Make a Japanese Driver’s License Photo on Your Phone (30×24mm)

When you need this photo

A driver’s-license photo is needed whenever you supply your own picture: a new application (the full license test route), a rewrite involving a change of registered domicile or name, or an international driving permit. At 30mm tall × 24mm wide, it is noticeably smaller than any other Japanese ID photo.

Note, though, that license renewals at a 運転免許センター (license center) are usually shot on-site, and whether a brought photo is accepted depends on the procedure and on the prefecture and counter handling it. Rather than assuming it will be accepted, the safe use here is to keep one spec-compliant photo on hand for the cases that genuinely call for your own.

Where applications go wrong

Three easy-to-miss pitfalls specific to license photos.

How to create it for ¥200

From one phone shot to print, in three steps.

1. 1

   Shoot on your phone

   Face forward in good light, framed to the shoulders. A wall behind you is fine — we tidy that later. Just start with one shot where your face is clearly visible.
2. 2

   AI fixes background and position

   Once you upload, AI cleans the background to white and aligns your head and the small top margin (about 3mm) to the 30×24mm spec, to 0.1mm. It never remakes your face — it simply finishes the photo you took.
3. 3

   Print at a convenience store via QR

   Hold the QR code emailed to you over the multi-copy machine at Lawson, FamilyMart, Ministop or Poplar to print in one tap. At Seven-Eleven, use netprint (a reservation number) instead. The print fee (about ¥30) is paid separately in store.

Frequently asked questions

Related content