International Drivers Permit absolute must?
Oct 8, 2015, 10:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Meechigan
Posts: 1,006
International Drivers Permit absolute must?
So I'm literally about to board for a short notice trip to Japan where I need to rent a car. I didn't have a chance to get an IDP. I have a normal US drivers license. I realize an IDP is needed in Japan, so;
1) will the rental agency check/insist I have one?
2) is there any way to get one when I arrive in Tokyo? I have a couple days before heading up north where I'll rent the car.
Thanks
1) will the rental agency check/insist I have one?
2) is there any way to get one when I arrive in Tokyo? I have a couple days before heading up north where I'll rent the car.
Thanks
Oct 8, 2015, 11:49 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
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Posts: 7,285
Oct 8, 2015, 12:35 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
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I'd think a quick trip into your local AAA office is in order.
If you absolutely can't get the IDP in time, are you certain you have to drive for your assignment? If you aren't familiar with it, the Japanese public transit system is second to none. You might be able to get by with rail transport.
If you absolutely can't get the IDP in time, are you certain you have to drive for your assignment? If you aren't familiar with it, the Japanese public transit system is second to none. You might be able to get by with rail transport.
Oct 8, 2015, 2:58 pm
#6
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https://www.toyotarentacar.net/english/guide/license/
http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/...fic/geneva.htm
Oct 8, 2015, 6:52 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,512
Yep, I never get an IDP for any other country but I always get it for Japan and it has always been requested both for the person driving the car and any other alternate drivers. There's always a chance you'll get away with not having one but I'd put that at less than 5%
Oct 8, 2015, 7:29 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
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I'd think a quick trip into your local AAA office is in order.
If you absolutely can't get the IDP in time, are you certain you have to drive for your assignment? If you aren't familiar with it, the Japanese public transit system is second to none. You might be able to get by with rail transport.
If you absolutely can't get the IDP in time, are you certain you have to drive for your assignment? If you aren't familiar with it, the Japanese public transit system is second to none. You might be able to get by with rail transport.
Oct 8, 2015, 9:00 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
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the IDP is an absolute must in Japan for a US driver lic.
Oct 9, 2015, 6:57 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Meechigan
Posts: 1,006
International Drivers Permit absolute must?
Thanks folks. I'm very familiar with Japan and for that reason figured they might actually ask for it. I was able to do the application on the phone with my AAA rep and they sent me a scan of the permit, my hotel here in Tokyo will print it for me. So I officially have one but not in the official booklet format. I'm confident that will suffice.
Oct 9, 2015, 10:42 am
#13
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Seriously, would a scanned and printed copy of your US drivers license be sufficient to rent a car in the US? Would a scanned and printed copy of your passport be sufficient in Japan? I'm not saying it's not possible for it to work, but I'd be far from confident that it would.
Oct 9, 2015, 11:22 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
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Posts: 7,285
Thanks folks. I'm very familiar with Japan and for that reason figured they might actually ask for it. I was able to do the application on the phone with my AAA rep and they sent me a scan of the permit, my hotel here in Tokyo will print it for me. So I officially have one but not in the official booklet format. I'm confident that will suffice.
Oct 9, 2015, 12:35 pm
#15
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,853
Life is much, much easier in Japan when renting a car if you have the IDP. It really is.
That being said, I have on one occasion when I did not have one convinced an agency to rent a car, and that's without speaking or understanding Japanese. So I can verify it can be done but, as others have said, I wouldn't count on it.
The IDP is not much of a document. If you happen to have one that has expired, just put a sticker over the date and write in a new one. That's worked every time for me; i.e., more than once (but not a statistically significant number of times).
That being said, I have on one occasion when I did not have one convinced an agency to rent a car, and that's without speaking or understanding Japanese. So I can verify it can be done but, as others have said, I wouldn't count on it.
The IDP is not much of a document. If you happen to have one that has expired, just put a sticker over the date and write in a new one. That's worked every time for me; i.e., more than once (but not a statistically significant number of times).