• I want to consult about a traffic accident in the Yaizu, Makinohara, Yoshida, Omaezaki, or Fujieda area.
• I was a victim of a hit-and-run. Can I identify the driver from the vehicle's license plate number?
• I want to know if it is possible to trace the driver from a vehicle license plate number.

Are you experiencing concerns like these in Yaizu, Makinohara, Omaezaki, Fujieda, Shimada, Yoshida, or surrounding areas?
In cases of hit-and-runs or accidents where you were not given the other party's contact information, many people feel anxious, thinking, "I don't even know the other party's name or address... Can I still file a claim?"
In conclusion, if you have the license plate number information, there is a high likelihood that the at-fault driver can be identified through legal means such as a Bar Association Inquiry, so there is no need to give up.
At Yaizu General Law Office, we offer a free initial legal consultation regarding traffic accident concerns. There is no obligation to retain our services after an initial consultation. We are also available on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Please feel free to contact us by phone or email.

There Are Cases Where the At-Fault Driver Can Be Identified

If you are a victim of a hit-and-run in a traffic accident, or if you initially thought your injuries were minor but symptoms appeared later, you may want to file a damages claim against the at-fault driver but find that you do not know their name or address, or that you missed the opportunity to obtain their contact information.

In such cases, you might feel that there is nothing you can do because you have no information about the at-fault driver. However, if you remember the license plate number (vehicle registration number) of the at-fault driver's vehicle, it may be possible to determine the name and address of the at-fault driver (owner/registered user) from that information.

The methods for investigation differ between standard vehicles and light vehicles (kei cars), and each method is explained below.

Why Identifying the At-Fault Driver Is Important

• You will have to pay repair costs (property damage) out of pocket
• Medical expenses will be covered under health insurance, increasing your out-of-pocket costs
• Claims to the Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance (CALI) cannot proceed if "at-fault driver information is insufficient"
• It may affect your application for residual disability certification
• Settlement negotiations become impossible

Even if you were unable to obtain the at-fault driver's contact information immediately after the accident, tracking is possible if you have the license plate number information.

In the Case of Standard Vehicles

For standard vehicles, you can obtain a "Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information" from the Land Transport Office. This can be obtained by anyone, not just the vehicle owner.

However, to obtain the Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information, you need to know not only the vehicle's license plate number (vehicle registration number) but also the chassis number (vehicle identification number).

As a result, since a traffic accident victim would have no way of knowing the chassis number, it is extremely difficult to obtain the Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information on your own.

If You Know Both the License Plate Number and Chassis Number, You Can Inquire at the Land Transport Office Yourself

Although uncommon in traffic accident cases, if you know not only the other vehicle's license plate number (vehicle registration number) but also the chassis number, it is possible for the victim to obtain the "Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information" at a Regional Transport Bureau or Vehicle Inspection and Registration Office.

The Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information contains information recorded in the vehicle registration file, including the names and addresses of the vehicle's owner and registered user.

The general procedure for making a request is as follows.

It Is Uncommon to Know the Chassis Number in Traffic Accident Cases

However, in actual traffic accidents, especially hit-and-run cases,

—this is the situation in most cases.

This is because the chassis number, unlike the license plate, is generally not visible from outside a moving vehicle.

Therefore, if you only know the license plate number of the other vehicle involved in the accident, it is usually difficult for the victim to obtain the owner's information from the Land Transport Office on their own.

Even in such cases, however, an attorney can obtain the Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information by making a Bar Association Inquiry to the Land Transport Office using only the vehicle's license plate number (vehicle registration number).

Key Points

• If both the license plate number and chassis number are known, the victim can request the Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information at a Regional Transport Bureau
• However, the chassis number is rarely visible from outside the vehicle, making it difficult for the victim to know
  →In practice, it is virtually impossible for the victim to obtain information from the Land Transport Office on their own
• Nevertheless, an attorney can conduct a "Bar Association Inquiry" using only the license plate number information

What Is a Bar Association Inquiry?

It is a system that allows an attorney, through their local bar association, to request information from public agencies.

Because this system is based on law, the Land Transport Office is, in principle, obligated to respond.

Through a Bar Association Inquiry, the following information can be obtained:

• Name of the vehicle owner
• Name of the registered user (if different from the owner)
• Address
• Chassis number
• Change history (e.g., when ownership was transferred)

Important Notes

• The registered user (the person who was actually driving) may differ from the owner
  →Obtaining the registered user's information facilitates subsequent damages claims
• Even in hit-and-run cases, the owner is not necessarily the at-fault driver, so additional investigation may be required

In the Case of Light Vehicles (Kei Cars)

Light vehicles are not registered at the Land Transport Office.

For light vehicles, the equivalent of the Certificate of Registered Vehicle Information for standard vehicles is the "Certificate of Inspection Record Information." The Certificate of Inspection Record Information can be obtained from the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization; however, only the current owner may request it, so a traffic accident victim cannot obtain it.

However, just as with standard vehicles, if an attorney knows the vehicle's license plate number (vehicle registration number), the attorney can obtain the Certificate of Inspection Record Information through a Bar Association Inquiry.

Using Dashcam Footage and Security Cameras

When identifying the at-fault driver, dashcam footage often serves as the "decisive evidence."

From dashcam footage, the following can be determined:

• License plate number
• Vehicle make, color, and whether it has been modified
• Point of collision
• Direction of escape

If these details are clearly captured, both the police and an attorney can swiftly identify the at-fault driver.

In addition, security cameras at commercial facilities, convenience stores, or in front of the victim's home may also be useful.

Summary

As explained above, if you retain an attorney to handle your traffic accident damages claim, even if you have no information about the at-fault driver other than the vehicle's license plate number, it is possible to investigate and identify the at-fault driver through a Bar Association Inquiry.

If time passes while the at-fault driver remains unidentified after a hit-and-run, out-of-pocket expenses for medical and repair costs will increase, and applications for residual disability certification and settlement negotiations will become more difficult. Cases where you have only the license plate number information are precisely the situations where an attorney can make a significant difference.

At Yaizu General Law Office, the initial consultation for traffic accidents is free of charge. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Initial Legal Consultation for Traffic Accidents at Yaizu Sogo Law Office Is Free of Charge

Yaizu Sogo Law Office provides a free initial legal consultation regarding traffic accidents.

We handle all traffic accident-related legal matters, regardless of severity or whether they involve property damage or personal injury. If you are feeling stressed by dealings with insurance companies, or if you want to know whether the amount offered by your insurance company is fair, please do not hesitate to consult with us.

Yaizu Sogo Law Office is available not only during regular weekday hours but also on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Please contact us by phone or email to schedule a legal consultation.

Are You Troubled by a Traffic Accident?

• Settlement Offers from Insurance Companies Are Almost Always Low
• The Insurance Company Said They Would Cut Off My Medical Expenses
• Dissatisfied with the Fault Ratio
• When and How to Consult a Lawyer About a Traffic Accident
• What Claims Can Be Made in a Personal Injury Accident?
• What Claims Can Be Made in a Property Damage Accident?
• What You Need to Know About Whiplash
• Traffic Accidents and Health Insurance
• Procedures and Steps to Follow After a Traffic Accident
• Fault Proportions Between a Through-Going Vehicle and a Right-Turning Vehicle at an Intersection
• Diminished Value (Loss of Market Value)
• Amount Claimable from the Other Party When Personal Injury Protection Insurance Was Used Prior to the Claim for Damages Against the Other Party
• Free legal consultation is available for traffic accidents
• Filing a Victim's Claim with Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance (CALI)
• Lost Wages for Salaried Employees (Wage Earners) in Traffic Accidents
• Understanding a Company's Losses When Employees Are Killed or Injured in a Traffic Accident
• Finding the Court with Jurisdiction over Traffic Accident Lawsuits
• Want to Know Whether You Can Offset the Other Party's Damages Against Your Own in the Same Traffic Accident
• The at-fault party refuses to use their voluntary automobile insurance. What should I do?
• I was seriously injured in a traffic accident in June 2017, before the enforcement of the amended Civil Code (April 1, 2020). Three years have passed (but less than five years) since I completed my treatment. Is the statute of limitations still valid?
• How to Identify a Hit-and-Run Driver from a Vehicle License Plate Number
• Methods of Dispute Resolution in Traffic Accidents
• What You Need to Know About Medical Commuting Transportation Expenses
• How to Find the Insurance Company of the At-Fault Driver in a Traffic Accident
• Understanding Workers' Compensation Insurance in Traffic Accidents (Leave Compensation)
• How Much Is the Standard Compensation for a Traffic Accident?
• What Is Residual Disability Grade Certification in Traffic Accidents?
• How Much Compensation Can You Get for Whiplash from a Traffic Accident?
• Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer for Traffic Accidents
• Key Points When Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Traffic Accident
• How to Calculate Lost Income from a Traffic Accident
• The Relationship Between Number of Hospital Visits and Compensation for Pain and Suffering in Traffic Accidents (Key Considerations When Visit Frequency Is Low)
• What Is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) After a Traffic Accident?
• How to Use Lawyer Fee Special Coverage for Traffic Accidents?
• How to Handle a Traffic Accident When the At-Fault Driver Has No Insurance
• Damages in Bicycle Accidents
• Claiming Compensation When a Passenger Is Injured in a Traffic Accident
• Do You Have to Pay a Traffic Fine for a Burned-Out Brake Light?
• "I Said I Would Pay the Full Repair Cost" in a Bicycle Accident
• If Repair Costs Exceed Your Car's Market Value After a Traffic Accident, Can You Still Recover the Full Amount?
• Can a Car Proceed if a Pedestrian Yields at a Crosswalk?
• What Are "Replacement Incidental Costs" When a Vehicle Is Totaled in a Traffic Accident?
• What Damages Can Be Claimed When a Family Member Dies in a Traffic Accident?

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