I purchased a car at an auction through an agent. Car’s been delivered to me (is in my garage waiting for registration) and the bundle of paperwork has arrived. I think I have all my ducks lined up, just waiting for a Shakoshōmeisho, which should be ready on Tuesday (had to get another hokansho as it turns out they expire if not used within a month), and I have a few questions that I can’t find the answer to please:
In the pack of paperwork that arrived I have a shaken and a jidoushahokenshōken clipped to it. These were registered when then car was new, with a expiry date of January 2024. Does the liability insurance follow the car, or does it terminate when ownership changes? Ie. Do I have to purchase another or is this okay for today and I don’t need to buy another until the shaken is renewed?(Guides on the internet imply / advise that I need to buy one now)
One of the documents the online guides say I should have / is optional is the jidoushanōzeishōmeisho to confirm tax has been paid. I haven’t got one of these with the paperwork that was provided. Do I need it, and if so can I obtain one or should I contact the previous owner / agent? Surely they can check / know the tax was paid 2.5 years ago?
As the car is registered in Osaka and I am in Tokyo, I have to drive the car to the transport bureau to get new registration plates. How does the insurance and ‘permission to drive it’ work? Is it okay for me to drive it to the bureau, but not anywhere else? A chap from the agent company drove it from Yokohama to me in Tokyo.. did he have a special licence or is there some acceptable condition?
From a google, it looks like my nearest centre to me (in Minato) is [here](https://maps.app.goo.gl/TctVvtutQ2EveGWe8) Do I just rock up, park in any free slot, stumble into the building clutching my bundle of paperwork and look for a person with a friendly face?
My pack to go into the bureau consists of the following :
* Hanko, Inkanshōmeisho and plastic ID card
* jūminhyō and residence card
* Driving licence
* Shakoshōmeisho
* jidoushahokenshōken
* jotoshomeisho
* ininjō
* Inkanshōmeisho (from seller)
* jidousharisaikuruken
* Shaken
Have I missed anything / anything to take ‘in case’ (ie. passport?)
Thank you
1 comment
Just to answer the insurance part:
> In the pack of paperwork that arrived I have a shaken and a jidoushahokenshōken clipped to it. These were registered when then car was new, with a expiry date of January 2024. Does the liability insurance follow the car, or does it terminate when ownership changes? Ie. Do I have to purchase another or is this okay for today and I don’t need to buy another until the shaken is renewed?(Guides on the internet imply / advise that I need to buy one now)
The basic, compulsory insurance, known as jibaiseki hoken (自賠責保険), follows the car. It’s bought at the same time as you get your shaken, and the certificate lives with the shaken certificate. So if you’ve bought a car that already has shaken, it’ll also already have jibaiseki hoken, and you don’t need to buy it again until the shaken runs out.
However, the jibaiseki is quite limited in what it covers, so nearly everyone buys additional optional insurance (任意保険). This is usually bought by the owner, and applies to the owner+car combination. Depending on what cover you buy it may also cover any other driver driving the same car, or only cover you and your spouse, or cover anyone over the age of 35 etc. It’s legal not to buy this and nobody will check it when you buy the car so you don’t need it as part of the purchase or registration process. But ideally you’d buy it to start the first day you drive the car in case you crash it on the way home. You can buy this online. I guess you’ll need to know what the Tokyo numberplate says so you can’t buy it until that’s issued.