Driving in Japan with a French licence
The French international permit is not recognised in Japan. The recognised option: the official JAF translation. We obtain it for you.
Order my translationWhat you need to know
- All French licences are eligible, including the old pink three-fold ones.
- The international permit (Vienna Convention) is NOT valid in Japan: the JAF translation is the only recognised document.
- You may drive in Japan for 1 year from entry, with licence + translation + passport.
- The translation covers all the categories on your licence (car, motorbike…).
Pink three-panel booklet or EU card: the French specifics
The French licence exists in two very different formats: the current EU-style card and the old pink cardboard booklet with three panels, often issued without an expiry date and still carried by many drivers. Good news: both are translated exactly as they are — no need to renew your licence before the trip, and our order form even provides for licences without an expiry date. The official translation faithfully reflects every category printed on your document, from two-wheelers to car-and-trailer combinations. At the Japanese rental counter, the trio of original licence, translation and passport is what counts — agents know the French case well, one of the most common among the countries covered by Japan's translation regime.
Payment methods
Pay in euros, with no exchange fees, using the payment methods you already use.
- Visa / Mastercard
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Our plans
Standard
For planned departures
€59.90per licence
- Official JAF translation
- Printed at a Japanese konbini
- 4 to 7 days turnaround
Priority
If your departure is coming up soon
€79.90per licence
- Priority processing of your file
- PDF received within 72 hours
- Official JAF translation
Swiss residents are billed in Swiss francs (CHF 59.90 / CHF 79.90), with TWINT available.