Welfare transport: new permit
Updated: July 2026, 8
If you are running a corporate taxi business that is limited to welfare transportation, such as nursing care taxis or private ambulances, you must obtain a license for general passenger vehicle transportation business (limited to welfare transportation business) based on the Road Transport Act. .
Types of welfare transport
| Nursing taxi | A service that transports physically disabled persons as stipulated in the Physically Disabled Persons Welfare Act and persons certified as requiring long-term care as stipulated in the Nursing Care Insurance Act. It is necessary to obtain a permit for general passenger vehicle transport business (limited to welfare transport). |
| Private emergency services (transportation of patients, etc.) | Among welfare transportation services, a service that transports patients, etc. via a fire department or a call center that collaborates with a fire department. It is necessary to obtain a permit for general passenger vehicle transport business (limited to welfare transport). |
| Private car paid transportation | Paid volunteer transportation services provided by municipal buses, NPOs, etc. from the perspective of ensuring public welfare when local transportation or transportation for people with limited mobility is not secured. It is necessary to obtain permission for paid transportation of a private car by a visiting caregiver from a visiting nursing care business. |
Scope of nursing care taxi/private emergency services (limited to welfare transport)
The transportation business limited to the welfare transportation business is limited to the transportation of the following persons and their attendants.
| (1) | A person who has been certified as requiring long-term care as stipulated in Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the Nursing Care Insurance Act (Act No. 123 of 1997) and as requiring support as stipulated in Paragraph 2. |
| (2) | A person who has been issued with a physical disability certificate as stipulated in Article 4 of the Physically Disabled Persons Welfare Act (Act No. 283 of 1942). |
| (3) | In addition to those who fall under (1) and (2), those who have difficulty moving independently due to physical disabilities, internal disabilities, intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, or other disabilities, and who travel alone by taxi or other means. Those who have difficulty using public transportation. |
| (4) | Patients who receive transportation services from a patient transportation company via a fire department or a call center affiliated with a fire department. |
Permission criteria for nursing care taxis and private ambulances (limited to welfare transport)
Business area
| (1) | This will be by prefecture. However, in the case of establishing a business office in a municipality that borders a prefecture, there is no separation due to topographical factors such as mountains, rivers, straits, etc., and there is no separation due to topographical factors such as mountains, rivers, straits, etc., and it is located in a neighboring prefecture that is recognized as the same area in view of economic circumstances etc. If the Director of the Transport Bureau deems it appropriate for a municipality, an area including neighboring municipalities may be designated as a business area. In addition, if the area of the municipality concerned is changed due to merger etc. after establishing an area that includes neighboring municipalities, the previous area shall be the business area. |
| (2) | Establishing a business office in a business area (excluding areas of adjacent municipalities as provided in (1)). |
Sales Office
An office that manages the operation of business vehicles and provides business support to users, and must meet the following requirements:
| (1) | Must be within the business area for which you are applying. If the business has multiple business areas, it must be located within each business area. |
| (2) | The applicant must have the right to use the land and building for three years or more. |
| (3) | Do not conflict with related laws and regulations such as the Building Standards Act, City Planning Act, Fire Service Act, and Agricultural Land Act. |
| (4) | The scale must be sufficient to accurately carry out the business plan. |
business vehicle
| (1) | The applicant has the right to use. |
| (2) | Business vehicles used exclusively for welfare transportation business shall be the following vehicles. ① Welfare vehicles as defined in Article 51-3, Paragraph 1, Item 8 of the Road Transport Act Enforcement Regulations (vehicles equipped with special equipment such as lifts, slopes, and beds for wheelchairs or stretchers, or rotating seats and lifts) A vehicle equipped with a device that makes it easier to get in and out, such as an upseat. ② Notwithstanding ① above, if a general vehicle such as a sedan is used, the vehicle must be operated by a person who meets the requirements. |
Minimum number of vehicles
One or more business vehicles must be located at one business office.
car garage
| (1) | As a general rule, it must be attached to the business office. However, if this is not possible, the facility must be located within a business area within 2 kilometers in a straight line from the business office, and must be fully capable of operation management and other operations. |
| (2) | The boundaries between vehicles and automobile garages and the distance between vehicles must be at least 50 centimeters, and all business vehicles located at the business office can be accommodated. |
| (3) | It must be clearly separated from areas used for other purposes. |
| (4) | The applicant must have the right to use the land and building for three years or more. |
| (5) | Do not conflict with related laws and regulations such as the Building Standards Act, City Planning Act, Fire Service Act, and Agricultural Land Act. |
| (6) | Facilities for inspection, maintenance, and cleaning of commercial vehicles shall be provided. |
| (7) | The structure shall not impede the entry and exit of business vehicles, and the front road shall not violate vehicle restriction ordinances. In addition, if the front road is a private road, approval must be obtained from the person who has the right to use the private road, and the public road connected to the private road must not conflict with the Vehicle Restriction Ordinance. |
Facilities for rest, nap or sleep
| (1) | In principle, it must be attached to a business office or automobile garage. However, if this is not possible, the location must be within 2 kilometers in a straight line from both the business office and the car garage. |
| (2) | Must be large enough to carry out the business plan accurately and have appropriate equipment. |
| (3) | It must be clearly separated from parts used for other purposes and can be used by drivers at all times in accordance with the business plan. |
| (4) | The applicant must have the right to use the land and building for three years or more. |
| (5) | Do not conflict with related laws and regulations such as the Building Standards Act, City Planning Act, Fire Service Act, and Agricultural Land Act. |
Permit application and business start-up support for those who are starting a new nursing care taxi business
The nursing care taxi business must obtain a general passenger vehicle transportation business (limited to welfare transportation) permission, and operating a business using a private vehicle with a so-called white license plate is an illegal act under the Road Transport Act and must be approved by each transportation bureau. Business must be conducted with a permit.
In Japan, where the aging society is progressing, care-related businesses are indispensable. Furthermore, it is a growth industry, and many companies are entering the care business. Among these, the care taxi service is attracting attention.
Flow until opening
For consultations and applications
Consultations are always free of charge.
Please contact us by phone or via the inquiry form.
After confirming the current situation, we will explain our application plan.
If you are satisfied with the price and service provided in the estimate, please submit your request.
Please discuss the payment timing and success fees with the person in charge.
Data collection/document creation
We will prepare the necessary documents for the application, such as a rental contract.
We conduct on-site inspections of garages, offices, etc., prepare financial planning budgets, and confirm whether permit requirements are met.
If there are no problems, we will create the application documents.
*Our professional staff will prepare a set of application documents and hold meetings with administrative agencies on behalf of the client.
Application
Our staff will make the application on behalf of the requester.
The application fee will be collected before the application is submitted.
We will also handle any additional document instructions.
legal exam
The legal examination will be held approximately one month after the documents are received.
This applies to executives and business owners (individuals) involved in the transportation industry.
The law exam is a 30-question test with a ◯× formula, and you will pass if you answer 24 or more questions correctly. (You are allowed to bring in the Six Laws, notebooks, etc.)
If you fail the exam, your application may be withdrawn.
Examination → Permission
After the documents are received, the examination will take approximately 3 to 4 months.
If you receive correction instructions due to missing documents or corrections, we will respond.
Once you receive permission, you will receive a permit.
Preparation for opening → Opening
The business will open once the following procedures have been completed.
・Notification of operation manager and maintenance manager
・Car license plate change procedure
・Participate in voluntary automobile insurance (voluntary insurance that covers a certain amount or more)
・Enrollment in social insurance (depending on the case)
・Fare list and notification of start of transportation business
*Our specialist staff will submit all necessary forms and documents on your behalf.
Advantages of requesting our company
1. We will respond quickly and prepare your application as soon as possible.
Our company specializes in speedy response.
By leaving it to an administrative scrivener who specializes in applying for a new permit for the general passenger car transport business, you can smoothly prepare everything from building an organizational structure to preparing documents, and you can enter the business as quickly as possible.
2. Consultations are always free of charge.
At our company, you can receive a free consultation.
If you make a reservation in advance, we can also provide consultations outside of business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
If you have any trouble applying for a general passenger vehicle transportation business license, please feel free to contact us!
3. We will handle applications at prefectures, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and associations.
If you request us, we will apply on your behalf to the prefecture, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the transportation industry association.
Leave the troublesome document preparation and preliminary meetings at government offices to us.
4. You can apply for a nationwide transportation license.
Registration applications must be submitted to the prefecture/Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism that has jurisdiction over business offices that operate transportation businesses, so we have received requests for registration applications nationwide.
Therefore, we can support companies whose business is in Tokyo but whose headquarters are in Osaka.
5. Please leave the complicated document preparation for transportation business license application to us.
There are many documents required for the registration procedure. Some people give up at the stage of preparing the documents.
We use our accumulated know-how to create the most suitable documents for each client.
By reducing complicated work, customers can spend time creating a website and improving their sales structure after starting their business, which can lead to a smooth start of their business after obtaining a permit.
For transportation business applications, please contact Support Administrative Scrivener Corporation
Support Administrative Scrivener Corporation provides application support and consulting services related to transportation businesses, from those newly registering and obtaining permits for transportation businesses to those already operating transportation businesses.
The transportation business has moved from the stage of simply receiving a permit to the stage of requiring the establishment of a compliance system.
Our staff has a track record of applying in all prefectures across the country. Please contact us by all means.
