The 5 cashless ways to pay national taxes, and how amounts, fees and receipts differYou can pay taxes with a phone or a card, but there is a limit on how much you can pay
The National Tax Agency lists five cashless payment methods: transfer payment (furikae nozei), Direct Payment, internet banking and similar, credit card payment, and smartphone app payment. Credit card payment and smartphone app payment differ in the amount limit, the fee, and whether a receipt is issued.
Key points
- Credit card payment is for less than JPY 10 million per procedure and within the card's payable limit. A payment fee based on the tax amount applies (JPY 99 for JPY 1 to JPY 10,000, with an addition for each further JPY 10,000), and no receipt is issued.
- Smartphone app payment can be used when the amount is JPY 300,000 or less. No payment fee applies and no receipt is issued. Since February 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7), it has been consolidated into using a dedicated site via e-Tax.
- Transfer payment is an automatic withdrawal from a registered account on the designated transfer date. Direct Payment is a withdrawal via e-Tax from an account registered in advance.
- If you need a receipt, you must pay at a financial institution or tax office counter.
What to do in practice
- Choose the payment method according to the amount and whether you need a receipt (for more than JPY 300,000, use a method other than the smartphone app).
- For credit card payment, check beforehand that it cannot be canceled after payment is complete and what the payment fee will be.
You can pay taxes without going to a counter, by using a smartphone app or a credit card. But the maximum amount and whether a fee is charged depend on the method. It is important to choose the way that suits you.
Points
- With the phone app, you can pay up to JPY 300,000 with no fee.
- With a credit card, you can pay less than JPY 10 million, but a fee is charged.
- Neither gives you a receipt, so if you need one, pay at a counter.
What the words mean
- Payment fee
- An extra fee charged when you pay by card and similar means
- Nofu (tax payment)
- Paying taxes to the government
- National Tax Agency (NTA): National Tax Agency: G-2 National tax payment procedures (due dates, transfer dates, payment methods)
- National Tax Agency (NTA): National Tax Agency: G-2-5 Smartphone app payment procedure
- National Tax Agency (NTA): National Tax Agency: G-2-4 Credit card payment procedure
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.