Renting a car in Japan as a Canadian: licence, insurance and roads

Your licence

A Canadian licence alone is not enough. You need a booklet-style International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, and you must carry it with your Canadian licence. Canada is a 1949 Convention country, so a CAA IDP qualifies. Card or smartphone versions are not accepted. The IDP is valid in Japan for one year from your arrival or until it expires, whichever comes first. Rental companies also check your passport entry stamp, so avoid automated arrival gates or ask for a stamp.

The minimum age for driving in Japan is 18.

Only CAA issues International Driving Permits in Canada. It costs $32 including tax, lasts one year, and is only valid with your Canadian licence.

Insurance: what to check

• All rental cars in Japan must come with insurance coverage.
• Japanese law requires two layers of coverage: basic government-mandated compulsory insurance and voluntary private insurance. Compulsory insurance alone may not be enough after an accident.
• Rental companies charge a mandatory minimum insurance fee, around 1,000 yen per day. It covers damage, injury and liability, but not the non-operation charge if the car is damaged.

Roads, tolls and parking

• Most expressways charge tolls. You pay at gates by cash or credit card (green signs) or with an ETC card (purple signs).
• Rental companies offer ETC cards for automatic toll payment. You settle the tolls when you return the car.
• Foreign visitors can buy the Japan Expressway Pass for unlimited expressway driving: 20,400 yen for 7 days or 34,600 yen for 14 days. It needs a rental car with an ETC card from a participating company.
• The Japan Expressway Pass does not cover Hokkaido expressways or urban expressways such as those in Tokyo and Osaka. Regional passes exist for areas such as Hokkaido, Tohoku and Kyushu.
• Parking in big-city centres costs several hundred yen per hour. Lots at national parks and tourist sites often charge a flat 200 to 500 yen.
• Seatbelts are mandatory for everyone in the car, phone use while driving is banned, and you need winter tires or chains in snowy regions.

Staying safe on the road

• Road conditions and road safety are generally good, but roads may be narrow.
• Japan has zero tolerance for drinking and driving, and penalties are severe. Passengers who ride with an impaired driver can also be prosecuted.