Address Registration in Japan After Moving: Ward Office Steps and Deadlines
Getting the keys is not the end of the process. Japan runs on a registered-address system, and once you move in you have 14 days to tell the city or ward office where you now live. Almost everything else — health insurance, your residence card, your bank, your phone — hangs off that one registration.
This guide walks through what to do, in what order, and what to physically bring with you.
First, which situation are you in?
| Your move | What you file | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Within the same city or ward | Change of address (転居届 tenkyo todoke) | Your existing office — one visit only |
| To a different city or ward | Moving-out notice (転出届 tenshutsu todoke), then moving-in notice (転入届 tennyu todoke) | Old office, then new office — two visits |
| Arriving in Japan from abroad | Moving-in notice (転入届) | New office, with your residence card |
Moving between cities: what are the two steps?
- At your old office, file the moving-out notice. You receive a moving-out certificate (転出証明書 tenshutsu shomeisho). Guard this piece of paper — the next step is impossible without it. Many offices also accept this notice by post or, if you hold a My Number card, online
- At your new office, within 14 days of moving in, file the moving-in notice and hand over the certificate. Your residence record (住民票 juminhyo) is created at the new address
Do the second step in one sitting with everything else below — most offices handle insurance, pension and card updates at counters in the same building.
Do I need to update my residence card?
If you are a mid- to long-term resident, you must report your new address within 14 days of moving in. The good news: this is done at the city or ward office, not at an immigration bureau. Staff write the new address on the back of your residence card while you wait.
Bring the card itself to the counter. Missing this deadline can carry penalties and is the kind of gap that surfaces later at a visa renewal, so it is not worth putting off.
What should I bring to the ward office?
- Residence card (for every family member moving)
- My Number card or notification card — the card's address must be updated within 14 days
- Moving-out certificate — only when moving between municipalities
- National Health Insurance card, if you are enrolled
- Pension book or basic pension number, if you pay National Pension directly
- A personal seal (hanko) — often unnecessary now, but some counters still ask
- Your PIN codes for the My Number card — the four-digit one at minimum, needed to rewrite the address
If someone is filing on your behalf, they will need a power-of-attorney form from that municipality plus their own ID. Rules differ by office — check the website before sending someone.
What else can I do at the same visit?
| Item | Applies to | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| National Health Insurance transfer | Those not on employer insurance | 14 days |
| National Pension address change | Category 1 insured persons | 14 days |
| My Number card address rewrite | Cardholders | 14 days |
| Child allowance / school transfer | Households with children | Ask at the counter |
If you have employer-provided health insurance, your company handles that side — but you still notify HR of the new address.
What has to be done outside the ward office?
- Post office mail forwarding — free, redirects mail for one year. Available at any post office or online. File it a few days before you move
- Driver's licence — updated at a police station or licence centre, not the ward office. Bring proof of your new address, such as your juminhyo
- Bank and credit cards — many banks now allow this in-app; leaving it undone can block card reissues later
- Mobile carrier — usually online
- Utilities and internet — see setting up electricity, gas, water and internet
- Employer — commuting allowance and tax withholding both key off your registered address
In what order should I do all this?
| When | Do this |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks before moving | Moving-out notice at the old office; book gas connection; file mail forwarding |
| Moving day | Meet the gas technician; confirm electricity and water are live |
| Within 14 days | Moving-in notice, residence card, My Number card, insurance and pension — one visit |
| Same week | Get a couple of juminhyo copies while you're there |
| Within a month | Driver's licence, bank, cards, carrier, employer |
What are the most common mistakes?
- Losing the moving-out certificate — reissuing it means a trip back to the old municipality
- Going only to immigration — the address change for your residence card happens at the ward office
- Forgetting the My Number PIN — a forgotten PIN means resetting it in person before the address can be rewritten
- Registering an address that doesn't match your lease — the building name and room number should be written exactly as on your contract
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to register your new address in Japan?
14 days from the day you actually begin living there. The same 14-day deadline applies to updating the address on your residence card.
Where do you update the address on your residence card?
At the city or ward office, not at an immigration bureau. Bring the card itself and staff write the new address on the back while you wait.
What is the difference between moving within a city and between cities?
Within the same city or ward you file a single change-of-address notice. Between cities you file a moving-out notice at the old office, receive a moving-out certificate, then file a moving-in notice at the new office within 14 days.
What should you bring to the ward office?
Residence cards for everyone moving, your My Number card and its PIN, the moving-out certificate if you moved between municipalities, your National Health Insurance card if enrolled, and a personal seal in case the counter asks for one.
Summary
- 14 days from the day you start living there — for the moving-in notice and your residence card
- Same city: one notice. Different city: moving-out certificate first, then moving-in notice
- The residence card address is changed at the ward office, not immigration
- Bring residence card, My Number card and its PIN, insurance card and the certificate
- Mail forwarding, driver's licence and bank details are handled separately
Still looking for the apartment itself?
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