City hall
マイナンバーカード交付通知書 / Expiry Notice: What to Do
There are two very different mailings that look similar. One is the 交付通知書 (kōfu tsūchisho, "card is ready" notice), usually a postcard telling you your applied-for マイナンバーカード (My Number Card) has arrived at city hall and you must collect it in person. The other is the 有効期限通知書 (expiry notice), normally a pale brown envelope from J-LIS (the national body that runs the card system), telling you that your card, or the 電子証明書 (denshi shōmeisho, the digital certificates stored on the chip) is approaching its expiry date. Neither is a bill, a fine, or a problem with your status. Look at the title line first to see which one you have. All actual processing is done by your city, ward, town or village office.
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The 交付通知書 goes to anyone who applied for a My Number Card once the finished card reaches their municipal office. The 有効期限通知書 goes to people who already hold a card and whose card or digital certificates are nearing expiry. As a rough guide, the digital certificates last until your fifth birthday after issue, and the card itself until your tenth birthday after issue for adults, but for foreign residents the card's expiry date is set to the expiry date of your period of stay (在留期間). Notices are addressed to each individual, not to the household as a whole.
What to do
- 1Read the title on the postcard or envelope to see whether it is a 交付通知書 (come and collect your card) or a 有効期限通知書 (renewal is coming up).
- 2Check the office named on the notice and the date or period printed on it, and book an appointment if the notice says reservations are required.
- 3Collect every item listed on the notice: the notice itself, photo ID, and, if you have them, your old 通知カード, your current My Number Card, and your residence card.
- 4Go to the counter in person and set or enter your PINs, a four-digit number and, for the signing certificate, a six-to-sixteen character alphanumeric password; staff can reset them if you have forgotten.
- 5If you have recently extended your period of stay, ask the staff at the same visit whether your card's expiry date also needs to be extended.
About the deadline
A 交付通知書 prints a date or period by which you are asked to come and collect the card. This is a holding guideline for the municipal office, not a moment when the card becomes void; if you miss it, contact the office and in most cases you can still collect it. On an expiry notice, the relevant date is printed in the body of the notice and also on the face of the card itself, where there are separate boxes for the card's 有効期限 and for the 電子証明書 expiry. Renewal of the digital certificates is generally accepted from three months before the printed expiry date up to the date itself. Confirm the exact handling with the municipal office named on your notice.
Common misunderstandings
- Is the card's expiry the same as the electronic certificate's expiry?
- No, they are two separate dates. The front of the card has one box for the card's 有効期限 and another for the 電子証明書 expiry, and the certificates usually expire first. When a notice arrives, compare the two boxes on your card to see which one is close.
- If the electronic certificate expires, does the card stop working entirely?
- No. While the card itself is still within its validity period, it remains a valid photo ID. What stops are the online functions: マイナポータル login, e-Tax, printing certificates at convenience stores, and online eligibility checks when using the card as a health insurance card. Renewal is done at the counter and there is no fee when done within the validity period.
- Can I renew by post or online?
- In general, no, both collecting a card and renewing the certificates require you to appear in person. Proxy procedures exist for people who genuinely cannot attend due to illness, age or disability, but they require extra documents such as a doctor's note, so ask your municipal office in advance.
- I am a foreign resident. Does extending my visa automatically extend my card?
- It does not. Your card's expiry is tied to your 在留期間 (period of stay), so after immigration approves your extension you must go back to the municipal office to have the card's expiry extended. The window for doing this is limited, so go soon after your new residence card is issued.
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This page is general information. For your own case, confirm with the office that issued the document, or with a qualified professional.