Marine Corps Installations Pacific

This site is for all Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) personnel assigned to bases and units in Okinawa, Japan. This includes all military, Department of Defense (DoD) Civilians, Appropriated (APF) and Non-Appropriated (NAF), and DoD Contractors, and their authorized dependents. The purpose of this website is to assist you in all matters pertaining to vehicle registration, inspection, and safety standards in accordance with Japanese laws, U.S. Forces Japan Instructions and Marine Corps Bases Japan Orders. Our office is located on Camp Foster in building 5638 behind the Butler Bowling Center and across from the Foster Commissary. Our office hours for general services are Monday through Friday from 0730 to 1600. We are closed Sat, Sun, and federal holidays. The Government of Japan (GOJ) services are from 0900 to 1130 and from 1230-1530. GOJ final inspector starts at 0930. GOJ services operate the same days, but are also closed for Japanese holidays. GOJ services include, paying of weight tax, temporary license plates fees, deregistration fees, final inspection certification, and other various fees payable to the GOJ Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The contact and information phone numbers are 645-7481, 645-3963 and fax is 645-2405. You can also e-mail us at: jsro.mcbb.fct@usmc.mil

General Information:	Newcomer’s brief
	GOJ registration fees
	Required Documents and Forms
	Statement of Responsibility
	Special Power of Attorney (SPOA) Format
	Questions about abandoned vehicles
	Parking Certification
	Map to LTO and Auto Tax Office
Waivers & Requests:	30-day additional vehicle waiver
	120 day ownership waiver
	Deregister for repair letter
	Spouse only request letter
	Handicap Placard Letter
	Request for Duplicate Title
	Request for Duplicate License plates
	Request for Duplicate Road Tax receipt
	SPOA Example Letter
POV Registration Steps:	GOJ Inspection procedures
	Minicar (Yellow plate) Inspection Procedures
	Registering a Deregistered vehicle (SOFA and Non-SOFA)
	Register Official Vehicle (OV)
	Prefectural change
Deregistration/
Transfer Steps:	Concurrent retention SOFA to Non-SOFA
	Deregister for repair request letter
	Deregister for junking
	Transfer SOFA to Non-SOFA
Motorcycle Registration:	GOJ Inspection steps for MC
	Initial registration of a deregistered MC 250cc and above
	Initial registration of a deregistered MC 125cc to 249.9cc
	Initial registration of a motor scooter below 125cc
Shipping Vehicles:	Shipping a POV or MC outside of Japan
	Shipping a POV or MC to Japan
	Shipping a vehicle to mainland Japan
Regulations & Orders:	MCBJO P11240.3 - Motor Vehicle Registration and Equipment Safety Standards
	USFJ Instruction 31-205 - Motor Vehicle Operations and Traffic Supervision
	MCBJO P11240.1C - Motor Vehicle Traffic Supervision
	Kadena Air Base Instruction 31-204 - Air Force Motor Vehicle Traffic Supervision
	MCBJO 11240.2A – Non-SOFA Vehicle Decals and Temporary Vehicle Permits
	MCBJO 5800.3C - Motor Vehicle Impoundment and Disposal Procedures and Responsibilities
	Message AM-CN4858-7 MAY 03 - Motorcycle Shipping Restrictions

 

The approval process takes three to five business days to complete. Please plan accordingly.The request to out-process thru the Joint Service Vehicle Registration Office using a special power of attorney letter is submitted to the JSVRO on Camp Foster. It's sole purpose is for out-processing while leaving a SPOA to another person to sell your vehicle. Only submit this letter for emergency use or situations out of the owner's control. Routine PCS or situations of poor planning  
will not be approved.
 
Prerequisites

• The current year road tax must be paid.
• Paragraph 2 must clearly state the nature of the emergency or conditions that are outside of your control that necessitate the need to out-process with a SPOA.
• Paragraph 3 must state what the plan for the vehicle is if it is not sold within the time limits of the SPOA. Be sure to include a statement about junking the vehicle as the final plan if all else fails.
• Print the letter on the owner's unit letterhead.
• Have the letter signed by the owner and by the Commanding Officer. (NOTE: NO ENLISTED MEMBER MAY SIGN)(o5 and above are exempt from this requirement)
• Bring the letter into JSVRO signed by the appropriate personnel with a copy of the owner's PCS orders.

If Approved:

You may go to your local Legal Services Center with the intended SPOA holder, the approved request and sign a "Rotating Special Power of Attorney". In the event that the owner cannot get a Rotating SPOA any other Special Power of Attorney will be accepted as long as it meets the following requirements/

• 3 signatures (Owner's signature, SPOA holder's signature, & notary signature)
• Include the following two paragraphs:
  
  

  "this agreement includes no power of substitution. The Agent cannot give a third person a Power of Attorney over the above vehicle. It is further understood by the below-signed parties that this is the only Power of Attorney over a motor vehicle being left on Okinawa, Japan that the Agent is authorized to hold until the above vehicle is properly disposed of."

  "TERMINATION: unless sooner revoked or terminated by the Principal, this Power of Attorney shall become NULL and VOID on the soonest of: (i) ninety (90) days from the date first shown above: (ii) the expiration date for either Government of Japan inspection or Japanese Compulsory insurance coverage (JCI): or (iii) the expiration date for Property Damage Insurance coverage (PDI).

To receive the maximum benefits of the SPOA, make sure the vehicle has a minimum of 90 days worth of Property Damage Insurance (PDI) and 90 days left on the Government of Japan (GOJ) Inspection. If these requirements are not met then the Rotating SPOA will expire with the GOJ inspection or the PDI policy, which ever expiration date comes first.

Request to Outprocess with SPOA example letter
All Special Powers of Attorney must include the verbiage as shown here: Rotating Special Power of Attorney Format