The Short Answer
印鑑登録 (inkan tōroku, seal registration) means registering one seal with the municipality where you live — the 市区町村 (shikuchōson, city, ward, town, or village) — so that it becomes a legally effective 実印 (jitsuin, registered seal). Once registered, you can obtain a 印鑑登録証明書 (inkan tōroku shōmeisho, seal registration certificate) based on it, used for real estate, cars, major contracts, and other formal procedures. The general flow: go to the municipal counter in person, bringing the seal you want to register and 本人確認書類 (hon'nin kakunin shorui, identity documents — foreign residents bring a residence card or similar). Seals must meet specifications (size, typeface, material, and so on), and the rules differ by municipality. After registering, use the 印鑑登録証 (inkan tōroku-shō, seal registration card) you receive or a マイナンバーカード (mainanbā kādo, My Number card) to obtain seal registration certificates at the counter or at a convenience store.
What This Document Is
Japan divides personal seals into everyday 認印 (mitomein, unregistered everyday seals) and officially registered, legally effective 実印. To make a seal a 実印, you complete 印鑑登録 — registering the seal in the records of the municipality where you live. After that, whenever you need to prove that a given seal really is the 実印 you registered, you apply to the municipality for a 印鑑登録証明書.
- 実印: a seal that has been registered through 印鑑登録 and carries legal effect.
- 印鑑登録: the procedure that registers a seal as your 実印 (done in person at the municipal counter).
- 印鑑登録証 (card): the card issued to you after successful registration (some municipalities call it 印鑑登録カード, inkan tōroku kādo); used when obtaining certificates.
- 印鑑登録証明書: the official certificate proving that a seal is your registered 実印, used for real estate transactions, vehicle registration, major contracts, and more.
Foreign residents can register too: in general, foreign residents who have completed 住民登録 (jūmin tōroku, resident registration) in that municipality and are at least 15 years old can register (check your municipality for the details).
Common Fields on the Document
- 印鑑登録（いんかんとうろく） (inkan tōroku) — seal registration.
- 実印（じついん） (jitsuin) — a registered seal with legal effect.
- 印鑑登録証 / 印鑑登録カード (inkan tōroku-shō / inkan tōroku kādo) — the card issued to you after successful registration.
- 印鑑登録証明書 (inkan tōroku shōmeisho) — seal registration certificate.
- 本人確認書類 (hon'nin kakunin shorui) — identity documents (foreign residents can use a 在留カード (zairyū kādo, residence card), 特別永住者証明書 (tokubetsu eijūsha shōmeisho, special permanent resident certificate), and so on).
- 委任状（いにんじょう） (ininjō) — letter of proxy used when you authorize someone else to apply for you.
- 照会書 / 回答書 (shōkaisho / kaitōsho) — for proxy applications, the inquiry letter the municipality mails to you to confirm your intent, and its reply form.
- マイナンバーカード (mainanbā kādo) — My Number card (used when obtaining certificates at convenience stores).
- 手数料（てすうりょう） (tesūryō) — fee.
What You Need to Do
- Confirm eligibility: first make sure you have completed resident registration in that municipality and are at least 15 years old (check your municipality for the details).
- Prepare a seal: choose one that meets your municipality's specifications. A common requirement is that the seal impression must be larger than a square with 8 mm sides and fit inside a square with 25 mm sides (the numbers differ by municipality — follow the official information). Rubber stamps and other easily deformed seals, seals without an outer frame, and badly worn or chipped seals usually cannot be registered. The name on the seal must match the name, 通称名 (tsūshōmei, registered alias), or katakana name recorded on your 住民票 (jūminhyō, certificate of residence).
- Bring identity documents: when applying in person, bring a valid 在留カード (or one of the alternatives — 特別永住者証明書, マイナンバーカード, passport, driver's license, and so on) together with the seal you want to register.
- Apply at the counter: submit the seal registration application at the municipality's resident / citizen counter. When you apply in person with all documents in order, registration is often completed the same day and you receive the 印鑑登録証 (card).
- Obtain a 印鑑登録証明書: afterwards, apply for certificates at the counter with your 印鑑登録証 (card); if you hold a マイナンバーカード, many municipalities also let you obtain certificates at convenience-store multifunction copiers (kiosks). Note that the 印鑑登録証 card itself usually cannot be used at convenience stores — convenience-store issuance works through the My Number card.
Possible Deadlines and Amounts
- Amounts (fees): seal registration itself and each 印鑑登録証明書 usually carry a per-item 手数料. Amounts differ by municipality, and convenience-store issuance may be priced differently from the counter. Check your municipality for the exact figures.
- Timing for proxy applications: if you authorize a proxy, most municipalities confirm your intent by mailing a 照会書／回答書, so registration cannot be completed the same day. After you sign the reply form, the proxy must submit it within the period the municipality specifies. The exact deadlines and steps depend on your municipality.
- Certificate validity: for real estate, vehicle, and similar procedures, the receiving party often requires a 印鑑登録証明書 issued "within a certain period" (for example, within the last 3 months). This is the recipient's requirement — follow that organization's instructions.
Which Official Body to Confirm With When Unsure
The eligibility, seal specifications, required documents, fees, and whether a proxy is allowed for 印鑑登録 all differ by municipality, so follow the official information from your municipal office — the resident counter, 市民課 (shiminka, citizens' affairs section), 戸籍住民課 (koseki jūminka, family register and resident affairs section), or similar. For the general framework applying to foreign residents, see the materials from the 総務省 (Sōmushō, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) on seal registration certificate affairs for foreign residents. Official information takes precedence over any third-party explanation.
Common Japanese Terms
- 印鑑登録（いんかんとうろく） (inkan tōroku) — seal registration
- 実印（じついん） (jitsuin) — a registered seal with legal effect
- 印鑑登録証 / 印鑑登録カード (inkan tōroku-shō / inkan tōroku kādo) — seal registration card
- 印鑑登録証明書 (inkan tōroku shōmeisho) — seal registration certificate
- 本人確認書類 (hon'nin kakunin shorui) — identity documents
- 委任状（いにんじょう） (ininjō) — letter of proxy
- 照会書 / 回答書 (shōkaisho / kaitōsho) — inquiry letter and reply form confirming your intent in proxy applications
- 手数料（てすうりょう） (tesūryō) — fee
- マイナンバーカード (mainanbā kādo) — My Number card