Before You Buy a Car: Japan’s Shako Shomei Paperwork, Costs, and Timing

In most parts of Japan, you must secure an off-street parking space before registering a standard-size car. You then apply to the police for a parking place certificate, called shako shomei (車庫証明).

The key is to arrange the parking space first. It must normally be within 2 kilometers of your home or other “base of use,” fit the entire vehicle, have safe road access, and be available for you to use legally.

This guide is for foreign residents buying a car, registering an imported or previously unregistered vehicle, or changing the vehicle’s registered base after moving.

Quick checklist:

• Confirm whether you need a certificate or a parking-place notification.
• Secure a qualifying parking space before applying.
• Obtain the owner’s consent if you rent the space.
• Apply to the police station responsible for the parking location—not necessarily the station nearest your home.
• Allow several business days and check the certificate carefully when you collect it.
• Use the certificate for vehicle registration soon after it is issued.

First, check which procedure applies

A registered standard-size car usually requires a certificate, while a kei car may require a notification instead. The distinction changes the form, timing, fee, and whether the police issue a paper certificate.

Standard-size registered cars

You generally apply for a parking place certificate when:

• registering a car in Japan for the first time;
• changing the vehicle’s registered base of use, such as after moving; or
• transferring ownership when the transfer also changes the base of use.

The certificate is later submitted as part of the registration process at the relevant Transport Branch Office or other vehicle-registration counter.

If only the parking place changes and the registered base of use remains the same, the correct procedure is normally a parking-place notification, not a new certificate application.

Kei cars

A kei car, or kei jidosha (軽自動車), follows a different registration system. In designated areas—mainly larger cities—the owner must notify the police of the parking place. Some areas do not require this notification.

Do not assume that buying a kei car means there is no parking procedure. Check the rules for the municipality where the car’s base of use is located.

The National Police Agency’s parking-place notification guidance explains the national framework, but the applicable areas and local submission details must be confirmed with the prefectural police.

Areas where the requirement does not apply

There are locations where a parking place certificate or notification is not required. This depends on the vehicle category and the location of its base of use—not simply on whether the address looks urban or rural.

Before preparing documents, check the website of the prefectural police or call the responsible police station. This small step can prevent an unnecessary application.

ここがポイント: The parking address determines which police station handles the application. The address of your home, the dealership, or the vehicle seller does not decide the filing counter.

Make sure the parking space qualifies

A rental contract alone is not enough; the actual space must meet the legal conditions. Police may verify the location and dimensions during their review.

Under the National Police Agency’s certificate guidance, the parking place must meet all of these basic requirements:

• It is not on a road.
• It is no more than 2 kilometers from the vehicle’s base of use.
• The vehicle can enter and leave without obstruction from a road on which it may legally travel.
• The whole vehicle fits inside the space.
• The applicant has the legal right to use the space for that vehicle.

What “base of use” means

The Japanese term is shiyo no honkyo no ichi (使用の本拠の位置). For an individual, this is normally the place where the vehicle is actually managed and used, often the person’s home. For a company vehicle, it may be an office or business location.

It is not automatically the same as the owner’s registered address. If the two addresses differ, police may request evidence showing why the stated base is genuine. Examples can include official mail, utility records, or business documents, depending on local practice.

Ask the police station what it accepts before submitting additional papers. Requirements can differ by prefecture and by the facts of the application.

Measure before signing a parking contract

Check more than the painted width of the bay. Record:

• the parking bay’s length and width;
• the width of the entrance;
• the width of the adjoining road;
• any roof, gate, pillar, wall, or mechanical platform restriction; and
• the vehicle’s full length, width, and height.

A space can appear large enough but still fail because a gate is too narrow, the vehicle projects into the road, or a mechanical parking system has a lower weight or height limit.

Documents to prepare

Most applications need four elements: the application form, proof of parking rights, a location map, and a detailed layout plan. Use the current forms published by the prefectural police where possible.

1. Parking place certificate application form

The form requests information about:

• the vehicle, including make, model details, dimensions, and chassis number;
• the applicant or vehicle user;
• the vehicle’s base of use; and
• the parking-place address.

Some police websites or form sets require more than one copy. For example, local document sets may include duplicate application sheets or a separate data-entry sheet. Follow the instructions of the police station receiving the application.

If the chassis number has not yet been assigned or provided, ask the dealership and police station how to proceed. A certificate cannot ultimately identify the vehicle correctly without the required vehicle information.

2. Proof that you may use the space

The correct document depends on who controls the property.

If you own the land or building: use a self-certification of your right to use the parking place, commonly called a jininsho (自認書).

If another person or company owns it: provide an acceptable document showing permission. Depending on the prefecture and the contract, this may be:

• a parking-place use consent certificate, or shiyo shodaku shomeisho (使用承諾証明書);
• a copy of the parking lease containing all required information; or
• another document accepted by the police as evidence of your right to use the space.

If the property is jointly owned: consent from the relevant co-owner or co-owners may be required. Do not use the owner-only self-certification merely because you own a share.

Ask the landlord, property manager, or parking operator early. Some charge an administrative fee for issuing the consent document, and this private fee is separate from the police application fee.

3. Location map

The location map, or shozaizu (所在図), shows where the base of use and parking place are in the surrounding area. Include recognizable roads, stations, public buildings, intersections, or other landmarks. Show the distance between the base and the space when they are separate.

An existing map copy may be accepted if it clearly supplies the required information. Do not submit a map that is so tightly cropped that the police cannot identify the neighborhood.

The National Police Agency states that the location map may be omitted in limited cases, including when the base of use and parking place are at the same location. Local instructions still matter, so confirm before leaving it out.

4. Parking layout plan

The layout plan, or haichizu (配置図), is a close view of the property. It should show:

• the position and number of the parking bay;
• the bay’s dimensions;
• the entrance and its width;
• the adjoining road and its width;
• nearby buildings, walls, gates, and other physical features; and
• the direction in which the vehicle enters.

This is not an architectural drawing. It does, however, need enough accurate measurements for the police to confirm that the named vehicle can be stored without blocking the road or another space.

The application process, step by step

For a paper application, expect at least one visit to submit the documents and another to collect the certificate. Dealers and administrative scriveners may handle the process as agents, but you should still verify the addresses, vehicle details, and parking permission.

Step 1: Secure the parking place

Sign the parking agreement or obtain the owner’s consent before applying. Make sure the permitted use period covers the time when the certificate will be reviewed and issued.

If the parking contract begins in the future, the police may delay issuance until the right to use the space becomes effective. Tokyo, for example, states that an advance application can generally be accepted only within seven days before that effective date.

Step 2: Identify the correct police station

Search for the police station whose jurisdiction includes the parking address. A station near your home may be wrong if your parking space lies across a ward, city, or precinct boundary.

If the boundary is unclear, call one of the nearby stations and give the complete parking address.

Step 3: Complete and cross-check the forms

The following details should agree across every document:

• applicant name and address;
• base-of-use address;
• parking address;
• parking bay number;
• vehicle dimensions; and
• parking-use period.

Names written in Roman letters can create mismatches. Use the same spelling and order shown on the documents relevant to the vehicle registration. If your residence card, parking contract, and other records use different versions of your name, ask the police station or dealer how the application should be completed.

Step 4: Submit the application and pay the local fee

Take the documents to the parking certificate counter at the responsible police station during its published weekday hours. Keep the receipt or applicant’s copy because it may be needed when collecting the certificate.

Fees and payment methods are set locally. As current examples:

• Tokyo lists a window application fee of ¥2,400 and an OSS fee of ¥2,300.
• Kanagawa lists a paper certificate application fee of ¥2,100.

These examples show why a single nationwide price should not be used for budgeting. Confirm the current amount and accepted payment method on the prefectural police website before visiting.

Step 5: Wait for the review

Police may check the submitted plans and inspect the parking location. Keep the bay clear, identifiable, and accessible during the review period.

Processing time varies. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police application page states that issuance takes approximately 3 to 7 days. Kanagawa Prefectural Police guidance gives an approximate period of one week when there is no problem with the space or paperwork.

Treat these as local estimates, not a nationwide guarantee. Weekends, public holidays, missing information, and busy periods can extend the schedule.

Step 6: Collect and verify the certificate

Bring the receipt or applicant’s copy and any locally required identification. Check every field before leaving the counter.

Corrections after issuance are generally not available. A wrong address, chassis number, or vehicle dimension may require a new application and another fee.

Step 7: Complete the vehicle registration promptly

The certificate is not the final vehicle registration. Give it to the dealership or submit it with the other registration documents at the relevant transport office.

Tokyo instructs applicants to submit the certificate to the transport office within approximately one month of its certification date. Plan backward from the registration appointment so the document does not become too old for use.

How much should you budget?

The police fee is only one part of the cost. A renter may also pay the property manager for the consent document, and using an agent adds a service fee.

Possible costs include:

• the prefectural police application fee;
• a landlord or management-company document fee;
• postage or travel for weekday visits;
• an administrative scrivener’s fee; and
• parking rent or deposit required before the consent becomes effective.

The landlord’s document fee is not a government charge and is not nationally standardized. Ask about it before committing to the parking space, especially if you are comparing several properties.

Since April 1, 2025, Japan has abolished the separate parking-place sticker and the duty to display it on the vehicle. The underlying certificate and notification systems remain in force. The Osaka Prefectural Police notice on the sticker abolition also explains that the former ¥500 sticker fee is no longer required.

Paper application or online OSS?

OSS can reduce office visits, but it is not simply an online version of a stand-alone certificate request. It combines parking certification with eligible vehicle registration and tax procedures.

The national Automobile One-stop Service may be useful when:

• your registration procedure is eligible;
• you have a supported electronic certificate, such as a valid My Number Card;
• you can prepare electronic attachments;
• you can make the required electronic payments; and
• you are comfortable responding to online correction requests.

OSS is less suitable when the case falls outside its supported procedures, special documents are required, or you only want to obtain a paper certificate independently. Kei-car procedures also follow different online arrangements and are not handled as ordinary registered-car applications through OSS.

For many first-time foreign applicants, a dealership-managed application or a paper filing at the police station may be easier. The convenience depends on language ability, weekday availability, digital equipment, and whether the rest of the vehicle registration is also being completed online.

Common mistakes that delay the certificate

Most avoidable problems come from inconsistent documents or an unsuitable parking space. Check these points before paying the application fee.

Applying at the wrong police station

Jurisdiction follows the parking space. Verify the boundary even when another station is geographically closer.

Using the wrong proof-of-use form

Use the owner’s self-certification only when the property situation qualifies. A renter normally needs the owner’s consent or another accepted document.

Letting the consent period expire too soon

The parking-use period must support the application and actual use of the space. A short or future-dated permission can delay the review.

Drawing an incomplete layout

Include measurements, the entrance, the adjoining road, walls, buildings, and the specific bay. A generic property map without these details may be insufficient.

Confusing a kei-car notification with a certificate

The paperwork may look similar, but the procedures are not interchangeable. Confirm the vehicle class and whether the municipality is in an applicable area.

Changing information after applying

Do not casually switch the car, parking bay, applicant, or address while the application is under review. Material changes may require a new application, and paid fees may not be refunded.

Booking registration too tightly

Leave room for police review and corrections. A registration appointment immediately after filing creates unnecessary risk, particularly around holidays or at the end of a month or fiscal year.

Special cases to confirm before filing

The national rules provide the framework, but individual facts determine the documents. Contact the responsible police station in advance if any of these apply:

• Your registered address and actual base of use differ.
• The parking place is jointly owned.
• A company owns or uses the vehicle.
• The space is subleased or provided by an employer.
• The parking contract is in a family member’s name.
• You are replacing a vehicle but keeping the same bay.
• Several vehicles will be filed for spaces at the same location.
• The vehicle has unusual dimensions or uses a mechanical parking system.
• You want an agent to submit or collect the documents.

For simultaneous applications involving multiple vehicles at the same stated parking location, national guidance allows certain supporting documents to be supplied as one copy for the group. Confirm how the local station wants the applications assembled.

Your status of residence does not normally create a separate parking-certificate system. However, practical issues—such as name matching, proving a different base of use, or signing a parking contract—can affect what supporting evidence is requested.

Practical timeline for buyers and people moving

Start with the parking space, not the police form. A realistic sequence is:

1. Confirm the vehicle class and local requirement.
2. Find a space within 2 kilometers that fits the vehicle.
3. Obtain the lease, consent certificate, or owner’s self-certification.
4. Measure the space and prepare the two maps.
5. Check the receiving station’s forms, fee, payment method, and counter hours.
6. Submit the application and keep the receipt.
7. Allow roughly a week unless the local police publish a different period.
8. Check the issued certificate immediately.
9. Complete vehicle registration within the locally accepted period.

If you are moving, coordinate this schedule with the vehicle’s address-change registration. Changing your resident registration does not automatically update the vehicle record or complete the parking procedure.

Final checklist before you go to the police station

The fastest way to avoid a second application is to check the small details:

• Is this a certificate application or a notification?
• Is the police station responsible for the parking address?
• Is the space within 2 kilometers of the base of use?
• Does the entire vehicle fit, including through the entrance?
• Do you have the correct proof of permission?
• Are the name, addresses, dates, bay number, and vehicle details consistent?
• Are both the location map and layout plan complete?
• Have you checked the current fee, payment method, and counter hours?
• Does your registration schedule allow several business days for review?

The next action should be concrete: identify the responsible police station and download its current form set before asking your landlord for a signature. That ensures the landlord completes the version and fields the local police actually expect.

参照リンク

• National Police Agency: Parking Place Certificate Application
• National Police Agency: Parking Place Notification
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police: Parking Place Certificate Application
• Kanagawa Prefectural Police: Parking Place Procedures
• Osaka Prefectural Police: Abolition of the Parking Place Sticker
• Automobile One-stop Service