5 Procedures You Shouldn’t Forget After Moving!

2025-02-17

After you’re done moving your belongings from your old home, it’s natural to want a breather. However, there’s still some important paperwork to handle. You’ll need to visit the city hall for various tasks, including submitting a moving-out notification, updating your address for your national pension, and changing your address on your driver’s license. Remember that the moving-out notification and national pension address updates must be completed within two weeks of your move.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take after moving, in chronological order. Following this guide lets you know exactly when and how to handle each task efficiently.

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Moving-out and moving-in notification procedures

When you move, the first step is to submit a moving-out notification within two weeks. Keep in mind that during peak moving season, city hall counters can get very crowded. To avoid delays, it’s a good idea to plan and allow yourself plenty of time to complete the process.

If you’re moving to a different city, ward, town, or village, start by submitting a “moving-out notification” at the city hall of your current location. You’ll receive a “moving-out certificate” as part of the process. After that, take the certificate, your identification, and your seal to the city hall of your new residence to submit a “moving-in notification.”

If you’re moving within the same city, ward, town, or village, simply bring your identification, health insurance card, and seal to the city hall of your new address to submit a “moving-in notification.” Keep in mind that in some areas, a seal may not be required, but it’s always a good idea to bring it with you just in case.

When you submit your “moving-in notification,” it’s a good idea to request a “copy of your resident registration” at the same time. This document will be useful for a variety of address-changing procedures you’ll need to handle later. Be sure to check how many copies you’ll need.

Address change for your My Number

You’ll also need to update your address within two weeks. This can be done by having your My Number notification card or My Number card endorsed at your local government office. It’s convenient to take care of this when you submit your moving-in or moving-out notification.

National pension and national health insurance procedures

National pension

If you’re a national pension type 1 insured person and you move to a different city, town, or village, you must complete the necessary procedure at the city hall of your new address within two weeks. Be sure to bring your pension book, identification card, and personal seal to complete the process.

If you’re moving within the same city, town, or village, you’ll still need to update your address. In some cases, the city hall may ask you to update your national pension address at the same time as you submit your change of address notification. However, if your My Number and basic pension number are already linked, you won’t need to complete the address change procedure for your national pension separately.

National health insurance

Even if you’re moving within the same city, ward, town, or village, you’ll need to update your address for national health insurance at the city hall of your new residence within two weeks, just like with the national pension. Don’t forget to bring your national health insurance card, identification card, and personal seal to complete the process.

If you’re moving to a different city, ward, town, or village, you’ll need to complete the procedure to cancel your national health insurance at the city hall of your old residence. Then, within two weeks, you must re-enroll in the national health insurance at the city hall of your new residence.

Address change for seal registration

You can update the address on your seal registration by submitting a change of address notification if you’ve registered your seal at the city hall of your previous residence, and you’re moving within the same city, town, or village. However, if you’re moving to a different ward within the same area, you may need to go through a separate procedure to update your seal registration. Be sure to check with your local city hall to confirm the requirements.

If you’re moving to a different city, town, or village, your seal certificate registration will be canceled when you submit a moving-out notification at your previous residence. Be sure to return your seal certificate registration card (seal certificate card) to the city hall or dispose of it. If you need a registered seal or seal certificate at your new residence, you’ll need to complete a new registration process. To do this, you’ll need to bring your seal and identification to the city hall to complete the registration procedure.

Address change on your driving license

Once you’ve completed the necessary procedures at city hall, bring your updated resident record with you to change the address on your driver’s license. You can update your address at your local police station (note that substations cannot process this), a driver’s license testing center, or a license renewal center.

Police stations can only process your address change on weekdays, but license renewal centers may accept changes on Sundays as well. Be sure to bring your driver’s license, updated resident record, and personal seal with you to complete the process.

Vehicle and motorcycle registration change

In addition to updating the address on your driver’s license, don’t forget to change the registered address for your car and motorcycle. Keep in mind that the delivery address may differ depending on the type of vehicle.

Car: Transport Bureau relevant to your new home

Light vehicle: Light vehicle inspection association relevant to your new home

Motorcycle: City hall in your new home

[What you need to change your address]

Personal seal

Vehicle inspection certificate

Parking certificate (for private cars only)

Resident registration card

Compulsory automobile liability insurance certificate

Light vehicle tax declaration

License plate

Address change procedures for parking certificate

You’ll also need to update the address on your car’s parking certificate. Once you’ve secured a parking space at your new home, apply for the parking certificate at the local police station. The application fee is approximately 2,500 yen, and it typically takes 3 to 7 days to be issued.

[Items required for parking certificate change procedure]

Application for parking certificate

Location and layout of the parking space

Document that proves the right to use the parking space (one of the following)

If owned: Proof of the right to use location

If rented: Certificate of consent to use location (confirmation from the lessor of the parking lot)

Revenue stamp

Resident registration card

Personal seal

Procedure for changing the address on vehicle registration

The address on your vehicle registration must be updated within 15 days of moving. If your new address is outside the jurisdiction of your previous address, you’ll also need to change your license plate to a new one. Please note that you must bring the vehicle with you when completing this procedure.

[What you need in order to change the address on your vehicle registration certificate]

Application form

Fee payment slip

Motor vehicle tax application form

Vehicle inspection certificate

Vehicle storage space certificate issued by the jurisdiction of your new home
Within one month of issuance of parking certificate

Resident registration card/family register

Documents issued within the last three months that can prove the connection between your old address and your new address.

Personal seal

Power of attorney is required if a representative is handling the procedure

Address change for various qualifications and membership registrations

If you hold a national qualification, such as a social worker or nurse, you’ll need to update your address with the relevant institution. Make sure to follow the specific procedures required by each organization to ensure your address is properly updated. Since national qualifications can directly impact your work, this is an important step to ensure that everything is in order.

Don’t forget to update your address for online shopping and point cards as well. With online shopping, if you don’t change your address on time, your orders could be shipped to your old home. To avoid any problems, it’s best to make these updates as soon as possible.

Dog registration procedure

If you own a dog, you’re required to register it with your city, ward, town, or village and have it vaccinated against rabies at the health center annually.

When you move with your dog, be sure to update the registered address at the city hall or health center of your new location. You must make this change within 30 days of moving, so don’t forget. Keep in mind that pets such as cats, hamsters, and birds are not required to be registered, nor do they require an address change notification.

To update your dog’s address, you’ll need to bring the personal seal, your dog’s tag, and its rabies vaccination certificate. Make sure to prepare these items in advance to ensure the process goes smoothly.

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