Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Quinton Lee | YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 17, 2025) —Sailors and community members onboard Commander,...... read more read more
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Kanagawa Prefecture tax officials are coming to CFAY on March 17-18 and April 9-10 to hold the 2026 CFAY Road Tax Rodeo at Fleet Theater, giving drivers a convenient way to obtain the required 2026 road tax sticker without leaving the base.
For drivers in Japan, spring doesn’t just bring warmer weather and cherry blossoms. It also signals the arrival of road tax season, an annual requirement for anyone who owns a vehicle.
Road tax is collected annually throughout Japan and helps support the country’s transportation infrastructure, including road construction, maintenance, and other public works projects. The amount paid varies depending on a vehicle’s size and engine displacement, making it a routine part of vehicle ownership across the country.
For the CFAY community, the process is made easier through a partnership between the installation and Kanagawa Prefecture tax officials, who work together each year to host an on-base road tax rodeo. The event allows Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) personnel to pay the required tax and receive their updated windshield decal in a single visit.
By hosting the rodeo on base, CFAY officials aim to simplify what could otherwise be a time-consuming process for servicemembers, civilian employees, and their families.
When to Attend
The rodeo is held over two separate sessions to accommodate the large number of vehicles registered onboard the installation. The first session is scheduled for March 17-18, followed by a second opportunity on April 9-10. Each day, the event will run from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. The rodeo is open to owners of standard-sized vehicles displaying white Mini Cars and Motorcycles Owners of yellow plate vehicles, including mini cars, motorcycles, and scooters, are not eligible to participate in the on-base rodeo. Those vehicle owners must instead pay their road tax directly at Yokosuka City Hall beginning April 1, 2026, before obtaining their windshield decals from the installation.
A Two-Step Process
The road tax rodeo is designed to be straightforward, with participants completing two simple steps during the visit. First, representatives from the Kanagawa Prefecture tax office collect the required road tax payment. Participants must bring their 2025 road tax receipt, Japanese vehicle title, and the required fee in Japanese yen, as payments are accepted in cash only. Change is not provided so please bring the exact amount. The tax amount depends on the vehicle’s license plate series and engine size.
Once the payment is complete, participants move to the second station staffed by personnel from the CFAY Vehicle Registration Office (VRO). At that station, officials review the driver’s paperwork and issue the 2026 (Reiwa 8) U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) windshield decal, completing the process.
Documents to Bring
To receive the updated decal, vehicle owners should bring the following: • Military or Department of Defense ID card • 2026 road tax receipt • Japanese vehicle title • Vehicle inspection report • Base Inspection Sheet (if applicable) • Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI) • Liability insurance • Parking certificate reflecting the current residential address • Valid driver’s license
Civilian employees and contractors who have changed commands within the past year may also be required to provide a current letter of employment.
Representatives and Multiple Vehicles
Spouses are authorized to complete the process on behalf of their sponsor as long as they bring the required documentation. Any other individual acting on behalf of the vehicle owner must present a valid Power of Attorney. If the servicemember or civilian owns multiple vehicles, all vehicles must be registered at the same time. Personnel should bring documentation to include the proper licensing for each vehicle and register them during the same visit to receive updated decals.
Important Deadline
All vehicles registered on base must display the 2026 (Reiwa 8) USFJ windshield decal by June 1, 2026. Vehicles still displaying the 2025 decal after that date may be denied installation access and could be subject to impoundment.
Installation officials encourage vehicle owners to attend one of the scheduled rodeo days early to avoid long lines and ensure they meet the annual requirement on time. If drivers miss the scheduled on-base road tax payment window at the Fleet Theater, they will need to complete the process offbase through the Kanagawa Tax Office. Vehicle owners paying their road tax at the tax office or city hall are required to submit the same documentation and payments as they would during the open-base road tax rodeo.
Taking advantage of the on-base rodeo is however the easier and more convenient option for most of the installation community.
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2026 01:23 |
| Story ID: | 560688 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Road Tax Season Approaches for CFAY Vehicle Owners, by Sheryl Sullivan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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