Figures, prices and terms were checked against the 14-day registration rule and municipal issuing fees on 6 August 2026. They change – check the current terms yourself before you sign up or file anything.
Summary
- Registering your address (juminhyo / 住民票) is required by law within 14 days of moving in.
- You do it at your local city or ward office by filing a “moving-in notification” (転入届 / tennyūtodoke).
- Bring your residence card and passport. A copy of your juminhyo costs about ¥300.
- You’ll need it for a bank account, SIM, health insurance, and part-time jobs – do it first, everything else depends on it.
Your juminhyo (住民票) is the document that proves where you live in Japan. It sounds small, but almost nothing else works until you have it – bank, phone, insurance, and jobs all ask for it. This guide explains what it is, how to register, and the mistakes that cause problems.
What is a juminhyo?
A juminhyo is an official record of your address in Japan, issued by the city or ward office. Everyone living in Japan – Japanese and foreign residents alike – is registered. It shows your name, date of birth, address, and household information.
For a foreign resident it is your proof that you officially live here, which is why so many procedures require it.
What you need it for
Because of this, register your address before you try to open a SIM contract, join national health insurance, or start a job.
The 14-day rule
You must register within 14 days of moving into your home. This is a legal obligation, not a suggestion – skipping it can cause penalties and blocks the procedures above.
The same rule applies when you move: file a “moving notification” (転居届 / 転出届) within 14 days.
What happens if you miss the 14 days?
Worth stating plainly, because the consequences sit across two different laws and one of them is severe.
The first is the Basic Resident Registration Act. Miss the 14 days without good reason and you can face a civil fine of up to 50,000 yen.
The second is the Immigration Act, and this is the one that matters. Mid-to-long-term residents must report their address within 14 days of settling there. Failing to report can bring a fine of up to 200,000 yen. Reporting a false address can bring imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to 200,000 yen.
Then the heaviest one. If you do not report your address within 90 days of arriving, without a legitimate reason, your status of residence can be revoked. That stops being about money. That is about whether you can stay in Japan at all. A false report carries the same risk.
If you are already past the deadline
Being late does not make not going an option. You can still register late. If the counter asks why, answer honestly. The worst version of this is the days continuing to pile up unreported – the closer you get to that 90-day line, the more you stand to lose.
How to register (step by step)
- Go to your local city or ward office (市役所 / 区役所) for the area where you now live – within 14 days.
- File a moving-in notification (転入届 / tennyūtodoke) at the counter.
- Show your documents (see below) and give your address.
- Your address is registered, and you can now request copies of your juminhyo.
What to bring
Some cities let you pick up a juminhyo copy at a convenience store using a My Number card – convenient once you’re set up.
How your name appears (katakana, furigana, and alias names)
People pick up their juminhyo, look at the name field, and are confused. The mechanics are fixable once you know them.
The furigana field shows an asterisk. Since 26 May 2026, juminhyo records carry a phonetic reading of the name – but for foreign residents that field displays as an asterisk, because the residence card or special permanent resident certificate it is built from carries no reading. Nothing has gone wrong.
You do not have to leave it that way. Residents from countries that do not use kanji can file a notice at their municipal office and have a katakana rendering of their name added to the remarks section. If you came from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam or the Philippines, that is you.
This is not cosmetic. With a katakana rendering in the remarks section, you can register a personal seal (inkan) on the strength of it. Seal registration is what gets asked for when you buy a car or sign a property contract. Doing it early means not being stuck on the day you need it.
There is also the alias name (tsushomei) system. If you have lived in Japan a long time and genuinely go by another name, it can be recorded on your juminhyo – but only if you can evidence that you actually use it. Wanting one is not enough. Ask at the counter.
How it connects to tax and insurance
Registering your address is the “entry point” for the systems that matter later:
- Resident tax (住民税): billed by the city where you’re registered. Usually nothing in your first year, but from year two it depends on your previous income – see our guide on tax for part-time workers.
- National Health Insurance (国民健康保険): registering your address makes you eligible to enrol, which cuts your medical bills to 30%. See the health insurance guide.
Official source: Ministry of Internal Affairs (English)
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I don’t register?
You’ll struggle with school and job paperwork, and you can’t complete health insurance or tax procedures. It’s also a legal violation. Always register.
What documents do I need?
Your passport and residence card. Show them at the counter to complete the process.
Do I need to re-do it when I move?
Yes. As a rule you must file the moving-out / moving-in notification within 14 days.
Is a juminhyo used for part-time jobs?
Sometimes. Employers may ask for a copy to verify your identity and address.
Can they help me in English?
It depends on the municipality. Large cities often have multilingual support or translation tablets; smaller offices may not. Bring a friend or a translation app if you’re unsure.
Do this first
Your juminhyo is the key that unlocks a bank account, a SIM, insurance, and a job. Register within 14 days, keep a couple of copies, and the rest of your setup becomes much easier. Next steps most people take:
- Get a SIM (no credit card needed)
- Join national health insurance
- Get a credit card
- Send money home
- Moving again? The order of the paperwork (and why March costs twice as much)
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Once your address is registered, the bank account is next. Some banks accept you with just three months left on your visa.
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mori
Japanese. I read the ministries’ own notices, orders and Q&As in the original, and I start from what my Nepalese and Sri Lankan friends in Japan actually ran into. I do not write about what I have not checked or been told.
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