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Renting a car in Okinawa: what you need

Bring your licence, your passport and either an International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention or, for a Taiwanese licence, a Japanese translation; you can drive on them for up to 1 year after you land. Rental offices are near Naha Airport and reached by free shuttle bus. Rules are from Japan’s police and the rental companies, checked on 29 October 2026.

By Mikako Yoshida ·Published 29 October 2026

Renting a car in Okinawa: what you need
Haneda Airport Terminal 3 · Photo: MaedaAkihiko (CC BY-SA 4.0)

What to bring, by licence

Licence fromBringWhere to get the permit or translation
TaiwanTaiwanese licence, Japanese translation, passportMotor vehicle offices in Taiwan (NT$100); in Japan, TECO offices including Naha, or JAF (¥6,000, 1–2 weeks)
Hong KongHong Kong licence, International Driving Permit, passportTransport Department; its self-service kiosks issue it the same day
South KoreaKorean licence, International Driving Permit, passportLicence test centres, police stations, Incheon and Gimhae airports (₩9,000)
United StatesUS licence, International Driving Permit, passportAAA or AATA only (AAA: US$20)
Naha Airport Expressway, Okinawa
Naha Airport Expressway, Okinawa · Photo: Kugel~commonswiki (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Permits that are refused

Rental companies accept only 1949 Geneva Convention permits from the same country as your licence. Permits under the 1968 Vienna Convention, “IDL” or “IAA” cards sold online, photocopies and expired documents are refused, and a Taiwanese international permit is not valid in Japan.

Picking up the car at Naha Airport

  1. Find your company’s shuttle stop

    Rental offices are in Toyosaki, 15–20 minutes away. Outside the domestic terminal (1F) each company has a numbered stop, such as OTS at 10-A and Nippon Rent-A-Car at 11-A. From the international terminal, walk through to the domestic terminal.

  2. Show your documents

    Show your licence, permit or translation, and passport: originals only. Ask for an ETC card if the car has an ETC unit, and set the satnav to your language.

  3. Leave time to return it

    Allow about an hour to return the car and ride the shuttle back to departures (3F).

Typical costs

ItemCost
Small car, OTS (S class, booked online)¥7,700 for 24 hours, plus ¥1,650 compulsory damage waiver
Compact car, Toyota Rent a Car (C1 class)¥10,340 for 24 hours, ¥8,690 per extra day
NOC if the car is damaged (Toyota, Nippon Rent-A-Car)¥20,000 if it can be driven back, ¥50,000 if not
Nippon Rent-A-Car cover that waives the NOC¥440 a day
Okinawa Expressway, Naha to Kyoda¥1,040 with ETC, ¥1,610 in cash
Driving on the Okinawa Expressway
Driving on the Okinawa Expressway · Photo: Dquai (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Useful before you fly

eSIM for Japan, installed before you leave home

Airalo Saily Yesim

JR Pass and Shinkansen tickets

Klook KKday

Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags

Klook Trip.com Welcome Pickups

Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight

Radical Storage

Hotels in Japan

Klook Trip.com

Coupons

Driving rules

Drive on the left. Without signs the limit is 60 km/h on ordinary roads and 100 km/h on expressways. Children under 6 must sit in a child seat, and using a phone while driving is banned.

Do not drink at all: driving with 0.15 mg of alcohol per litre of breath or more can mean up to 3 years in prison or a ¥500,000 fine, and passengers can be punished too.

On weekdays from 07:30 to 09:00 and 17:30 to 19:00, lanes on Route 58 and other main roads in Naha are for buses only. Parking on the street is generally not allowed; use coin car parks.

After any accident call the police on 110, and 119 if someone is hurt. Without a police report the rental insurance does not pay.

Booking

Book with a rental company directly, or compare cars from several companies at Naha Airport on Klook · KKday and Trip.com.

Book early for busy periods: Toyota Rent a Car charges peak rates on 29 April–5 May, 6–15 August and 29 December–3 January.

Without a car (adult)

OptionPriceGood for
Yui Rail 1-day pass¥1,000 (24 hours)Naha, between the airport and Tedako-Uranishi
Yui Rail 2-day pass¥1,800 (48 hours)Two days in Naha
Airport limousine busabout ¥1,000–2,100Resort hotels in Chatan, Onna and Nago; book up to a month ahead
Okinawa Bus day tour B¥7,500 with lunchChuraumi Aquarium and Nakijin Castle, about 10 hours
Yui Rail monorail in Naha
Yui Rail monorail in Naha · Photo: 優 鉄道 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Questions

Can I drive in Okinawa with a Hong Kong licence?
Yes, with an International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention from the Transport Department, your Hong Kong licence and your passport. A Japanese translation does not work for Hong Kong licences.
How long can I drive on a permit or translation?
Up to 1 year from the day you land, and only while your own licence is valid.
Do I need an ETC card?
No, but the Okinawa Expressway costs less with one (¥1,040 instead of ¥1,610 from Naha to Kyoda), and companies such as OTS rent ETC cards.

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