When purchasing a car or receiving one from someone, two important documents are the Power of Attorney and Certificate of Transfer. Since all these documents are in Japanese, are you simply signing and stamping where the shop staff tells you to? In this article, we’ll provide an explanation of the Power of Attorney and Certificate of Transfer in English to help you better understand the process.
What is a Power of Attorney?（委任状）
A Power of Attorney is required when transferring the title of a vehicle. It must be submitted to the Transport Bureau along with the Certificate of Transfer. This form is not necessary for kei cars. You can download the template from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s website.
① Power of Attorney (Title)
② Address and name of the authorized representative (the person handling the procedure)
③ Appoint the above as an agent and delegate the authority to handle registration changes for the vehicle listed below. (Fill in the type of application, e.g., transfer, cancellation.)
④ Vehicle chassis number
⑤ Address, name, and seal of the principal (the person requesting the procedure)
***The address must exactly match the one on the seal registration certificate.
***Use the same seal as on the seal registration certificate.
What is a Certificate of Transfer?（譲渡証明書）
The Certificate of Transfer is necessary for proving that the ownership of the vehicle has changed from the previous owner to the new owner, especially in cases of used car sales or private transactions.
① Certificate of Transfer (Title)
② This document certifies the transfer of the following vehicle.
Fill in the vehicle information, such as:
Vehicle make (manufacturer name is sufficient)
Model number
Chassis number
Engine model number (as per the vehicle inspection certificate)
③ Fill in the previous owner’s (transferor’s) address and name exactly as on the seal registration certificate and place the seal on the right side.
④ Fill in the new owner’s (transferee’s) address and name exactly as on their seal registration certificate. No seal is required from the new owner.
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