I purchased a car at an auction and have been looking at the next steps. If anyone has some advice or have identified a bit I’ve missed / something that makes it easier, I’d appreciate some advice and tips.
I signed an agreement with an agent, identified the car & budget, agent bid and won. I paid the agent, they delivered the car to me (I have a garage). So today I have a car, but no paperwork yet (other than auction paperwork and invoice). The car was registered in Osaka and I am in Tokyo. I have a Japanese driving licence.
The invoice shows 10% Sales tax, Recycle fee, and Auto tax.
I have been told by the agent that the paperwork and service books, etc are now in the post from the previous owner.
What I think I have to do next (after receiving documents) is:
1. Go to the police station and get a shakoshōmeisho. Can I do this now (I have the document from the landlord) or do I have to wait for the paperwork? Does it matter that the numberplate will change?
2. Get liability insurance (can I do this now?)
3. Go to the transport bureau of MILT with:
\* jotoshomeisho (transfer certificate)
\* ininjō (power of attorney)
\* Original shakoshōmeisho
\* Two Inkanshōmeisho (one from me and one from seller)
\* My residence certificate
\* jidousharisaikuruken (would this be the invoice?)
4. As the existing numberplate is from a different prefecture, I will need to drive to a transport bureau and they will guide me to physically change the plates myself. But would this be with the step (3) above, or later (ie. once I receive something in the post)
5. Buy comprehensive insurance for the car
6. Register an ETC (the car has an ETC reader built in) – can I get an ETC card before it has new numberplate?
7. Buy a drive recorder. Are these things easy to install yourself? I was going to go with a VIOFO A129 from Amazon.. (recommendation from r/dashcam )
8. Buy breakdown insurance.
The car is saying it wants a service so I’ll contact the main dealer and book that in.
Shaken is valid until January next year.
Also, I understand that I can’t legally drive it until I get to the stage of new numberplate – is that correct?
Thank you
1 comment
>Go to the police station and get a shakoshōmeisho. Can I do this now (I have the document from the landlord) or do I have to wait for the paperwork? Does it matter that the numberplate will change?
Yes, you can do this now. You can’t even get the new numberplate until after it’s registered, and you can’t register it without the shakoshomeisho.
>Get liability insurance (can I do this now?)
You can get the jibaiseki (mandatory insurance) at the MILT, but as you need to drive the car to MILT, you should probably get your own jibaiseki anyway. You can specify how long you want it, so get a validity that expires like one month after the current shaken expires. Drive _very fucking carefully_, as jibaiseki doesn’t cover much at all. If you’re really concerned, have it towed to MILT.
>Go to the transport bureau of MILT with:
>
>jotoshomeisho (transfer certificate)
>
>ininjō (power of attorney)
>
>Original shakoshōmeisho
>
>Two Inkanshōmeisho (one from me and one from seller)
>
>My residence certificate
>
>jidousharisaikuruken (would this be the invoice?)
The paperwork you get should have the jidousharisaikuruken form, which is just proof that the recycling fee has already been paid.
>As the existing numberplate is from a different prefecture, I will need to drive to a transport bureau and they will guide me to physically change the plates myself. But would this be with the step (3) above, or later (ie. once I receive something in the post)
This is done at MILT. Basically you get all the paperwork together, go to MILT, bounce back and forth between counters (last time I did it, I directed to different places something like 19 times). They will process everything, and then you take the car over to a specific area where they give you the new plates, you install them, and then they put a special seal over one of the screws so you can’t remove the plates without them knowing. Then you go back inside to finish some procedures.
>Buy comprehensive insurance for the car
Get this right away after the registration is done and you have the new plate.
>Register an ETC (the car has an ETC reader built in) – can I get an ETC card before it has new numberplate?
Card has nothing to do with the reader. You can take your ETC card and put it in basically any reader in any car (might be limitations between ETC 1.0 and 2.0, but not sure). You can go ahead and get the card. Many places such as Kobac or Yellowhat or Autobacs can update the registration on the ETC.
>Buy a drive recorder. Are these things easy to install yourself? I was going to go with a VIOFO A129 from Amazon.. (recommendation from r/dashcam )
Depends on whether or not you have any experiencing with vehicle wiring. If you’re comfortable installing an aftermarket stereo, then a dashcam won’t be too hard.
>Buy breakdown insurance. The car is saying it wants a service so I’ll contact the main dealer and book that in. Shaken is valid until January next year.
Optional, but do what makes sense. It having valid shaken right now has vastly simplified this whole procedure.