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What is a Delivery Order (引き渡し命令)?|Procedures, Costs, and Flow for Evicting Occupants After Auction

Even if you win the bid, the occupant may not leave — in such cases, the successful bidder can use a Delivery Order. This article explains the requirements, the 6-month deadline, costs, and enforcement from a practical perspective.

Table of Contents

  1. What is a Delivery Order?
  2. Occupants Subject to the Order and Those Who Are Not
  3. The 6-Month Filing Deadline
  4. Flow from Filing to Vacating
  5. Estimated Costs
  6. How to Avoid Occupant Risk in the First Place

1. What is a Delivery Order?

A Delivery Order is a procedure where a person who has purchased real estate at auction, after paying the purchase price, petitions the court to order the occupant to vacate the property (Article 83 of the Civil Execution Act). Normally, an eviction lawsuit is required to remove an occupant, but a major advantage for auction purchasers is that they can use this simpler and faster Delivery Order.

If the occupant does not comply even after a Delivery Order is issued, the purchaser can proceed to enforcement using the order as a legal title. In other words, the Delivery Order is an important legal tool to make the auctioned property "actually usable."

For the overall flow of dealing with occupants, please also see Handling Occupant Eviction, and for risks by occupant type, see How to Identify Occupant Risk.

2. Occupants Subject to the Order and Those Who Are Not

Whether a Delivery Order can be used depends on whether the occupant has a right that can be asserted against the purchaser.

Subject to OrderNot Subject to Order
Main OccupantsDebtor/owner, lessees after mortgage registration, illegal occupantsLessees who fulfilled perfection requirements before mortgage registration, those with leasehold rights to be assumed
ResultDelivery Order → Eviction via EnforcementLease is assumed (eviction not possible)
A Delivery Order cannot be used against occupants who have rights to be assumed. Identifying this requires checking the "Rights to be Assumed by the Purchaser" column in the property details. For details, refer to Elimination Principle and Assumption.

3. The 6-Month Filing Deadline

A Delivery Order must be filed within 6 months from the date of payment of the purchase price (with exceptions, such as 9 months when the opposing party is a user of a commercial building). If this period passes, the Delivery Order cannot be used, and a regular eviction lawsuit becomes necessary, significantly increasing both time and cost.

Therefore, after winning the bid and paying the purchase price, it is a practical rule to prepare for the Delivery Order early, in parallel with negotiations with the occupant.

4. Flow from Filing to Vacating

  1. Payment of Purchase Price & Acquisition of Ownership
  2. Voluntary Negotiation: First, discuss the move-out date and moving costs with the occupant.
  3. Filing for Delivery Order: Submit the petition to the competent court (within 6 months).
  4. Issuance of Delivery Order: If requirements are met, the court issues the Delivery Order.
  5. Service & Finalization: The order is served on the occupant; if no objection, it becomes final.
  6. Filing for Enforcement: If the occupant does not vacate, file for enforcement using the Delivery Order as the legal title.
  7. Execution: A court execution officer oversees the eviction (removal and storage of belongings).
If the occupant vacates smoothly through voluntary negotiation, you can save significantly on the cost and time of enforcement. The initial discussion is crucial.

5. Estimated Costs

ItemEstimated Cost
Filing for Delivery OrderApprox. several thousand yen (revenue stamps, postage, etc.)
Enforcement (Advance Deposit)Several tens of thousands of yen ~ (advance deposit to the court execution officer)
Removal & Storage of BelongingsSeveral hundred thousand yen ~ (depends on volume/scale; can exceed 1 million yen)

If the occupant vacates voluntarily, costs are limited to the filing fee, but if it leads to enforcement, costs increase dramatically. This shows that occupant risk directly impacts post-auction costs.

6. How to Avoid Occupant Risk in the First Place

The most reliable way to avoid the hassle and cost of Delivery Orders and enforcement is to choose properties with low occupant risk. Vacant properties (no occupants) or properties where the owner themselves reside are easier to handle compared to properties with lessees or illegal occupants.

At KeibaiX, AI analyzes the current condition survey report to determine the occupancy status and reflects it in the KeibaiX Risk Score. You can filter the list to find properties with low occupant risk.

Search for Properties with Low Occupant Risk

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute individual legal advice. The requirements, periods, and costs of procedures vary depending on the case and court. Please consult a specialist such as a lawyer or judicial scrivener for specific actions.