A day card that says “collect hire car, drive to Churaumi” assumes the keys come with the booking. In Japan they come with documents. Each driver needs a 1949-format International Driving Permit, their physical Australian licence and, at some companies, a passport. A child under six needs a child seat. Write the documents on the card, not just the car.
The signal: one permit format, on paper, before you leave
On 15 October 2026 we checked the official pages. Smartraveller says that to drive in Japan you need a Japanese licence, or a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) together with a current Australian driver’s licence. It also says to get the IDP before you leave Australia. Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police say Japan only recognises permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Permits under other conventions, including the 1969 Vienna Convention, are not valid there.
The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) says Australian IDPs follow that 1949 format and come as a physical book. There is no digital version. The permit is valid for 12 months from issue, or until your licence expires if that comes first. It only counts when you carry your physical photocard licence with it, because digital driver’s licences aren’t valid overseas. The AAA and its state and territory motoring clubs are the only authorised issuers in Australia.
The hire desk adds its own layer. OTS Rent-a-car, which hires out cars in Okinawa, asks for the IDP, the original licence and a passport. It won’t accept photocopies, digital versions or expired documents, and your rental date has to fall inside the permit’s validity.
What breaks when the permit is treated as a booking detail
The licence on the phone: a digital licence can be used to apply for an IDP in Australia, but the AAA says it may not be recognised overseas. Bring the photocard.
The licence bought online: the AAA warns that “International Driver’s Licence” products, often sold as a digital permit valid for three years, are fraudulent. A real Australian IDP carries the AAA logo and official stamp, and lasts no more than 12 months.
The late order: the AAA says online orders are delivered in 3–5 business days. If you fly within five business days, it suggests applying in person at a motoring club branch, and some branches need an appointment.
The second driver: if two adults plan to share a two-hour drive, both need the documents. Luana Rent a Car in Naha says it checks the licences of everyone who will drive.
The missing seat: Japan’s National Police Agency says drivers must not carry a child under six without a child seat. OTS and Nippon Rent-A-Car say they may refuse the rental if you haven’t booked one or brought your own, even when the car is reserved.
Four checks before a driving day goes on the plan
Treat the car as a document check
Which permit the country accepts: read the rule on the destination’s government or police page, not a rental listing. For Japan it is a 1949 Geneva Convention IDP plus your home licence. Rules differ by country. The AAA notes that Vietnam doesn’t recognise Australian IDPs at all.
Which documents each driver carries: the IDP book, the physical photocard licence and a passport. Check that the permit is still valid on the day you collect the car.
How long you have to get it: count business days from today to your flight. If postage won’t make it, plan an in-person visit to a motoring club branch.
Who rides, and what happens without the car: book a child seat for every child under six with the car itself. Then write down the no-car version of the day. In Okinawa, Churaumi Aquarium says the express bus from Naha takes about three hours, against about two hours by car.
The four checks are our recommendation, built from the pages above. They aren’t a checklist any government or hire company publishes. Rules and company terms change, so reopen the official pages before you book the car.
Where Alfred fits
Alfred plans from a travelling profile. Traveller details cover things like name, birth year and passport country, not driving licences. On web Lets Go, Holiday takes origin, destination, dates, a budget step and a day pace, then Plan my trip queues generation. While the trip is planning, the web TripTrust destination preview includes sections such as Entry requirements and Getting around. It is context only, so check the rules yourself before you travel. Alfred doesn’t check whether you hold an IDP or have booked a child seat.
When the itinerary is ACTIVE, it can be viewed, edited and shared. You can edit an item’s title, notes and times by hand, so “IDP, photocard licence and passport for each driver; child seat booked” can sit on the day card itself. Hey Alfred can move an item to a new time after you confirm. The booking hub covers flights and hotels, activities, eSIMs and travel insurance. It has no car-hire tab, and Book opens a partner checkout. It doesn’t issue a permit.
Practical next step
For every day on your plan that needs a car, write three lines: who drives, which documents each driver carries, and what the day looks like without the car. If any line is blank, the driving day is still a hope. Fill it in before you pay for the car.
Plan your trip with Alfred
Start with your people, dates and pace, then review the editable plan before booking.
Plan your trip with Alfred