1. English Driver's License Form
Avis Rent a Car provides an English translation form of the Japanese driver's license to help customers rent vehicles more conveniently in the United States. The English form is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Issuance fee: Free for customers who have made a reservation through this website and can issue it themselves from My Page. For all other customers, the fee is JPY 2,000 (tax included).
If you present your Japanese driver's license together with the English Driver's License Form at an Avis rental location in the United States (excluding the State of Georgia *), the rental process can be completed more smoothly. (This form cannot be used in countries other than the United States.)
Driving with this English form together with a valid Japanese driver's license is legal, and customers may use it with confidence. The purpose of this English form is solely to facilitate the rental process with Avis Rent a Car in the United States.
(*) Customers whose rental begins in the State of Georgia or who plan to drive through Georgia must obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP).
- Available only to residents of Japan who hold a valid Japanese driver's license.
- In Hawaii, a Japanese driver's license alone may be accepted.
- Only standard driver's licenses are eligible if no special restrictions or conditions are listed on the license (excluding requirements such as corrective lenses or medium-sized vehicle endorsements).
- This form is supported only for standard driver's licenses (up to 9-passenger vehicles).
- My Number Cards cannot be used.
2. How to Apply
Customers who have made a reservation through this website may log in to My Page and issue the form free of charge.
For all other customers, the issuance fee is JPY 2,000 (tax included).
If you would like to apply, please send an email to avis-car@jelba.co.jp including the information below:
- Full Name (in Japanese)
- Full Name (Roman alphabet, exactly as shown in your passport). Example: Hanako Yamada
- Current Address (in Roman alphabet, as shown on your driver's license, in the following order: street number, city/town, prefecture)
- Telephone Number
- Avis reservation number
- A scan or photograph of both sides (front and back) of the driver's Japanese driver's license
After confirming the information above, we will contact you with payment instructions.
If you apply using a free email account such as AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail, our reply may be delivered to your spam or junk mail folder. Please add avis-car@jelba.co.jp to your safe senders list or check your spam folder.
In addition, applications submitted from AOL email addresses may frequently encounter delivery errors when we reply. We apologize for the inconvenience and kindly ask AOL users to apply using a different email account whenever possible.
3. Important Notes
- Please apply at least 5 business days before your departure from Japan (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays).
- If your application is complete and payment has been confirmed, the English Driver's License Form will be prepared and sent to you as an email attachment within 3 business days.
- The English Driver's License Form is not a legal document and does not replace the original Japanese driver's license. When driving in the United States, you must always carry both your original Japanese driver's license and the English Driver's License Form.
- The English Driver's License Form is not a legally recognized form of identification. We recommend that you carry your passport at all times.
- Even if you possess the English Driver's License Form, you may be detained for a considerable period of time by law enforcement for questioning and identity verification in the event of an accident or traffic violation.
- The English Driver's License Form is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
- The English Driver's License Form does not certify the accuracy of the information shown on the original Japanese driver's license. Avis Rent a Car Japan General Agent, Jelba Co., Ltd., assumes no responsibility for any inaccurate or fraudulent information contained therein.