Driving in Japan with a US license, and Tokyo transit

Short answer: as a resident you can drive on an International Driving Permit for up to a year, and after that you need a Japanese license. Most Americans in Tokyo find they barely need a car anyway.

The short version

A US license alone doesn't let you drive in Japan. An IDP from AAA covers you for up to one year from when you land, or until the IDP expires if that's sooner [1][2].
To keep driving, convert your US license (gaimen kirikae). You must have spent at least three months in the issuing state after getting the license [3].
Licenses from Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia and Washington skipped the knowledge and driving tests in Tokyo's 2024 guide; Indiana skipped only the driving test. Everyone else takes both [4].
In Tokyo, a Suica or PASMO card (or the phone version) gets you on almost every train, subway and bus.
Cyclists 16 and older can now get on-the-spot fines, from April 2026, including JPY 12,000 (about USD 76) for using a phone while riding [5].

USD conversions use the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of October 30, 2026 (USD 1 = JPY 157.47) [6].

Driving on an International Driving Permit

Japan recognizes IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which is the kind AAA issues in the US [1].

The rules for residents:

One year from landing. You can drive for one year from the date you land in Japan, or for the life of your IDP if that's shorter [1].
Short trips don't reset the clock. If you're a registered resident and you leave Japan for less than three months, your new landing date doesn't start a new year [1].
Get it before you go. The State Department says an IDP must be issued in your country of residence before you arrive, and IDPs sold online or by other organizations aren't valid in Japan [2].
Carry both. Keep your IDP and your US license with you whenever you drive.

Once your year is up, or once you've been a resident long enough that a trip home won't reset anything, you need a Japanese license. Driving without one is a serious offense in Japan, and the State Department is clear that a foreign license isn't a substitute for a Japanese one for residents [2].

Converting your US license (gaimen kirikae)

Converting a foreign license is called gaimen kirikae. In Tokyo, residents apply at one of three driver's license centers run by the Metropolitan Police Department [7]:

Center	Address	Nearest transit
Fuchu	3-1-1 Tama-cho, Fuchu	JR Musashi-Koganei or Keio Line, then Keio Bus [7]
Samezu	1-12-5 Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa	Keikyu Line (Samezu) or Tokyo Monorail [7]
Koto	1-7-24 Shin-Suna, Koto	Tozai Line (Toyocho), then Toei Bus [7]

What to bring

Tokyo police list these for all applicants [3]:

Your US license card. A digital or electronic license alone isn't accepted.
A Japanese translation of your license. For US licenses, Tokyo accepts translations from the US Embassy, the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) or ZIPLUS [3].
Proof that you spent three months or more in total in the issuing state after you got the license, usually your passport stamps or old passports [3].
Your passport.
Your certified residence record (juminhyo), issued within six months, showing the foreign-resident details. Photocopies aren't accepted [3].
Photos to the required size.

Heads-up for anyone who just renewed: Tokyo counts your time in the state after you acquired the license, so bring proof of when you first got it, such as your old license or a driving record from your state DMV. Staff review your days in the state closely [3].

The tests

Unless your state is on the exemption list, you take a knowledge check and a driving skills check.

Knowledge test. From October 1, 2025, the knowledge test grew from 10 questions to 50, still offered in 20 languages [8]. Tokyo's English guide from February 2024 still describes the old 10-question version, so ask the center for the current format [4].
Driving test. This is where Americans fail most. Examiners expect Japanese technique: checking mirrors and blind spots in an exaggerated way, hugging the left before left turns, stopping fully at railroad crossings. Many people take a lesson at a driving school's practice course first.
Wait times. In Tokyo, the driving skills test is usually scheduled three to four months after you book, and your US license must still be valid on test day [3]. Renew before you book if it's close to expiring.

Which US states skip the tests?

Japan has agreements with certain countries and US states. In Tokyo's English guide (last updated February 27, 2024) [4]:

US state	Knowledge test	Driving test
Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Washington	Exempt	Exempt
Indiana	Required	Exempt
All other states	Required	Required

This list changes, and that Tokyo guide is from 2024. Check with the license center before you go.

Fees

Tokyo's 2024 guide puts a standard car conversion at JPY 4,600 (about USD 29): a JPY 2,550 application fee plus a JPY 2,050 issuing fee. Failing a test means paying the application fee again [4]. Fees may have changed since then.

Owning a car in Tokyo: think twice

Plenty of Americans who drove everywhere back home sell the idea of a car within a month of arriving. Parking is scarce and expensive, highways have tolls, and in most of Tokyo you must show you have a parking space before you can register a car. Japan drives on the left, too.

For weekend trips to the mountains or a Costco run, car sharing and rental cars are the usual answer.

Trains, subways and buses

Tokyo's rail network is the reason you won't miss your car. JR East lines (including the Yamanote loop), Tokyo Metro, Toei subways and a dozen private railways all connect.

Suica and PASMO

Suica (JR East) and PASMO (private railways and subways) are rechargeable IC cards. They work interchangeably on nearly all Tokyo trains, subways and buses, and at convenience stores and vending machines.

Cards are back. Sales of plastic cards were paused because of a chip shortage, then resumed on March 1, 2025 [9].
Phone versions. Most residents load Suica or PASMO onto their phones and pay with a tap. JR East also launched Welcome Suica Mobile, an iPhone app for short-term visitors, in March 2025 [9]. Your visiting family can use it.
Commuter passes (teiki). If you ride the same route to work or school, a commuter pass on your card saves real money. Japanese employers commonly pay for commuting, so ask HR.

Rail passes

The Japan Rail Pass is only for foreign tourists entering on "Temporary Visitor" status. Once you have a residence card, you're not eligible, though your visiting relatives usually are [10]. Residents buy regular tickets or regional discount passes instead.

Taxis

Tokyo taxis are clean, safe and pricier than the subway. The rear door opens and closes automatically, so don't grab it. Most accept credit cards and IC cards, and taxi-hailing apps work well in central Tokyo. Tipping isn't expected.

Cycling: cheap, fast and now fined

Bikes are how many Tokyo residents run errands, take kids to daycare and get to the station. A basic city bike (mamachari) is a small investment. You're required to register your bike for theft prevention when you buy it, and the shop will do it for you.

From April 2026, Japan applies a "blue ticket" fine system to cyclists 16 and older [5]:

Violation	Fine
Using a phone while riding	JPY 12,000 (about USD 76)
Running a red light	JPY 6,000 (about USD 38)
Riding on the sidewalk or against traffic	JPY 6,000 (about USD 38)
Riding at night without a light	JPY 5,000 (about USD 32)
Holding an umbrella	JPY 5,000 (about USD 32)
Wearing earphones or headphones	JPY 5,000 (about USD 32)

Cycling under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offense, not a fine [5]. Ride on the left side of the road, use a light at night and wear a helmet. Japanese law asks every cyclist to make an effort to wear one.

New in town? Our members swap tips on license centers, driving schools and bike shops in our community group for Americans in Japan.

Driving in Japan with a US license, and getting around Tokyo without a car