Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan -- U.S.-Japan status of forces agreement personnel with registered vehicles must pay the 2013 road tax and display the road tax sticker on their vehicles by June 1.
Road tax payment is required to legally operate vehicles while stationed on Okinawa and must be paid annually. Owners of vehicles not deregistered by April 1 must pay the tax.
Payments can be made at multiple locations on various U.S. military installations. The joint service vehicle registration office will operate on-base collection points at the Surf Side on Camp Kinser, the Chapel annex on U.S. Army Garrison Torii Station, The Palms on Camp Hansen, the camp services building on Camp Schwab and the base theaters on Camps Foster and Courtney, and Keystone Theater on Kadena Air Base.
All payments must be made in Japanese Yen. Credit cards, checks and U.S. dollars are not accepted.
“Cars with ‘Y’ license plates are the only ones we can accept payment for,” said Jeff Wheatley, the pass and registration supervisor, Provost Marshal’s Office, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Installations Pacific.
Drivers who operate motorcycles or vehicles with yellow license plates must pay their taxes by May 31 to their local city, town or village office between 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The receipt is then taken to the JSVRO or tax collection site during normal working hours to receive a 2013 road tax sticker.
There are other alternatives for people who can’t make it to one of the tax collection points.
“Service members have two options available to them if they are unable to go to an on-base collection point,” said Wheatley. “The first choice people have is to go through their insurance company, and have it handle the payment processing and paperwork. The second choice is to stop by the automobile tax office near Camp Kinser to pay there. However, with both choices, service members must bring the orange 2013 road tax receipt back to either the JSVRO or a collection point to receive a 2013 road tax sticker.”
The required documents for paying the 2013 road tax are military registration, 2012 road tax receipt, vehicle title, Japanese compulsory insurance and American insurance. All documents must be original. Copies will not be accepted.