The Foreigner's Document Checklist for Buying a Car in Japan

You don't need one giant pile of forms on day one. Start with the basics, then follow the path that fits your car, parking, and city.

8 min read · Category: paperwork

Back to Guides | Paperwork · 10 min read · Updated August 2026

The Foreigner's Document Checklist for Buying a Car in Japan

You don't need one giant pile of forms on day one. Start with the basics, then follow the paperwork path that fits your car, parking, and city.

By Tre Mckee · Sapporo

Modern Japanese municipal government office interior with warm wood paneling and natural light

Buying a used car in Japan involves paperwork, but it isn't one fixed checklist for every foreigner. The right documents depend on whether you buy a kei or ordinary car, whether you rent or own your parking space, and whether your city requires a kei parking filing.

At kick-off, most people only need three things: a residence card, a valid way to drive, and a clear photo of their inkan. The more time-sensitive documents come later, after you have chosen a real car and know which path you are on.

Here is the short version.

At kick-off, almost everyone needs:

  1. Residence card (在留カード)
  2. Driver's license, or the right legal route to drive in Japan
  3. A clear photo of your inkan (印鑑)
  4. A realistic plan to pay the dealer directly

Later, once the car is chosen, you may need:

This is the map. For the parking side in more detail, read shako walkthrough. For the City Hall documents, see jūminhyō and inkan. If you are still working out the whole purchase process, start with honest guide to buying a car in Japan.

Which paperwork path am I on?

Your path becomes clear once you know the vehicle type and where it will be parked.

Track Vehicle Parking Police City Hall extras
A Kei Rent, filing city kei parking filing / todokede (often after plates) jūminhyō; inkan photo only
B Kei Rent, non-filing city None for kei filing jūminhyō; inkan photo; landlord parking OK
C Ordinary Rent parking certificate (shako-shōmei) before register jūminhyō + inkan registration certificate
D Kei or ordinary Own land Same as A or C own-land statement (jininsho / 自認書) instead of landlord consent

The one point that catches people out is this: kei and ordinary cars do not follow the same police process. An ordinary car needs a parking certificate before registration. A kei in a designated city has a parking notification requirement, often after the plates are issued. A kei outside those cities has no kei police filing.

Kurumagic Co-Pilot and Chauffeur clients see this same path inside My Garage. If you are doing it yourself, choose your track early and keep it beside you while you search.

What should I prepare at kick-off?

Start with the documents that are useful before you find the car. This keeps the search moving without pulling time-limited certificates too early.

Residence card (zairyū card / 在留カード)

Your residence card shows that you live in Japan under a status that supports registering a car in your own name. A dealer will usually copy both sides.

Check that the address on the card matches your municipal registration. If you have moved recently, sort that out first. A Temporary Visitor status is not enough to register a car in your own name. The honest guide explains what that means in practice.

Driver's license

You need a lawful way to drive the car, though buying and registering a car are not exactly the same question as licensing.

That could mean a Japanese license, a conversion path, or a valid International Driving Permit arrangement. The details vary by country and by how long you have been in Japan, so read the driving license guide for foreigners before assuming an IDP covers everything.

Personal seal photo (inkan / 印鑑)

Take a clear photo of your seal and keep it ready. It helps the dealer or agent prepare forms and show you where a stamp is needed.

For a kei, this is not the same as needing an inkan registration certificate. In our workflow, kei registration does not treat the City Hall certificate as a standard document. Ordinary cars do need that certificate later, once the registration pack is real.

Pay the dealer directly

The money should go to the dealer directly, not through Kurumagic or another helper.

That could be a Japanese bank transfer, a workable Wise-to-Japan route, or cash at the shop if the dealer accepts it. If your bank account is still being opened, you can research cars and learn the market. Don't lock in a purchase until you know how the dealer will be paid.

It sounds unglamorous, but this is one of the places where a purchase can stall. Get the pay path clear before you commit money to a car.

Which documents should I get after choosing the car?

Get the documents with short validity windows after you have chosen the car and know the dealer's timeline.

Residence certificate (jūminhyō / 住民票)

A jūminhyō is your residence certificate. It is commonly part of the registration pack and is usually easy to get at City Hall. If you have a MyNumber card, you can often print one at a convenience store.

Ask for a copy with no My Number included (マイナンバーなし).

Registration use commonly expects a document issued within three months, so there is no benefit in collecting it while you are only browsing listings. The jūminhyō and inkan guide covers the usual City Hall sequence.

Inkan registration certificate (inkan tōroku shōmeisho / 印鑑登録証明書)

If you are buying an ordinary, non-kei car, you will usually need an inkan registration certificate for your registered seal.

Get it late, alongside the jūminhyō, once the paperwork pack is ready. A kei buyer still needs an inkan and should have a photo ready, but the ordinary-car certificate is not a standard kei requirement in this workflow.

Landlord parking consent

If you rent your parking space, your landlord or property manager usually signs a parking consent form (hokan basho shiyō shōdaku shōmeisho / 保管場所使用承諾証明書). The English name is long; dealers often just say the Japanese name. The official name is national, but the paper itself can vary by prefecture.

Most management companies recognise the form. Ask early about their process and fees, but wait until the car is real before filing the police application. The dealer will often need to provide details that belong on the final paperwork.

Own-land statement (jininsho)

If you own the parking land, an own-land statement (jininsho / 自認書) replaces the landlord parking consent form.

It only replaces the proof that you have permission to use the space. It does not remove the police step when your path needs one. Ordinary cars still need a parking certificate (shako-shōmei / 車庫証明). Kei cars in designated filing cities still need a kei parking filing (shako todokede / 車庫の届出).

Ordinary cars — parking certificate (shako-shōmei / 車庫証明)

An ordinary car needs a police parking certificate (shako-shōmei / 車庫証明) before registration. In My Garage this is the police step after parking consent (or your own-land statement) — not the same upload as the landlord form.

Two police trips (plan for both)

  1. Trip 1 — apply. Bring the parking permission (landlord parking consent form or own-land statement), a simple map/layout of the space, and the vehicle details the dealer gives you. File at the police station that covers your parking address.
  2. Wait about two or three days (timing and fees vary by prefecture). The certificate is not ready the same day you apply.
  3. Trip 2 — pick up. Return to the same station, pay the fee if due, and collect the finished parking certificate set.

Why the pickup matters for Kurumagic

Upload that finished certificate in My Garage when you have it. We include it in the registration pack we prepare and send so you can mail a complete set to the dealer. If only the landlord form is done and the police certificate is still sitting at the counter, the pack is incomplete.

You can get the landlord form moving early, but filing at the police station usually needs a real car and a real parking spot. The shako walkthrough covers ordinary-car certificate vs kei parking filing in more depth.

Kei cars — parking filing (shako todokede / 車庫の届出) in designated cities

A kei does not use the same police product as an ordinary car.

In designated cities, it needs a kei parking filing, which is a notification rather than a certificate. This often happens after the plates are issued or the new owner is registered. A practical rule is to treat roughly 15 days from that point as a deadline you should not ignore.

The official list is maintained by the National Federation of Light Motor Vehicle Associations.

Outside the listed cities, there is no kei police filing. You still need a legitimate place to park, and clear permission from your landlord remains sensible.

Insurance

You arrange your own insurance. The insurer will usually need the vehicle identification number, mileage, and expected delivery timing.

Start comparing options once the car is close to being finalised. Our car insurance guide explains the two layers of insurance and what they do.

What order keeps the paperwork moving?

The best order is simple: prepare early, collect timed documents late, and do the police step when the car and parking space are both confirmed.

  1. Kick-off: prepare your residence card, license, inkan photo, and payment plan.
  2. Search with the right path in mind: kei or ordinary, rented parking or own land, and whether your kei city is on the filing list.
  3. Choose the car: get the dealer's terms in writing and begin the landlord consent process or prepare your own-land statement (jininsho / 自認書).
  4. Build the registration pack: collect the jūminhyō and, for an ordinary car, the inkan registration certificate.
  5. Complete the police step: ordinary car before registration; kei filing in a designated city often after plates.
  6. Pay the dealer directly, arrange insurance, and return the completed originals.

After you choose a car, a month is a realistic fast end for paperwork and handover in Japan. It is not a promise of keys in the lot two weeks later. Parking paperwork, City Hall visits, police counters, dealer schedules, and delivery timing all get a vote.

What do foreigners most often get wrong?

Most problems come from treating every purchase as the same process.

None of this is difficult once the order is clear. It is just easier when you know which small task belongs to which stage.

Why not just hire us to handle this?

You can absolutely do this yourself. This guide is here so you can see the road before you start walking it.

If you work with Kurumagic on Co-Pilot or Chauffeur, we keep the path specific to your car, parking, and city. We talk with dealers in Japanese, prepare as much of the Japanese paperwork as we can, and mark exactly where you need to stamp or sign.

You still attend City Hall and the police counter for the personal wet-ink steps. With Chauffeur, we can also provide live phone support on those days when we can schedule it. The aim is not to turn you into a paperwork expert. It is to help you get into a car you feel good about, without losing weeks to avoidable confusion.

FAQ

Do kei cars need an inkan registration certificate?

Not as a standard kei registration document in our workflow. You still need an inkan and should keep a clear photo of it ready. Ordinary cars need the City Hall certificate.

Do all kei cars skip the police step?

No. Kei cars in designated cities need a kei parking filing. Keis outside the designated list do not have a kei police filing requirement. Check the official zenkeijikyo list.

Can I start without a Japanese bank account?

You can start researching. Do not commit to a purchase until you have a genuine way to pay the dealer directly, whether by transfer, a working Wise route, or cash if the dealer accepts it.

Who needs to attend City Hall and the police station?

You do. An agent can prepare documents, explain the process, and support you, but cannot replace your personal appearance where the counter requires your wet-ink signature or stamp.

How long does paperwork take after I choose a car?

Treat about one month as a realistic fast end for paperwork and handover. It can move faster, but it should not be planned around a guaranteed two-week delivery.

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