Address registration basics in Japan
This is one of the most important early admin tasks for mid-to-long-term residents. The stable rule is simple: your address must be registered with the municipality where you live, and there are deadlines that matter.
What matters most
- •Go to the municipal office for the place where you live.
- •Do not treat address registration as optional.
- •Bring your residence card if you have one.
- •If your residence card will be issued later, bring your passport.
- •Watch the 14-day deadline carefully.
New residents need to file a moving-in notification
The Immigration Services Agency's handbook says a mid-to-long-term resident who has been issued a residence card needs to register their address by filing a moving-in notification within 14 days after the residence has been determined. If the card was not issued at the airport, the handbook says you should file the moving-in notification after entering Japan and then the residence card will be delivered by mail.
Address notifications are handled at the municipality, not at immigration
The official Q&A is explicit that residence notifications must be handled at the municipal office for your place of residence, not at a Regional Immigration Services Office. This is why the first answer is usually city hall, ward office, town office, or village office depending on where you live.
If you move inside Japan, the new address must also be reported
The official Q&A also says that when a mid-to-long-term resident changes residence, they must notify the municipality of the new place of residence within 14 days after moving there. In practice, this means you should not assume that your original registration continues to be correct after you move.
Bring your residence card when you do the municipal move procedure
This point matters more than people expect. The official Q&A explains that if you file the Basic Resident Register moving procedure with your residence card, that can also count as the immigration-law residence notification. But if you forget to bring the residence card and the municipal office processes the move first, you may need to make the residence notification again separately.
Missing the address deadline can have real consequences
The official Q&A says that failing to notify your address within 14 days can lead to a fine of up to 200,000 yen, and in some cases a status-of-residence cancellation risk can also arise. So this is not a minor paperwork detail; it is part of maintaining lawful residence records.
Before you go to the municipal office
- •Residence card if already issued
- •Passport if your residence card will be issued later
- •Your new address details
- •Any municipal forms or moving documents the municipality asks for
- •Enough time to ask follow-up questions about local procedures
Official sources
This guide is based on official Immigration Services Agency materials. For the exact local moving forms and office flow, always check the website of your municipality as well.