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ID and Cash Limits for Buying Silver in Japan

In Japan, a jeweller or precious-metal dealer must check your ID when you buy or sell silver and the payment is more than ¥2 million in cash (Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds). There is no legal cap on paying cash. When you sell, a secondhand dealer checks your ID unless the total is under ¥10,000. The tax-office payment report with My Number covers gold and platinum bars and coins, not silver.

Facts checked 31 October 2026 · Not financial, legal or tax advice

At a glance

SituationRuleNotes
BuyingID check (取引時確認) when you pay more than ¥2 million in cash.Covers silver, gold, platinum, gems and jewellery. Card or bank-transfer payments fall outside this rule, though dealers may still ask for ID.
Paying cashNo legal cap.Above ¥2 million in cash the dealer must identify you and keep records.
SellingID to a secondhand dealer (古物商) unless the total is under ¥10,000.No My Number needed: the bullion payment report covers gold and platinum only.
ReportedNo tax-office payment report for silver.Suspicious transactions are reported at any amount.

The rules in detail

  • Jewellers and precious-metal dealers are covered businesses under the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (犯罪収益移転防止法). They must verify your identity for any sale or purchase of precious metals (gold, platinum, silver and their alloys), gems or products made from them where the price is paid in cash and exceeds ¥2 million.
  • If a deal is obviously split to stay under ¥2 million, the parts are added together. Suspected impersonation and some higher-risk customers need checks at any amount, plus checks on assets and income above ¥2 million.
  • The dealer keeps an identity record and a transaction record, and files a suspicious transaction report with no minimum amount.
  • There is no general limit on paying cash in Japan. Large purchases are usually paid by bank transfer.
  • The payment report (支払調書) that dealers file with the tax office for sales over ¥2 million covers gold and platinum bars and coins. Silver and jewellery aren't in it.
  • No change to the ¥2 million threshold had been made as of October 2026. The trade ministry (METI) revised its list of suspicious-transaction examples for precious-metal dealers on 19 June 2026.

When you sell

  • Shops buying used goods are secondhand dealers (古物商) and must check your ID and record the deal unless the total is under ¥10,000. An October 2025 change removed that exemption only for cables, air-conditioner units and metal gratings.
  • The rule since October 2019 that dealers keep a copy of the seller's ID to claim consumption-tax credit covers gold bullion; silver isn't named.
  • No tax is withheld; any gain is declared on your own tax return.

Gold and travel

  • Gold falls under the same ¥2 million cash ID rule; gold and platinum bars and coins sold for over ¥2 million also go in a tax-office payment report with your My Number.
  • At the border, declare cash and other means of payment over ¥1 million. The 1 kg declaration rule is for gold of 90%+ purity.
ID and cash limits for silver in other countries: United States · Canada · Mexico · Brazil · United Kingdom · Ireland · Germany · France · Italy · Netherlands · Switzerland · Turkey · UAE · Saudi Arabia · Kuwait · Qatar · Bahrain · Oman · Egypt · South Africa · India · Pakistan · Bangladesh · Nepal · Sri Lanka · China · Hong Kong · South Korea · Singapore · Malaysia · Thailand · Vietnam · Indonesia · Philippines · Australia · New Zealand · all countries
See also: Silver price in Japan · VAT on silver in Japan · Silver travel allowance · Gold rules in Japan

Silver ID and Cash Limits in Japan: FAQ

Do I need ID to buy silver in Japan?

By law, only if you pay more than ¥2 million in cash. Many dealers ask for ID on large purchases anyway, and bank-transfer payments go through your bank's own checks.

Do I need my My Number card to sell silver in Japan?

No. The My Number payment report applies to gold and platinum bars and coins sold for over ¥2 million. Silver isn't included, though a secondhand dealer will still check your ID unless the total is under ¥10,000.

Is there a cash limit for buying silver in Japan?

No. There is no legal cap, but cash payments over ¥2 million require an ID check and record-keeping by the dealer.

Sources (5)

General information for individuals buying or selling silver, checked October 2026. Rules change and dealers may ask for more than the legal minimum; check with the dealer or the regulator. Not legal advice.