Japan ETC Card Number Formats
ETC card numbers in Japan range from 14 to 19 digits depending on the issuer and card type. This reference, sourced from NEXCO Drive Plaza, SMBC Card, Credit Saison, UC Card, and the official ETC portal, lays out the precise format for each common card type.
Three numbers — don't mix them up
The most common registration mistake is confusing these three numbers with each other.
ETC Card Number
14–19 digits
Printed on the back of your physical ETC card.
OBU Management Number
19 digits exactly
Printed on the OBU setup certificate (車載器セットアップ証明書) or on the device. Identifies the unit, NOT the card.
License Plate (last 1–4)
1–4 digits
The trailing digits of the plate on the vehicle the OBU is installed in. MEISAI uses this to match the registration to a real vehicle.
ETC Card Number — digits by card type
A reference table covering the real ETC card variants in circulation in Japan.
Sources: NEXCO Drive Plaza My Page, SMBC Card official guide, Credit Saison Credictionary, UC Card terms, ETC portal (go-etc.jp).
JapanTollReceipts validation rule
We accept ETC card numbers of 14 to 19 digits (numerals only after stripping hyphens and spaces). You do not need to worry about formatting — just paste whatever is printed on the back of your card.
The OBU management number is also 19 digits — but a different field
The 車載器管理番号 (OBU management number) is a 19-digit identifier for the onboard unit itself, printed on the OBU setup document or device. It is NOT the same as the ETC card number. In the MEISAI registration form they go in separate fields.
Now you can enter your ETC card number with confidence.
Just paste the number from the back of your card — formatting handles itself.