Attention Drivers

From HyogoAJET

It seems that every year, at least one JET gets in trouble for driving illegally. You can drive in Japan with an International Driving Permit (IDP), but there are a few things to pay attention to:

• Make sure that you have a legit International Driving Permit.
  One JET obtained her IDP through a company over the Internet, and she thought she was driving perfectly legal until she got pulled over for speeding. If you don't want to be interrogated and have to explain that you were tricked into buying a fake license, make sure yours is real. There is usually a national automobile association that is authorized to issue IDPs (for example in the USA, the only place to my knowledge where you can get it is AAA).
• Make sure you have the right license
  In Japan, different vehicles require different licenses, and your IDP will list what kinds of vehicles you are allowed to drive. For example, to drive a car in Japan your IDP has to include "Category B: Passenger Cars," and to drive a motorcyle it has to include "Category A: Motorcycles." Check your IDP and make sure you have the correct permit in your license before you start driving.
• Watch the expiration date.
  Thinking of taking a road trip with some friends? Make sure your IDP doesn't expire before the trip ends. (Unless you wouldn't mind asking a friend to pick you up in Shikoku.)
• Check when you entered Japan.
  Even if your IDP hasn't expired, or you've renewed it through the mail, once you've been in Japan for a year you can no longer use it. If you will remain in Japan a second year and you want to keep driving, you must [car-license.html get a Japanese driver's license].

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Life In Hyogo	About the Apartment ・ How safe is Japan? ・ Map of Hyogo ・ Dealing with bugs ・ Shopping in Japan ・ Train Lines, Times, and Fares ・ Hyogo Winters ・ Hyogo Summers ・ Typhoons ・ Sports Opportunities ・ Trains: Vocab and Tips ・ Post Office ・ Useful Items to Help You Live in Japan ・ Religious Institutions
Traveling	Traveling ・ Leaving The Country ・ Buses ・ International Airports ・ Domestic Airports ・ Tourist Spots ・ Travel Agents ・ Ferries ・ Natural Disasters Abroad
Language and Culture	Learning Japanese ・ Language Resources ・ Japanese Classes in Hyogo ・ Proficiency Tests ・ Study Tips ・ Japanese Holidays ・ Japanese Etiquette ・ About the CLAIR Courses
Food	Food Shopping ・ Restaurant Vocab and Guidebooks ・ Types of Restaurants ・ Recommended Restaurants ・ Bars
Health	Bringing Medicine To Japan ・ Japan's Medical System ・ Counseling and Support Groups ・ Vaccinations ・ Find a Doctor ・ Medical Examinantions ・ About our Health Insurance ・ AJET Peer Support Group ・ Dentists ・ Insurance and Dental Work ・ Gynecology
Books, etc.	Book Stores ・ Hyogo AJET Library ・ Libraries ・ Magazines ・ Newspapers etc.
Driving	Attention Drivers! ・ Buying a Car ・ Driving in Winter ・ Getting Around ・ Getting Car Insurance ・ Getting a License ・ Rules of the Road ・ Driving School ・ Driving Test ・ Drinking and Driving ・ DUI / DWI ・ My BOE won't let me drive!
Visas, etc.	Immigration Offices ・ Visa Renewal and Status of Residence ・ Reentry Permits ・ Renewing Your Passport ・ Post-JET Visa Advice ・ Temporary Visitor Visa
Recommendations	Gym Recommendations ・ Recommended Restaurants ・ Find a Doctor ・ Find a Hairdresser
Legal Issues	Lost Passports ・ Arrested in Japan ・ English Speaking Lawyers ・ Getting Married
Computers and Phones	Buying a computer ・ Typing in Japanese ・ Getting Internet ・ Word in Japanese ・ Cell Phones ・ Home Phones ・ Phoning Home ・ Help with Technical Problems
Leaving JET	Checklist for Leaving Japan ・ Post-JET Visa Advice ・ Return Tickets ・ Shipping Stuff Home ・ The Pension Refund ・ Staying In Japan ・ Preparing For Your Successor ・ Predecessor Information ・ Reverse Culture Shock ・ Police Clearance Certificate ・ Certificate of Participation ・ I want to break contract ・ Goodwill Envoys