Does Sixt require an IDP in Japan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Sixt in Japan: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for licences issued outside the EU and not in the Roman alphabet. Premium European brand with a fast-growing global network.
Japan accepts only the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP issued in your country of residence, and certain nationalities need an official JAF translation instead; our certified translation is not a substitute for the government-issued permit Japan requires.
In Japan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Japan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. A 1949 Geneva IDP issued in your home country is expected; French, German, Swiss, Belgian, Taiwanese, Monégasque, Slovenian and Estonian licences need a JAF translation.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Japan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Japan drives on the left, uses the JPY, and sets a minimum driving age of 18, so an IDP is the document that removes any doubt at the counter.
What to bring to the Sixt counter in Japan
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the JPY deposit; Japan drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Japan Sixt renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law — severe penalties.
- Stop fully at all railway crossings.
- Expressway tolls via ETC or cash.
Sixt's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Minimum age is region-specific: typically 21 in the US (18 in New York, where an under-25 fee still applies) and 18 in much of continental Europe such as Germany and France; drivers aged 21-24 pay a young-driver surcharge of roughly USD 25-30 per day in the US (about GBP 36 per rental in the UK, around EUR 5-6 per day in markets like Cyprus), and under-25s are usually limited to economy through full-size sedans, midsize SUVs and minivans.
A credit or debit card in the main driver's name must be presented at pickup; Sixt holds a security deposit of at least USD 200 plus the rental amount on the card, with substantially higher holds on premium/high-value vehicles, and debit-card acceptance and limits vary by branch and vehicle class.
A per-rental additional-driver fee applies; extra drivers can be added at any Sixt branch during the rental provided the main driver is present and the additional driver shows a valid licence (some European markets waive the fee for a spouse/partner). The driver must typically have held a full valid licence for at least 1 year (rising to 2-3 years in higher-risk markets such as Cyprus, while Germany requires the licence be held only since at least the day before pickup).
Most Sixt passenger vehicles may be driven across borders into listed neighbouring countries (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Italy within Europe), but you must notify and get authorisation from the pickup branch in advance; a cross-border and/or one-way drop-off fee applies, and certain vehicle classes and destination countries are restricted.
Sixt does not require an International Driving Permit everywhere, but states that where local law requires it the IDP must be carried alongside the original home licence; if the licence is in a non-Roman alphabet (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic, etc.) the renter must present an IDP or an official translation, and an official translation is also required if the issuing country is not party to the international driving-permit treaty.
Once you collect the keys in Japan
Expressways (NEXCO) are extensively tolled and expensive (Tokyo-Osaka is well over 10,000 JPY); pay cash at booths or rent an ETC card from the rental firm (about 300-550 JPY) for the pre-installed ETC reader to use automatic green-lit gates and discounts.
On-street parking is largely banned; use coin/'times' lots that lock the tyre until you pay at the machine, with rates from a few hundred yen per 30-60 minutes. Residents need a proof-of-parking 'shako shomei' certificate, but tourists simply use paid garages and must never leave a car at the kerb.
Speeding fines run from about 9,000-15,000+ JPY (and criminal charges for large excesses), mobile-phone use and no-seatbelt are fined, and the drink-drive limit is a very strict 0.03% with severe penalties for driver and even passengers. Camera/parking fines are billed to the renter; minor on-the-spot fines are paid at a bank, not in cash to police.
Call 110 for police and 119 for ambulance/fire; reporting every accident to police is legally mandatory and you cannot get an insurance certificate without it. Do not leave the scene and do not privately settle injuries - move the car off the carriageway only if safe, then wait for police.
Full driving guide for Japan →