Article by: anees

Motorcycle tax Used to cover general expenses of prefectures, the following is a summary of the most relevant types of taxes paid by an individual.     

Japanese taxes are paid on income, property, and consumption at the national, prefectural, and local levels. Motorcycle tax is levied as both property tax (that is, vehicles are considered property) and road maintenance. Fees (that is, vehicle owners must pay based on road damage). Motorcycle tax Used to cover general expenses of prefectures The following is a summary of the most relevant types of taxes paid by an individual.  When you buy a Motorcycle at a dealer, the dealer processes the Motorcycle registration and tax documents. That is, the tax is paid to the dealer. However, if you want to purchase a private Motorcycle, register at the Land Transport Office of your prefecture and pay the tax at the next tax office. 

If you live in one of Japan's many urban areas, you may choose to live without a car because you have access to one of the best public transport in the world. Still, there are times when you want to go back and forth as you like without being tied to the strict timetables of trains and buses. Unlike the headache of owning and maintaining a car in Tokyo, finding a parking lot is usually much easier than a car, and "everywhere in Japan" (everything from pizza to mail is delivered by motorcycle). Because it is a common sight around Tokyo, other drivers are looking for motorcycle traffic more often than their foreign counterparts in other countries.  

• Insurance  

Liability insurance is separate from non-life insurance (optional in Japan). As in other places, the cost of non-life insurance depends on many factors, but many risks are not covered by legal liability insurance (such as damage to someone else's vehicle), so it is strongly recommended to take out additional insurance. It is recommended.  

Liability insurance (自賠責保険, jibaisekihoken)  is mandatory. Covering payments in the event of an injury or death on the road is essentially insurance. If you purchase a new motorcycle or become part of the required inspection described below, the cost will be included in the purchase price. By the way, the statutory penalties for driving without liability insurance are up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥ 500,000 ($ 4,599) and suspension of your driver's license. The cost depends on the target period and the classification of the motorcycle, but for reference, the target for 24 months for motorcycles of 250cc or more is about 12,000 yen.  

• Three Different classes of Motorbikes  

1.Small class (小型)  – Displacement from 0 to 125cc.  

Operation on the highway is not permitted. A license plate issued by the area, town, or city.  

2.Normal class (中型)  – 126-399cc displacement  

The most popular size in Japan is about 250cc. two-year road inspection and maximum size cycle exempt from road tax. Registration cycles of less than 199cc are done at the local government office. For 200cc and above, you need to register the cycle with the Land Transport Authority as well as the passenger car to obtain the license plate.  

3.Heavy class(大型)  – displacement of 400cc or more  

In addition to the usual class requirements, these bikes must be inspected every two years and subject to engine and road taxes. In addition to these, there is a moped class (moped) for motorcycles and scooters equipped with an engine of 50cc or less.  

• Light Vehicle Tax  

Light Vehicle Tax (軽自動車税, keijidōshazei) is payable by the registered owner of the vehicle as of 1 April each year. An invoice will be sent in the post with payment due by the end of May. As of 2019,  the tax is ¥6,000 (see here for more details—Japanese only) for large displacement bikes (400cc and above).  

• Mandatory inspections (shaken-車検)  

This is called “shaken” (車検). It is a bi-annual (once every other year) service inspection. Included in the cost are the mandatory liability insurance explained above and a weight tax (重量税, jūryōzei) which is calculated as a factor of the vehicle’s classification, age, and weight. Add in any work that is deemed to be required to get the motorcycle to pass the shaken and costs can quickly escalate. ¥40,000 to ¥50,000 seems fairly typical before repairs. Incidentally, new motorcycles are covered for a period of three years at the time of registration so there is no need for an inspection during this period.  

• Four Essential documents for an inspection

Without these following Four documents, the Motorbike will not be accepted for inspection. In addition, when the inspection period is over, you are not legally allowed to ride your bike and you will need to have your bike collected in your garage. You need to make a reservation by phone. Motorcycles can be inspected one month before the current inspection certificate expires.  

• Certificate of inspection (自動車検査証)  
• Liability insurance certificate (自動車損害賠償責任保険証明書)  
• Payment of tax certificate (軽自動車納税証明書)  
• Seal (Hanko /Inkan)（半子/印鑑）  

Since the inspection requires a valid liability insurance certificate, the expiration date of the shaken liability insurance is usually approximately the same as the expiration date of the liability insurance (especially when purchasing a new vehicle, the insurance coverage period is 3). Set to year, same, as inspection validity period).  

Click the link below for Overview of Light Motor Vehicle Tax  

AUTOMOBILES AND MOTORCYCLES  

Disclaimer: This information is from the time of this article's publication, Information mentioned is subject to change.