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The validity period of the driver’s license can be extended by up to 3 months for people who are having difficulty renewing their driver’s license due to coronavirus.

The renewal period of the driver’s license extension procedures ends on December 28, 2021.

Measures to extend the renewal period

1. Target persons

Special measures to extend the period of renewal of the driver’s license are valid for people whose driver’s license expires on December 28, 2021.

2. Request for extension procedures

If you are having difficulty renewing your driver’s license due to  coronavirus and fits into the target audience mentioned above, you can request for extension at the Unten Menkyo Center, police stations or the “kanbu kouban” (幹部交番), or do the request by mail or by another person.  It is possible to extend the renewal or steering period up to 3 months after the last day of the renewal period even without completing the renewal procedures such as taking courses and aptitude tests.

However, you must place this request before your driver’s license period expires.

◆It is possible for another person to request an extension on your behalf (representative – dairinin).

●It is possible to request for extension by mail.

◆You will need to submit the following items in order to have another person to request on your behalf.

• Applicant’s driver’s license
• Power of Attorney (Inin-jo 委任状)
• Representative’s identification card (driver’s license, health insurance card, etc)

Please write the application document for the renewal procedures (start and continuation) at the time of application

Send the following items to Unten Menkyo Center for request by mail.

• Application document for renewal procedures (start and continuation)
• Copy of driver’s license (front and back)
• Return envelope (with ¥84 stamp, postal code, address and applicant’s name)

Insert the above documents in an envelope and send to the Unten Menkyo Center (see the “Contact and Place of request by Mail ” section below for the address).

3. Request for extension procedures for the second time

Also valid for people who have already received the special procedures since the last day of the period for renewal and management after the extension will end on December 28, 2021.

Special request for repurchasing the license for people whose driver’s license has expired remain valid even after December 29, 2021.

If you were not able to go through the renewal procedures normally or were unable to apply for the renewal period extension request and had your driver’s license inevitably expired due to the coronavirus pandemic, you can repurchase through the same renewal procedures (no need of taking the practical and academic tests) if you have not passed 3 years since expiration and 1 month from the day your unavoidable circumstances ended. However, you will not be able to drive during the repurchase period, so be careful. Office hours and required documents, among other details, are different from the normal renewal procedure.

Contact and Place of request by mail

〒514-8518 Tsu-shi Tarumi 2566 – Unten Menkyo Center Unten Menkyo Kanrigakari

TEL: 059-229-1212 (in Japanese only)