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FAQ: About My Number Card

Last Updated:
  • Q&A is added at any time.
  • At the end of each answer, it is written as (answer in X, 20 xx). There is one before August 2021, but this was answered on the Digital Agency website before Cabinet Office was established.

Q3-1 How do I apply for a My Number Card?

A3-1

You will receive a Notification of Individual Number (or Notification Card until May 25, 2020) and a My Number Card Issuance Application Form by recorded delivery to the address on your residence certificate. Please apply by mail or online using a smartphone or computer, etc. For more information, please visit the Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems website .
(Updated May 2020)

Q3-2 How much is the issuance fee for My Number Card?

A3-2

For the time being, it is free of charge. However, as a general rule, a fee is required for reissuance.
(Answer in February 2016)

Q3-3 Can a child apply for a My Number Card?

A3-3

If you are under 15 years old or an adult ward, you need to apply by a legal representative. If there is a special reason, you can apply by a voluntary representative approved by the mayor of municipality.
(Response in August 2015)

Q3-4 Do I need to attach my face photo when I apply for issuance at My Number Card?

A3-4

When applying for My Number Card, a face photo must be attached. The face photo used is limited to one taken within the last six months, frontal, bareheaded, and with no background. For examples of face photos, please check the Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems website (PDF / 118 kb).

  • From December 2, 2024, if you are under 1 year old at the time of application, your face photo will not be required.
    (Updated October 2024)

Q3-5 Can I apply for the issuance of a My Number Card on my smartphone?

A3-5

You can apply for issuance by scanning the QR Code on the My Number Card Issuance Application Form with your smartphone. You can also apply for issuance on a computer from the Application Website (Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems website) .
(Response in August 2015)

Q3-6 There was an article that you can apply for a My Number Card with an ID photo machine. Is it true?

A3-6

It is possible with some of them. For more information on My Number Card issuance application, please visit the Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems website .

*As for the photo booth in the town, we are planning to deal with them in order from the places where there are many users, but please note that you may or may not be able to apply for some of them.
(Answer in December 2015)

Q3-7 What documents are required to receive a My Number Card?

A3-7

The following documents are required to receive the form at the My Number Card: (1) Notification Card (only for those who have it), (2) Issuance Notification (post card), (3) identity verification documents (*), and (4) Basic Resident Registration Card (only for those who have it).

Q3-8 What can I use the My Number Card for? What is the difference from the notification card that is delivered first?

A3-8

My Number Card is a card that can be used as an identification card with a face photo, and can be used for identity verification (confirmation of My Number and confirmation of identity) with one card. It can be used for services specified by local governments such as library cards and seal registration certificates using the installed IC chips. It also comes standard with electronic certification, which can be used for tax online application such as e-Tax, and can be used to log in to Mynaportal .

The notification card is a paper card and does not have a photo, so it cannot be used alone for identity verification. Therefore, in principle, an identification document with a face photo such as a driver's license is also required for the My Number procedure.
(Updated November 2017)

Q3-9 Do I need a PIN number to use the My Number Card?

A3-9

A PIN number must be set when the My Number Card is issued. It consists of (1) a 4-digit number and (2) a combination of 6 to 16 English letters and numbers. Please avoid numbers that are easy to guess, such as your date of birth, and manage your PIN number securely so that it is not handwritten on the My Number Card.
(Answer in December 2015)

Q3-10 What should I do if I lost my My Number Card?

A3-10

Please report it to the nearest police station or police box. At the same time, please contact the My Number Card My Number Comprehensive Toll-free , which accepts temporary suspension of functions of 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. After that, report it to the municipality and follow the procedure for reissuance.
(Answer in February 2016)

Q3-11 Can My Number Card be used as identification at places such as rental stores?

A3-11

The name, address, date of birth, and gender are written on the My Number Card, and there is a face photo. For this reason, it can be widely used as an identification card at rental stores, etc. However, rental stores, etc. cannot copy or write down the My Number on the back of the card.
(Updated February 2024)

Q3-12 What is the electronic certification of Japanese Public Key Infrastructure that is mounted on the My Number Card?

A3-12

Electronic certification by Japanese Public Key Infrastructure is a means of identity verification used to prevent impersonation and data falsification by others when filing applications and notifications online via the Internet. By attaching digital signatures to application forms and other information using electronic certification installed on My Number Card, it is possible to prove that the information was sent by the person concerned. At present, it is used for various procedures at the national and local governments, such as the Electronic National Tax Return and Tax Payment System (e-Tax), as well as for procedures with private sector, which is certified by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.

You will also need this electronic certification to log in to Mynaportal , where you can view exchanges of information with your My Number. For information on Mynaportal, please see "(6) Questions about Mynaportal."
(Updated November 2017)

Q3-13 Isn't there a possibility that important personal data could be leaked from My Number Card's IC chips?

A3-13

Highly private information, such as tax and pension information, and medical history, is not recorded on IC chips in My Number Card. In addition, various safety measures are taken. For example, a PIN number is required to check the information on the IC chip, and the IC chip cannot be used if the PIN number is entered incorrectly a certain number of times. In addition, if someone tries to read the information on the IC chip illegally, it will be broken.
(Answer in December 2015)

Q3-14 Is it obligatory to obtain a My Number Card?

A3-14

In My Number Card, the card is issued by a mayor of municipality upon application by a resident, and acquisition of the card is not mandatory. However, in the future, when providing My Number for administrative procedures, confirmation of My Number and identification will be completed with one card if My Number Card is present.

In addition, it can be used as an identification card with a photo, and you can receive certificates such as Various Certificates of residence and family register at convenience stores. You can also complete administrative procedures from your home computer by logging in to Mynaportal . The application is free of charge, and applications are also accepted online, which can be obtained in about one month. Please apply.

Please note that available services and administrative procedures may differ depending on the municipality where you live. For details, please contact the municipal office where you live. (Updated November 2017)

Q3-15 I have a Basic Resident Registration Card. Can I continue to use it?

A3-15

The Basic Resident Registration Card can be used as long as it is still valid. However, the Basic Resident Registration Card will be returned when the My Number Card is issued.

In addition, new issuance, re-issuance and renewal of Basic Resident Registration Cards will not be possible from January 2016, when My Number Card issuance begins (*). Please apply for My Number Card issuance.

*The final date on which a Basic Resident Registration Card can be newly issued, reissued, or renewed varies depending on the issuing municipality. For details, please contact the municipal office where you live.
(Answer in December 2015)

Q3-16 Does the My Number Card have an expiration date?

A3-16

If you are 18 years old or older, the expiration date will be the 10th birthday after the issuance date. If you are under 18 years old, the expiration date will be the 5th birthday after the issuance date. The electronic certification loaded on the My Number Card will be valid on the 5th birthday after the issuance date regardless of age.
For those who applied for the issuance before March 31, 2022, and were under 20 years old at the time of application, the 5th birthday from the issuance is the expiration date of the My Number Card.
(Updated December 2024)

Q3-17 How do I make a My Number Card to receive a identity verification?

A3-17

When receiving a My Number Card, as a general rule, the person in question must visit the municipal office for identity verification. However, if it is difficult for the person in question to visit due to illness or disability, a person designated by the person in question can receive the identity verification as a representative. For details on how to make a identity verification, please refer to "4-3 Notification" (response in June 2014).

Q3-18 What should I do when there is a change in the content of the My Number Card?

A3-18

If the information on the ticket changes due to moving, etc., the information on the My Number Card must be changed by the municipality in which you live.
(Updated May 2020)

*When there is a change in the information on your notification card or My Number Card, you must notify the municipality where you live of this within 14 days. ( My Number Act, Articles 7 and 17)

Q3-19 When I move overseas, do I need to return the My Number Card, Notification Card, and Individual Number Notification to the municipality?

A3-19

If you have Japanese nationality, you need to return the notification card, but My Number Card can continue to use it outside the country by taking the procedure.
If you wish to continue to use My Number Card outside of Japan, please submit a moving out report to the municipal office where you reside as well as the My Number Card you are using in Japan to complete the procedures for continued use outside of Japan.

Those who do not have Japanese nationality are required to return the My Number Card and Notification Card.
However, although the My Number Card will be invalidated after the return of the card, in order to secure a means for the person who returns the card to grasp the My Number, it is possible to receive a return of the card with holes after completing the return procedure at the municipality.

Regardless of nationality, the Notification of Individual Number does not need to be returned.
(Updated August 2024)

Q3-20 Are there any improvements such as braille in the My Number Card?

A3-20

The envelopes to which the Notification of Individual Number will be sent will be braille printed with the phrase "Mainanbatsuchi." It is also possible to print your name (in katakana) in My Number Card if you request it at the time of application. It is also possible to use braille and a seal for the autograph column at the time of application.

In the self-signed field, the assistant or staff member may write on behalf of the applicant and affix the seal of the applicant. In addition, a voice code is attached to the envelopes in which the notification card will be sent and to the application form issued by My Number Card.
(Updated May 2020)

Q3-21 Can I still apply for a My Number Card after the abolition of the notification card?

A3-21

Procedures such as the issuance of new "Notification Cards" to prove your My Number will be abolished on May 25, 2020, but My Number Card applications will still be accepted.

Even after the abolition of the notification card, you can apply for the online issuance of the My Number Card on your smartphone or computer if you have the application form enclosed with the notification card. (You can also apply if there is a change in the information on the notification card due to a change in your family name or relocation.)

Even if you have lost the application form enclosed with the notification card

  1. You can obtain an application for issuance with a QR code at your local municipal office and apply for online issuance.
  2. It is also possible to download a handwritten application form from a dedicated website and apply for issuance by mail.
    (Answer in May 2020)

Q3-22 I am considering voluntarily returning the My Number Card because I became anxious about having it after seeing a series of linking error cases.

A3-22

"My Number," which is an identification number, has already been linked to various information such as insurance card information, regardless of whether or not the holder has "My Number Card," which is a means of verification.
For this reason, My Number linking errors have nothing to do with whether or not you have the card, and in the unlikely event that there is a My Number linking error, the error will not be resolved by returning the card.

In addition, even if the My Number Card is dropped or stolen, there is no risk of leakage of sensitive information because no sensitive personal data other than the information stated on the ticket is recorded in the IC chips. In addition, since a photo is attached in a face-to-face meeting and a PIN is required in an online meeting, the IC chips cannot be easily misused as a means of identity verification or identification.
If you are concerned that your information may be linked incorrectly, you can confirm that there are no linking errors by using My Number Card to check your information in Mynaportal.

In addition to being able to be used for identity verification and number confirmation in a variety of face-to-face and non-face-to-face situations, My Number Card has a variety of advantages, such as being able to be used for various public and private online applications, Convenience Store Certificate Issuance Service, and various cards such as insurance cards and libraries, and is expected to expand further in the future.
(Response in August 2023)