Suica Checker

How long each card lasts

Four different products are all called some form of Suica, and each one runs on a different clock. Getting this wrong is how travellers lose money, so it is worth thirty seconds.

  1. Ordinary Suica, PASMO or ICOCA (plastic): no fixed expiry. Stops working after ten years with no use.
  2. Suica in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet: no expiry at all.
  3. Welcome Suica (physical): 28 days from issue, balance not refunded.
  4. Welcome Suica Mobile: 180 days from issue, balance not refunded.
  5. Tourist PASMO: 28 days from issue, on similar terms to the Welcome Suica.

The ten-year rule

An ordinary plastic card is deactivated after ten years without a single tap. It is not a problem for a traveller who comes back every few years, and a single convenience-store purchase resets the clock.

Why the visitor cards expire at all

The 28-day and 180-day cards carry no deposit, which is what makes them convenient to pick up and walk away from. The expiry is the trade for that. Keep the balance low as your departure approaches.

What "expired" means in practice

The card stops opening gates and stops paying at shops, and the balance on it is not returned. There is no grace period and no way to reactivate it.

All guides

Checker · Compare

Frequently asked questions

Does a Suica in Apple Wallet expire?

An ordinary Suica added through Apple Wallet does not. A Welcome Suica Mobile card added to Apple Wallet still expires 180 days after issue — it is the card that expires, not the wallet.

Can I extend a Welcome Suica past 28 days?

No. When it expires you buy a new card. If your trip is longer than 28 days, buy an ordinary Suica or PASMO instead.

My old Suica from 2015 — will it still work?

If it has been used at least once in the last ten years, yes. If not, a station window can tell you and, in some cases, transfer the balance to a new card.

Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-09. Rules change. Confirm anything that matters against the operator’s own page before you travel.