A timeline-organized guide to procedures you must complete within 3 months of moving to your new home. Covers change of residence notification, Residence Card updates for foreign residents, national health insurance enrollment, bank address changes, driver's license updates, and internet connection setup—including easy-to-miss procedures that often slip through the cracks.
Reviewed by: Nobuyuki MoriPresident, M-Assets Co., Ltd. / Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist (Miyagi #018212)
After moving, you'll need to update your address not just with your resident registration, but also with your bank, credit card company, insurance provider, and various services. We'll explain the checklist and priorities to ensure you don't miss anything.
For those thinking about filing a change of address before moving, we break down the essentials of the 14-day rule under the Basic Resident Register Law and clarify when submitting a change of address before move-in day constitutes false reporting. Experts explain which procedures (like filing at your previous residence, setting up mail forwarding, and arranging utilities) can be done early, and the correct order to do them in.
When moving to a rental property, many procedures are needed from filing a moving-out notice to updating your driver's license and bank accounts. If you get the order of procedures wrong, the workload multiplies. This article explains all address change procedures before and after moving in an easy-to-understand way.
After moving to a new home, a mountain of administrative tasks awaits. To prevent problems like "I filed my change of residence notification but forgot to update my bank address" or "my driver's license renewal notice was sent to my old address," I've organized the procedures you need to complete in the first 3 months into a calendar format.
Deadline: Within 14 days of moving (statutory requirement)
Submit your change of residence notification at the municipal office of your new address ward/city. Required documents: Certificate of Moving Out (if moving from a different ward/city), personal identification, and My Number Card (if you have one).
Procedures you can complete at the same time:
Deadline: Within 14 days of moving (statutory requirement); penalties up to ¥200,000 for non-compliance
You can complete this at the municipal office window at the same time as your change of residence notification. Simply tell the clerk "Please update my Residence Card address as well," and they will record your new address on the reverse side of your card (free of charge).
Starting from your move-in day, confirm that all utilities are functioning properly. If you encounter any problems, contact the utility providers or your building management company as soon as possible.
Update your driver's license at the police station or driver's license center that covers your new address. Required documents: your current driver's license and proof of your new address (residential registration, Residence Card, etc.). It's free and takes about 30 minutes.
If you delay this change, your renewal notice will be sent to your old address, risking your license expiration.
Japan Post's "Change of Address Service" (via e-change or post office) forwards mail sent to your old address to your new address for one year at no cost. If you apply before filing your change of residence notification, you can ensure important documents related to overlooked procedures reach you.
Update your address with NHK Customer Relations Center (0120-151515) or the NHK website. Since reception contracts are household-based, you only need to update your address rather than register a new contract.
Update your address with your primary bank, secondary banks, and all credit card companies. Most allow online updates through online banking or mobile apps. This prevents important documents like balance statements and card renewals from being sent to your old address.
Financial institutions requiring priority attention:
Update your address through each carrier's My Page (My docomo, My SoftBank, My au, etc.) online. This ensures important notices delivered by email or mail are sent to your correct address.
Update your address with your life insurance, medical insurance, home insurance, and auto insurance providers through their websites or by phone. This ensures insurance documents, renewal notices, and premium receipts are sent to your new address.
National Pension address changes can be completed at the municipal office along with your change of residence notification. However, for occupational insurance (employee pension), you need to go through your employer's Human Resources department. If you've recently changed jobs, be especially sure to confirm this.
Update your address with Amazon, Rakuten, Netflix, Spotify, consumer co-ops, water delivery services, and similar services. Since most people discover this issue at their first order, it's efficient to make a list and update all addresses at once.
Your My Number Card address is automatically updated at the municipal office when you file your change of residence notification (the address on the reverse side will be updated). You can update your passport address at your next renewal, but it's important to keep it consistent with your residential registration for record-keeping purposes.
Review and update your delivery address with Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba, Yodobashi, Yahoo! Shopping, and other online retailers. The most reliable way is to check your order history to ensure no old addresses remain.
Unpack and organize all moving boxes, and dispose of unwanted items. Discard empty boxes as recyclable waste (collection days vary by municipality).
Those on work visas or student visas are required to submit an address change notification to your affiliated organization (employer or school) within 14 days of moving. As part of Residence Card status management, it's crucial to maintain consistency between your Residence Card address and residential registration.
If your Residence Card status renewal application comes after your move, include your residential registration and Residence Card (with the address updated on the reverse side) with your application documents.
Completing all of the above procedures within 3 months of moving will stabilize your life in your new home. Feel free to print this as a checklist and use it.
Comprehensive coverage of address changes not just for your resident registration, but also for pensions, health insurance, driver's license, bank accounts, credit cards, and more. We explain what you must not forget and how to prioritize your tasks.
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