, translation route.
So a Japanese translation of your Indian licence, even one made by JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) or a similar organisation, cannot be used to drive. If you are coming from India, prepare an IDP, rather than a translation.
Get your IDP in India
Apply for an Indian IDP to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) with jurisdiction over where you live. Japan’s National Police Agency also lists RTOs as the issuing bodies for India.
The application form (Form 4A) asks you to specify the types of vehicle you want to drive. If you hope to rent a 10-seat vehicle in Japan, ask the office about category D when you apply (see “How many seats do you need?” below).
The sources differ on the required documents, fees and time needed, so this article does not give them. Check with your RTO before applying.
If you live in India, get your IDP in India before departure. The Indian application form describes the route for applying from abroad as a case for someone whose IDP issued during their current stay has expired. Do not plan on obtaining one after arriving in Japan or partway through your trip.
When the booklet arrives, open it and check
The Indian format shown in materials from Japan’s National Police Agency is a booklet with a grey cover, 148 mm high and 105 mm wide. The cover says “Convention on International Road Traffic of 19 September 1949” and has a “Valid until” field below it.
Japanese rental companies check points like these at the counter:
- Is it a booklet? (Nippon Rent-A-Car says it will not accept a copy, a smartphone screen or an A4 sheet.)
- Does it name the convention of 19 September 1949?
- Is it within one year of issue?
- Does it have the holder’s photograph?
- Is there a stamp or sticker in the category for the vehicle you booked?
You may drive in Japan only within one year of the IDP’s issue and within one year of your arrival in Japan. Check that the last day of your trip falls before the expiry date on the cover.
If your booklet seems different from this format, show it to the rental company you booked with before departure and ask them to check. Nippon Rent-A-Car says it may decline to rent a car if a branch judges the permit unsuitable, even when the stated checks are met.
The three documents to show at the counter (Indian licence, IDP and passport), and tips for getting an entry stamp at the airport, are covered in “Driving in Japan with an International Driving Permit (IDP)”.
How many seats do you need? Check the B and D stamps
An IDP has vehicle category fields from A to E. Only the categories you are permitted to drive are stamped. The Indian form divides them like this:
- B … A vehicle with no more than 8 seats besides the driver’s seat (up to 9 people including the driver)
- D … A passenger vehicle with more than 8 seats besides the driver’s seat
A Toyota Hiace rented as a “10-seat” vehicle in Japan falls under D. Nippon Rent-A-Car and Toyota Rent a Car both say you need a stamp in category D to rent one with an IDP (10-seat vehicles are not available in every area). Times Car also says that renting its W6 class requires a licence permitting the holder to drive a vehicle seating 10 or more people.
This article has not been able to verify which category of an Indian IDP is stamped for each type of Indian licence. When you receive the booklet, open it to the B and D fields and check.
- D is stamped … Renting one 10-seat vehicle is an option (its capacity is 10 people; allow for fewer passengers if you have a lot of luggage)
- Only B is stamped … Up to 9 seats (for example, a 7- or 8-seat minivan at a Japanese rental company). If your family is larger, two qualified drivers could take two vehicles (each driver needs their own IDP)
If you plan to book a larger vehicle, such as a 10-seater, also show the B and D fields to the rental company before departure and check whether you can rent that vehicle.
For choosing a vehicle size based on your suitcases, see “Choosing a Rental Car Size in Japan by Your Suitcases”.
If you live outside India
If you now live outside India, in Singapore for example, and get an IDP in that country, the advice above about obtaining one in India is different for you.
Times Car says that if your passport and IDP are from different countries, it asks for proof that you live in the country that issued the IDP (such as an identity card, driving licence or permanent resident card). Check with both the issuer in the country where you live and the company you book with.
Note: This article does not cover people living in Japan or people who hold a Japanese licence.
Follow Japanese law when driving
Japan’s Road Traffic Act requires anyone driving on an IDP to carry the booklet while driving.
What to check in the 10 minutes before you set off is covered in “Your First 10 Minutes Driving in Japan”.
If the permit will not arrive in time, or your group is too large, take the train
Perhaps your IDP will not arrive before departure. Or you have no D stamp but want 10 or more people in one vehicle. Or only one person can drive.
You do not have to force a car into that trip. Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Chubu airports have trains that reach the city without a change. You could also rent a car for just the days and parts of the journey when you need one.
Deciding in advance whether your trip suits a train or a rental car, with “Train or Rental Car in Japan?”, leaves more time to enjoy the trip.
Once you have the booklet, choose where to go
Your Indian licence, Indian IDP and passport. And a stamp for the vehicle you want to rent.
Once these are ready, you can turn to booking. “Where Should You Book a Rental Car in Japan? How Much Is the Total?” covers where to rent and what the total may be.
Will you drive along the coast or towards the mountains? Who in the family will read the map from the passenger seat? From here, the enjoyable preparations begin.
