What to Do Immediately After Moving: Complete Guide to Updating Your Resident Registration and Filing Transfer Procedures
Once you've moved to your new home, updating your resident registration is mandatory within 14 days. We explain the procedures for filing your move-out and move-in notifications and what documents you'll need.
After the move is complete and you're settling into your new home, updating your resident registration is a task that often gets postponed. However, Japanese law requires you to file your move-in notification within 14 days of your move, and failing to do so can result in a fine of up to ¥50,000. Additionally, your resident registration is required for countless daily activities, including changing your driver's license address, updating your health insurance, and accessing public services. While it may seem cumbersome, the process is actually quite straightforward, so it's best to complete it smoothly right after your move.
In this article, we clearly explain everything rental apartment residents need to know—from the differences between move-out notifications, move-in notifications, and change-of-address notifications, to required documents, how to use online procedures, and what follow-up steps to take after updating your resident registration.
Understand the Differences Between Move-Out, Move-In, and Change-of-Address Notifications
There are three types of procedures related to updating your resident registration. Which one you need depends on the type of move. Getting this clear first is the key to smooth proceedings.
Move-Out Notification (Tenshutsutsu Todoke): If you're moving from one municipality to another, you must submit a move-out notification at your current municipal office before you move. Once processed, you'll receive a move-out certificate (tenshutsutsu shoumei), which you'll need for your move-in notification. As a rule, you can file this up to 14 days before your move, so it's reassuring to complete it early between your other moving preparations.
Move-In Notification (Tenyuu Todoke): After you move to a new municipality, you must file a move-in notification at the new municipal office within 14 days of your move. You'll need your move-out certificate and photo ID. This procedure creates a new resident registration at your new address. For rental properties, the deadline is 14 days from your move-in date, so we recommend getting started right away after you've moved in.
Change-of-Address Notification (Tenkyo Todoke): If you're moving within the same municipality, you don't need to file move-out and move-in notifications—you only file a change-of-address notification at the office managing your new address. You won't need a move-out certificate, and since you only have to complete one procedure instead of two, it's less burdensome.
Required Documents and Items
Here are the documents you'll need for each procedure. Gathering them in advance will help the process go smoothly.
•Photo ID (My Number Card, driver's license, passport, or other government-issued photo identification)
•My Number Card or notification card
•Move-out certificate (move-in notification only)
•Personal seal/stamp (not required by some municipalities)
•National Health Insurance card (if applicable)
If a representative is handling the procedure, a power of attorney document will be needed. If you're filing for your entire household at once, you'll need information for all household members. Since the ID documents you prepared for your rental contract can often be used as-is, it's convenient to keep them together with your other moving documents.
How to File and How Long It Takes
At most municipal offices, the process takes about 30 minutes to an hour at the counter. During the busy moving season (March–April), wait times can be significantly longer. Weekday afternoons between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. tend to be quieter, so if you have flexibility, aim for that window. Some municipal offices also offer Saturday morning hours, so checking in advance is reassuring if you can't take time off on weekdays.
Move-Out Notification Process: Fill out the move-out notification form at your current municipal office's resident registration section (usually the Citizen's Services Division) and submit it along with your ID. Your move-out certificate will be issued on the spot. If you have a My Number Card, you can also file the move-out notification online through the My Number Portal.
Move-In Notification Process: Fill out the move-in notification form at your new municipal office and submit it along with your move-out certificate and photo ID. Your new resident registration will be created at this time. You can also handle national health insurance enrollment and national pension address changes at the same time, so ask the staff, "Are there other procedures I can complete today?" This way, you can finish multiple tasks in one visit.
Online Procedures Using Your My Number Card
If you have a My Number Card, you can file your move-out notification online through the My Number Portal (available nationwide since February 2023). When you submit your move-out notification online, you'll receive a QR code instead of a physical move-out certificate. You can then use this QR code at your new municipality's office to complete your move-in notification. This saves you the trip to your old municipal office and is especially valuable during the hectic moving period.
However, some municipalities don't yet support online move-in notifications, so we recommend checking your destination municipality's website in advance. As local government digitalization continues to advance, the convenience of these procedures is expected to improve further.
Note that you can update the address on your My Number Card at the same time as your resident registration procedure at the counter. Many municipalities will handle this without requiring a separate application form if you bring your card, so be sure to bring it along.
Follow-Up Procedures After Updating Your Resident Registration
After you update your resident registration, you'll need to promptly complete related procedures. Especially when starting a new life in a rental property, many services are affected by your address change, so we recommend working through this checklist to ensure you don't miss anything.
•Driver's License Address Update: File at your nearest police box or driver's license center. You may need a copy of your resident registration.
•My Number Card Address Update: Can be handled at the counter when you file your resident registration.
•Bank Account Address Update: Most banks offer this through their apps or websites. Since this is where important notices are sent, update it as soon as possible.
•Credit Card and Insurance Company Address Updates: Usually available online.
•Notify Your Workplace or School of Your Address Change: Do this promptly, as it may affect your salary or commute allowance calculations.
•Japan Post Address Change Registration: Mail addressed to your old address will be forwarded to your new address for one year. You can file this free of charge at your local post office or online (e-Tenkyoku).
Be sure to file the postal service address change in particular to prevent missing important documents. It's one of the most common oversights after moving to a rental property—failing to do this results in notifications from banks and government offices continuing to arrive at your old address.
Updating your resident registration is the first official procedure in setting up your new life. By not putting it off and completing it early after your move, you'll ensure that subsequent procedures—such as setting up electricity, gas, and water services—go smoothly. Consider it the first step toward confidently starting your life in your new home, and approach it with a plan.
