Updated: July 2025, 10

In order to conduct a mail delivery business, it is necessary to obtain a permit.

When applying for a permit, you must collect a huge amount of company documents and certificates and create a business plan.
In addition, we may need to consult with the relevant communications bureau in advance and, in some cases, make multiple visits to make adjustments.

At our company, we not only help with the preparation of application forms, but also support with the time-consuming negotiations with administrative agencies such as communications bureaus.
Of course, we not only support permit applications, but also various change notifications and business reports.

Overview of specified letter delivery business license

1. Flow until business start

Prior consultation

(The responsible General Communications Bureau will be the contact point.)

Permit/approval application

① Examination / ② Consultation and report to the council

The council is held three times a year (July, November, and February).
Please prepare your application to be received at least one month before the council meeting.
If the documents are not ready for the scheduled council meeting, or if the council's consultation or report requires amendments, you will have to wait until the next council meeting.

Permit/Authorization

(It will take about 1 to 2 months after receiving the application.)

Notification of business start

2. Permits and authorizations required for opening a business

⑴ “Application for permission for specified correspondence service business”

⑵ “Application for approval of correspondence service terms and conditions”

⑶ "Application for approval of Correspondence Delivery Management Regulations" is required.

*⑵⑶ can be done after obtaining ⑴, but in that case, it will take an additional 1-2 months for the examination body.

⑴Application for permission for specified letter delivery business

Permission criteria

• The business plan is appropriate to protect the confidentiality of correspondence.
• Must have other appropriate plans for carrying out the business.
  (Compliance with traffic laws and calculation of appropriate and clear income and expenditure estimates)
• Must have sufficient ability to carry out the business appropriately
  (Property basis, necessary permissions from related administrative agencies such as permissions under the Truck Transportation Business Act)

Correspondence mail is collected and delivered using vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
To carry out transportation business using automobiles, you will need a license for the freight motor vehicle transport business or the light freight motor vehicle transport business.

Required documents

■Application form

The details are as follows.

1. Representative designation
2. Business plan
3. If you are engaged in other business, the type of business

■Attached documents

1. Business income and expenditure estimate
2. A document that describes the outline of the correspondence management regulations
3. If part of the correspondence service is outsourced, a copy of the contract with the outsourcer or a document stating the plan.
4. If you enter into an agreement or contract regarding the delivery of letters with another general correspondence carrier, specified correspondence carrier, or foreign correspondence carrier, please submit a copy of the agreement or contract with that person or its plan. Documents listed
5. Documents stating the details of specified correspondence service
6. If a car or other means of transportation is used to deliver correspondence and requires permission or other disposition from an administrative agency, a copy of the permit, etc. (if you have applied for a permit, the application form) copy) or a document stating the status of the procedure
7. Document stating the planned start date of the business
8. A document stating the total amount of funds required to start the business and the method of procuring the funds.
9. When providing international correspondence services, documents proving that the business of delivering letters can be carried out in compliance with the laws and regulations of the foreign country related to the service.
10. The following documents according to the following categories of applicants who wish to receive the permission:
    1) Existing corporation - a copy of the articles of incorporation and a certificate of registered matters, a balance sheet and income statement for the most recent business year, and a list and resumes of officers or employees.
    2) A person who intends to establish a stock company - a copy of the articles of incorporation, a list and resume of the promoters, members or founders, and documents stating the status and prospects of stock subscription or investment.
    3) A person who intends to establish a corporation other than 2) - A certified copy of the articles of incorporation and a list and resume of the promoters, members, or founders.
    4) Individuals - asset inventory, documents proving name, address and date of birth, and resume
    5) Foreigners - Documents proving address or residence in Japan
    6) Foreign corporation - Documents proving the name of the representative in Japan and the name and location of the main business office
11. Documents indicating that the provisions of Article 8 of the Act on Delivery of Correspondence by Private Business Operators do not apply.

■Cost　

When you obtain a business license, you will need to pay a registration and license tax of 3 yen.
There are no application fees or review fees required.

⑵ Application for approval of correspondence service terms and conditions

The Correspondence Service Terms and Conditions stipulate the conditions for providing correspondence services.

To receive permission,

• Correspondence size and weight restrictions
• Matters related to acceptance, delivery, forwarding and refund of correspondence, as well as delivery days.
• Matters related to fee collection;
• Other matters related to the responsibilities of mail carriers

The above needs to be properly and clearly stipulated.

(3) Application for approval of correspondence management regulations

The Correspondence Mail Management Regulations stipulate matters related to the management of Correspondence Mail operations in order to protect the confidentiality of Correspondence Mail during handling.

To receive permission,

• Appoint a mail delivery manager for each office
• The working method must take into account the protection of the confidentiality of correspondence.
• Education and training for those engaged in work

must meet these criteria.

3. Reports and inspections after the start of business

Submission of business report and business performance report

Business report

It is necessary to report the management structure, etc. within 100 days after the end of each business year.

Business performance report

Transaction results for the period from April 1st of the previous year to March 31st of the current year will be reported by July 10th.

On-site inspection

An on-site inspection will be conducted at the workplace in the fiscal year following the first year in which a letter is accepted.
If business operations are found to be appropriate through this inspection, no further on-site inspections will be conducted unless there are serious accidents or violations of laws and regulations.
From the following fiscal year onward, we will conduct self-inspection reports as necessary.

4. Permits and licenses related to correspondence business

When carrying out a business that transports cargo for a fee, a transport business license is required.
This permission is also required when starting a correspondence business.

License for truck transportation business

For a fee according to the needs of others,AutomobileIf you want to start a business that transports cargo usingLight cargo vehicles and motorcyclesWhen transporting goods using a ``cargo light motor vehicle transport business license'' is required.

Click here to apply for freight forwarding business

Freight truck transportation business procedures

When carrying out transportation business in response to the demands of an unspecified number of parties, general truck transportation,

When a transportation business is carried out in response to the demands of a specific partner, it is called a specified freight vehicle transportation business.

Here we will explain the permission for general cargo light vehicle transportation business.

Steps to starting a transportation business

Preparation of documents that can confirm the requirements necessary for permission

・Permits must meet permit criteria such as business office and number of vehicles.

・Participation in social insurance and labor insurance will also be confirmed.

Preparation and application of application form and required documents

Taking the legal examination related to applying for permission, etc. for general cargo light vehicle transportation business

・After applying, you will receive a notification of the implementation of the legal examination.

・After passing, the permit application documents will be reviewed.

Notification of Approval

・It takes about 3 months from the time the application is received.

Permit issuing ceremony

Notification of start of transportation

Start of transportation business

Cargo light vehicle transportation business

You can start a car transport business by submitting a notification form for the transportation of light cargo vehicles to the relevant Land Transport Bureau and completing the license plate acquisition procedures at the Light Vehicle Inspection Association.

Please note that the conditions and documents to be submitted differ depending on the region, so it is necessary to check with the competent Land Transport Bureau.

Click here to apply for light cargo transportation business

Regarding “correspondence” and “correspondence delivery business” stipulated by law

What is a letter? Definition based on the Postal Act and Correspondence Delivery Act

☑"Correspondence” means “specific recipient”, the sender’s “express intention” or “inform the facts” refers to a document that

　

☑"specific recipient” means a person specifically designated by the sender as the recipient of notification of the sender's intention or fact.

　

☑"Expressing one's intentions or notifying a fact" means expressing the sender's thoughts and feelings, or conveying facts such as things that actually occur or exist.

　

☑"documents” refers to paper or other tangible objects on which information that can be recognized by human perception, such as letters, symbols, codes, etc., is written.

　

*Electromagnetic recordings such as CD-Rs do not fall under the category of letters because their contents cannot be recognized with the naked eye.

Differences between what corresponds to a letter and what does not

Type of business: General correspondence business and specified correspondence business

For the correspondence business“Specified Correspondence Delivery Business”と“General Correspondence Business”There are two things to start a business, both of which arePermission from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications is required.

What is the general correspondence business?

The service of delivering (sending) a letter whose length, width, and thickness are less than 40 cm, 30 cm, and 3 cm, respectively, and whose weight is less than 250 g, within 3 days from the date it is presented in Japan. Says.

Strict entry conditions have been imposed, such as a nationwide flat rate and acceptance and delivery of one letter per day in principle, and there are currently no private companies operating the general mail service business.

What is the specified correspondence service business?

Although it is prohibited by the Postal Act for anyone other than Japan Post Co., Ltd. to engage in the business of delivering letters from others, permission from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications is required for correspondence mail that falls under any of the following three "Specified Correspondence Delivery Services." We are able to provide delivery services by receiving.

① Services for delivering correspondence items whose total length, width, and thickness exceeds 73 cm or whose weight exceeds 4 kg.

②Services to deliver the correspondence within 3 hours from the time it is submitted.

③ Services for delivering correspondence for which the fee is set at 801 yen or more including consumption tax

Business model of specified letter delivery business

No. 1) Regular collection and delivery service / traveling collection and delivery service

For example, mail is regularly collected and delivered at a fixed date and time at a fixed location.

No. 2) Direct order collection and delivery service for business books (so-called motorcycle delivery, etc.)

We accept orders by phone, internet, etc. and handle everything from acceptance to delivery.

No. 3) Message card delivery service

We provide services that deliver value-added items.

Q&A regarding correspondence service business

What is Correspondence Mail?

Correspondence mail is a postal service for sending documents containing private messages between individuals. Its handling is defined by postal law, and its contents are kept confidential.

What is the difference between Correspondence Mail and Ordinary Mail?

Correspondence mail is for personal documents only, and the privacy of such documents is protected by law. In contrast, regular mail is not limited to personal content and can also send official documents and advertising materials.

What types of correspondence are there?

There are several types of correspondence, mainly including ordinary letters, registered mail, and simple registered mail. Registered mail comes with a tracking function, and simple registered mail comes with a proof of delivery.

What are the benefits of running a correspondence business?

The benefits of running a mail order business include ensuring customer privacy is protected and providing value-added services such as tracking and proof of delivery. This makes it easier to gain customer trust and build long-term customer relationships.

What should I be careful about when starting a mail delivery business?

When starting a mail service business, it is necessary to comply with the Postal Law. In addition, in order to gain customer trust, it is necessary to build a quick and accurate delivery system and enhance security measures. In business development, it is important to collaborate with post offices and build your own delivery network.

If you would like to apply for the correspondence service business, please contact the Support Administrative Scrivener Corporation.

At Support Administrative Scrivener Corporation, we provide application support and consulting regarding transportation businesses, from those newly registering and obtaining permission for a transportation business to those already operating a transportation business.

If you are considering a correspondence business, please feel free to contact us.

In addition to permit applications, we provide comprehensive support for cumbersome tasks such as change notifications and business report creation.