Moving House in Japan: What Procedures Do You Need? A Full Checklist for Foreign Residents

September 8, 2026

When you move house in Japan, you must handle your residence registration, residence card, My Number, insurance, postal mail and many service contracts. This checklist helps you do things in the right order and avoid missing the important 14-day deadline.

Moving house in Japan is not only about packing boxes, booking a truck and returning the keys. For foreign residents, a change of address also affects your residence registration, your residence card, My Number, insurance, postal mail, banking and many contracts you already use.

The most important point to remember is this: if you move to a different city, ward or town, you usually have to file a move-out notification at your old address and a move-in notification at your new address. After you actually move in, many important procedures have a 14-day deadline, including registering your new address and updating the address on your residence card.

This article puts the tasks in the right order: what to do before the move, on moving day, and after you arrive at your new home. The detailed rules can differ from one municipality to another, so you should still check the website of the ward office or city hall where you live now and where you are moving to.

Quick answer: what do you need to do when moving house in Japan?

If you do not have time to read the whole article right now, remember this minimum list:

Decide whether you are moving within the same city or ward or to a different municipality.
If you are moving to a different municipality, file 転出届 (tenshutsu todoke — the move-out notification) at your old municipality, or file it online if you meet the conditions.
Tell your property management company and your electricity, gas, water and internet providers the date you want to stop or transfer each service.
Register mail forwarding with Japan Post.
After you arrive, file 転入届 (tennyu todoke — the move-in notification) or 転居届 (tenkyo todoke — the change-of-address notification within the same municipality) within the deadline that applies to you.
Bring your 在留カード (zairyu card — residence card) and your マイナンバーカード (My Number Card) so the address can be updated.
Handle National Health Insurance, pension, child allowance and other family procedures if they apply to you.
Update your address with your employer, bank, credit card companies, phone provider, school and the other services you use.

Do not wait until an important letter arrives at your old home before you start fixing your address. The safest method is to make a separate list for each family member and tick off each item as you finish it.

Step 1: work out what kind of move you are making

The name of the procedure depends on whether your new address is still in the same municipality.

Moving to a different city, ward, town or village

You normally need two steps:

転出届 — tenshutsu todoke: the move-out notification at your old municipality.
転入届 — tennyu todoke: the move-in notification at your new municipality.

For example, if you move from Isesaki in Gunma to Edogawa in Tokyo, this is a move to a different municipality. You cannot simply update your address at the new office and assume that everything is finished.

Moving within the same city or ward

You will usually file 転居届 — tenkyo todoke, which is the notification of an address change inside the same municipality. A move between wards of a designated city may be handled differently depending on the city, so check the guidance page of that municipality before you go.

A quick way to check

Look at the administrative part of the address, before the neighbourhood name. If the 市 (shi — city), 区 (ku — ward), 町 (machi — town) or 村 (mura — village) name changes, you most likely need both a move-out and a move-in notification. If you are not sure, call the ward office or city hall and ask:

引っ越しを予定しています。転出届と転入届が必要ですか。
I am planning to move house. Do I need to file a move-out notification and a move-in notification?

Step 2: file the move-out notification before you leave your old address

When you move to a different municipality, file 転出届 following the instructions of the municipality where you are currently registered. After it is accepted, the municipality will give you the information or the certificate you need for the move-in procedure. What you receive depends on how you filed and on whether you use a My Number Card.

If you have a My Number Card, you can use the moving service on マイナポータル (Myna Portal — the government's online portal) to send the move-out notification online and to book in advance the day you plan to visit the counter for your move-in procedure. However, sending 転出届 online does not mean the whole change-of-address process is finished online. You still need to complete the procedure at your new municipality as instructed.

Before you file, it is a good idea to prepare:

The residence cards of the foreign family members.
Your My Number Card, if you have one.
The details of your new address.
The date you plan to leave the old home and the date you will start living in the new one.
A letter of proxy, if the person filing on your behalf is not someone who can be handled directly.
Any other documents that your municipality asks for.

Do not write the moving date as the date you signed the contract if you have not actually started living at the new address. Fill in the form according to your real living situation, and ask the staff at the counter if your moving day, key handover day and move-in day are all different.

Step 3: close the services at your old home

This group is not a residence procedure, but it is where people who move most often lose money. Before you leave, contact each provider to confirm the service end date, how the final bill will be paid, and any inspection appointment that is needed.

Electricity, gas and water

Have this information ready when you contact them:

The customer number shown on your bill.
Your old address and your new address.
The date you want the service at the old home to stop.
The date you want the service at the new home to start.
Your phone number and payment method.

Gas usually requires an appointment so that a technician can come and open the valve at your new home. Do not wait until the evening of your move-in day to apply, because you may not be able to use hot water or the gas stove straight away.

Fixed-line internet

Ask clearly whether this is a transfer of the existing contract to a new location, or a cancellation followed by a new application. Check:

Removal or installation fees.
Early cancellation fees.
Which equipment you must return.
The disconnection date at the old home.
The waiting time for installation work at the new home.

If you work from home, prepare a temporary internet option such as a data SIM or a Pocket Wi-Fi for the waiting period. Do not assume that your current line can be moved to the new apartment immediately.

Property management company and handover

Confirm in writing:

The contract end date.
The time of the room inspection.
How you should return the keys.
The address where the final settlement statement will be sent.
Which items belonging to the apartment you must leave behind.

Take photos of the room after you have cleaned it, especially in places that already had scratches or damage before you moved in. Photos do not replace the official handover record, but they help you keep proof of the real condition in case you need to compare later.

Step 4: register mail forwarding with Japan Post

Even after you report your new address to the ward office, letters from banks, companies, hospitals or private services will not change automatically. For that reason, you should file a 転居届 with Japan Post so that mail is forwarded from your old address to your new one.

According to Japan Post, mail is forwarded for one year from the date the notification is filed, not one year from the date you asked the forwarding to start. You can file again to extend it, but you should still take the initiative and tell each sender your new address.

Mail forwarding is only a temporary safety net. It does not replace updating your address with:

Banks and credit card companies.
Your employer or school.
Hospitals where you are receiving treatment.
Private insurance companies.
Mobile carriers and online shopping services.
Any office that is currently processing an application for you.

Note in particular that some types of mail are sent in a form that cannot be forwarded. So if you are waiting for a card, an official document or the result of an important application, contact the issuing organisation directly.

Step 5: complete the procedures at your new municipality within the key deadline

After you have actually moved into your new home, make visiting the city hall or ward office an early priority. Myna Portal tells people who move in to file 転入届 within 14 days from the date of the move. For 転居届, the 14-day deadline after the move also appears in the related procedure guidance.

Do not read "14 days" as 14 days from the day you received the keys if you were not living there yet. The deadline is based on your actual move-in date and on how the municipality decides your residence status. If your situation is unusual, ask the residents' counter directly.

When you go to file, it is a good idea to bring:

Your residence card.
The My Number Cards of the family members who have one.
Your passport, if the municipality asks for it or as a backup for identity checks.
Your move-out document, or the details of your online filing.
Documents that prove family relationships, if the household record needs to be updated.
A personal seal, if a local procedure or a related service asks for one.
A letter of proxy, if someone is going on your behalf.

The real list can differ depending on your family situation and the type of procedure. If you have children, if someone receives an allowance, if someone is enrolled in National Health Insurance, or if someone needs nursing care support, say so clearly at the counter so that staff can direct you to the relevant departments.

Step 6: update the address on your residence card

This is the part that foreign residents should not skip.

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan instructs mid- to long-term residents to report their new address within 14 days from the day they move into their new home. When you bring your residence card to the municipal counter and complete the change-of-address procedure under the Basic Resident Registration Act, that procedure is treated as fulfilling the address notification duty under the immigration law; you do not need to submit the same set of documents again at the Immigration Services Agency.

In simple terms: bring your residence card when you file 転入届 or 転居届, and check that the new address has been recorded correctly before you leave the counter.

After you get your card back, check:

Whether the new address is correct.
Whether the room number is missing.
Whether the way the building name is written could cause confusion.
Whether the cards of all family members have been processed.

If you completed the residence procedure but forgot to hand over one family member's card, do not assume that the address on the whole family record has updated itself. Ask the staff member in charge right away.

Step 7: update your My Number Card and electronic certificate

Your My Number Card has your address printed on the front. When your address changes, you need to have the card updated at the municipality within 14 days. The My Number Card does not change by itself just because the address on your residence card has been corrected.

One point that is easy to miss is that the electronic certificate used for signing (署名用電子証明書 — shomeiyo denshi shomeisho) can lose its validity when your address changes. This function is often used for online procedures. While you are at the counter, ask about reissuing or reactivating the appropriate certificate as well, instead of only checking the printed text on the front of the card.

Bring the PIN codes that you set for your My Number Card. If you have forgotten a PIN, or if the card is locked because a wrong PIN was entered too many times, the process can take longer because an extra unlocking or reset step is needed.

For families, check each card separately. The fact that the head of the household has finished updating does not mean that every family member's My Number Card has been fully changed.

Step 8: handle insurance, pension and family procedures

This group depends on your employment situation and your family composition.

If you are enrolled in National Health Insurance

Myna Portal tells people who register for National Health Insurance at the new municipality to complete the enrolment procedure within 14 days from the date they move in. When you move out, you also need to follow the instructions for returning or handling the insurance documents of your old municipality.

If you are enrolled in social insurance through your employer, report your new address to the human resources department. Do not register for National Health Insurance on your own just because you have moved, if you are still covered by your company's insurance; confirm your own status first.

National Pension and other records

Depending on the records you have, the municipality may give you further guidance about:

National Pension.
Child allowance.
Medical cost support for children.
Nursery school and school.
Long-term care.
Allowances for people with disabilities.
Residence tax or other payments you have outstanding.

If you receive a benefit from your old municipality, do not assume that it will transfer to the new one automatically. Ask about both the closing procedure at the old municipality and the new application at the new one.

Step 9: update your address with your employer and private services

Once you have finished the administrative procedures, update the accounts that can affect your money, your contracts or your ability to receive documents.

Your workplace

Report your new address to human resources so they can update your employment record, insurance, tax and commuting allowance if you have one. If your commuting route changes, submit your transport cost details again according to your company's rules.

Banks and credit cards

Change the address on each account. A bank may need to verify your new residence card and your period of stay, or may send a confirmation letter to your registered address. If an important letter is returned undelivered, some transactions or verification processes can be affected.

Phone and online services

Update your billing address or contract address with:

Your mobile carrier.
Your internet provider.
Online shopping platforms.
E-wallet services.
Private insurance companies.
Subscription delivery services.

Be careful to tell the difference between your default delivery address and the registered legal address on the account. Changing one delivery address does not necessarily change the contract address.

Driving licence and vehicles

If you have a driving licence, a car, a motorbike or a parking space, check the matching change-of-address procedures with the police and the relevant authorities in your new area. These documents are not updated automatically by the ward office.

Timeline checklist

About two to four weeks before the move

Tell the property management company the date you will leave.
Book the inspection and the key return.
Check the cancellation fees.
Book the electricity, gas, water and internet appointments.
Prepare a temporary internet option if you need one.
Arrange school or nursery for your children.
Make a list of every contract that has your old address.

About one to two weeks before the move

File 転出届 if you are moving to a different municipality.
Register mail forwarding.
Confirm the service end dates at the old home.
Confirm the service start dates at the new home.
Prepare your residence card, My Number Card and PIN codes.
Back up your documents and photograph the important papers.

On moving day

Note the electricity, gas or water meter readings if needed.
Photograph the condition of the old room after cleaning.
Check your belongings and the keys.
Confirm the name plate, room number and mailbox at the new address.
Keep your ID documents with you, not in the moving truck.

In the first days at your new home

File 転入届 or 転居届.
Update your residence card.
Update your My Number Card and ask about the electronic certificate.
Handle insurance and family procedures.
Tell your employer your new address.

In the first week, or as soon as possible

Change your address with your bank and credit card companies.
Change your address for your phone, internet and private insurance.
Check your driving licence and vehicle records.
Update your online delivery addresses.
Watch the mail forwarded from your old address to find services you have missed.

Six common mistakes when moving house in Japan

1. Telling only the property management company

The management company only handles the rental contract. They will not report your address to the ward office, the Immigration Services Agency, My Number, your bank or your employer for you.

2. Thinking that mail forwarding means your address has changed

Mail forwarding only redirects certain items of post for a limited period. The address in the sender's records stays the old one until you update it yourself.

3. Going to file the procedures but leaving your residence card at home

For mid- to long-term residents, the residence card is an important document for processing a change of address. Without it, you may have to come back another day.

4. Forgetting the My Number Card or forgetting the PIN

The address on your My Number Card and the electronic certificate function both need to be handled. Bringing the card but not remembering the PIN can also make the process take longer.

5. Applying for services at the new home too late

You may move in and still have no gas, hot water or internet. Book the appointments in advance, especially during the busy moving season.

6. Not checking each family member

Families with children usually have more records involved: residence cards, My Number, insurance, allowances, nursery or school. Use a checklist per person, not only per procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Can I complete all the moving procedures online?

You should not assume that. People who have a My Number Card can send the move-out notification through Myna Portal and book a counter appointment in advance, but the move-in procedure and the updating of related documents still have parts that must be handled according to the instructions of your new municipality.

Do I need to file `転出届` if I move within the same ward?

Normally, a move within the same municipality uses 転居届, not the pair of 転出届 and 転入届. However, the handling of moves between special administrative areas can be different, so confirm with your municipality.

Do I have to go to the Immigration Services Agency to change the address on my residence card?

For mid- to long-term residents, bringing your residence card to the municipal counter and completing the change-of-address procedure as required is treated as having made the address notification under the immigration law. You usually do not need to submit an identical notification again at the Immigration Services Agency.

How long after moving do I have to register my new address?

The deadline to remember is 14 days from the day you actually move in, for the move-in procedure, the residence card address change and the My Number Card update described in the official guidance. Do not wait until the last day, because missing documents or an office closing day could force you to make another trip.

How long does Japan Post forward mail?

Japan Post states that mail is forwarded for one year from the date the change-of-address notification is filed. You can file again to extend it, but you should still update your address directly with the senders.

Do I still need to change my address at the bank if I have registered mail forwarding?

Yes. Mail forwarding does not change your customer information in the bank's system. You should update it directly, following each bank's instructions.

In summary

To move house in Japan without missing a procedure, work in three groups:

Before you leave the old home: file the move-out notification if you need one, close the housing and service contracts, and register mail forwarding.
Right after you arrive at the new home: file the move-in or change-of-address notification, and update your residence card, My Number Card, insurance and family records.
After that: change your address with your employer, bank, credit card companies, phone provider, driving licence and private services.

The most important things are not to miss the 14-day deadline, and always to bring your residence card and My Number Card when you go to the counter. One session spent preparing a checklist before the move can save you many return trips, lost letters and interrupted contracts later.

If you are still looking for the new place itself, the properties NST Connect currently lists each show their monthly cost and nearest station.

Sources checked on August 24, 2026. This content is for general information only. The required documents and the way procedures are handled can differ depending on the municipality and on your personal circumstances; please confirm with the responsible office or provider before you act.