diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_avoidance_module/scene.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
index 4de8c4cb9b9a8..a74c3a69d7bce 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ class AvoidanceModule : public SceneModuleInterface
 
   bool canTransitFailureState() override { return false; }
 
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override { return true; }
-
   /**
    * @brief update RTC status for candidate shift line.
    * @param candidate path.
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/scene.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
index 7161f5e39fdcf..5cae89a04a539 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/include/behavior_path_dynamic_avoidance_module/scene.hpp
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ class DynamicAvoidanceModule : public SceneModuleInterface
 
   bool canTransitFailureState() override { return false; }
 
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override { return false; }
+  ModuleStatus setInitState() override { return ModuleStatus::IDLE; }
 
   bool isLabelTargetObstacle(const uint8_t label) const;
   void updateTargetObjects();
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/include/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/goal_planner_module.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/include/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/goal_planner_module.hpp
index 8ec82e610408e..47de3c802c949 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/include/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/goal_planner_module.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/include/behavior_path_goal_planner_module/goal_planner_module.hpp
@@ -356,7 +356,6 @@ class GoalPlannerModule : public SceneModuleInterface
   // If terminating it, it may switch to lane following and could generate an inappropriate path.
   bool canTransitSuccessState() override { return false; }
   bool canTransitFailureState() override { return false; }
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override { return true; }
 
   mutable StartGoalPlannerData goal_planner_data_;
 
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/include/behavior_path_lane_change_module/interface.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/include/behavior_path_lane_change_module/interface.hpp
index 9f4ba2b8eeeba..41144f81bf6a1 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/include/behavior_path_lane_change_module/interface.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/include/behavior_path_lane_change_module/interface.hpp
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class LaneChangeInterface : public SceneModuleInterface
 
   bool canTransitFailureState() override;
 
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override;
+  ModuleStatus setInitState() override { return ModuleStatus::WAITING_APPROVAL; };
 
   void setObjectDebugVisualization() const;
 
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/src/interface.cpp b/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/src/interface.cpp
index fecf6bf2c4716..8c41dd987fe86 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/src/interface.cpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_lane_change_module/src/interface.cpp
@@ -289,29 +289,6 @@ bool LaneChangeInterface::canTransitFailureState()
   return false;
 }
 
-bool LaneChangeInterface::canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState()
-{
-  setObjectDebugVisualization();
-
-  auto log_debug_throttled = [&](std::string_view message) -> void {
-    RCLCPP_DEBUG(getLogger(), "%s", message.data());
-  };
-
-  log_debug_throttled(__func__);
-
-  if (!isActivated()) {
-    if (module_type_->specialRequiredCheck()) {
-      return true;
-    }
-    log_debug_throttled("Module is idling.");
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  log_debug_throttled("Can lane change safely. Executing lane change.");
-  module_type_->toNormalState();
-  return true;
-}
-
 void LaneChangeInterface::setObjectDebugVisualization() const
 {
   debug_marker_.markers.clear();
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_planner_common/include/behavior_path_planner_common/interface/scene_module_interface.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_planner_common/include/behavior_path_planner_common/interface/scene_module_interface.hpp
index 816c1ffbeffb0..e6e5b84a8ce34 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_planner_common/include/behavior_path_planner_common/interface/scene_module_interface.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_planner_common/include/behavior_path_planner_common/interface/scene_module_interface.hpp
@@ -373,13 +373,10 @@ class SceneModuleInterface
       RCLCPP_DEBUG(getLogger(), "%s", message.data());
     };
     if (current_state_ == ModuleStatus::IDLE) {
-      if (canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState()) {
-        log_debug_throttled("transiting from IDLE to WAITING_APPROVAL");
-        return ModuleStatus::WAITING_APPROVAL;
-      }
-
-      log_debug_throttled("transiting from IDLE to IDLE");
-      return ModuleStatus::IDLE;
+      auto init_state = setInitState();
+      RCLCPP_DEBUG(
+        getLogger(), "transiting from IDLE to %s", magic_enum::enum_name(init_state).data());
+      return init_state;
     }
 
     if (current_state_ == ModuleStatus::RUNNING) {
@@ -460,9 +457,9 @@ class SceneModuleInterface
   virtual bool canTransitFailureState() = 0;
 
   /**
-   * @brief State transition condition IDLE -> RUNNING
+   * @brief Explicitly set the initial state
    */
-  virtual bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() = 0;
+  virtual ModuleStatus setInitState() { return ModuleStatus::RUNNING; }
 
   /**
    * @brief Get candidate path. This information is used for external judgement.
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_side_shift_module/include/behavior_path_side_shift_module/scene.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_side_shift_module/include/behavior_path_side_shift_module/scene.hpp
index 762ff985bbf94..1748f57a61bec 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_side_shift_module/include/behavior_path_side_shift_module/scene.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_side_shift_module/include/behavior_path_side_shift_module/scene.hpp
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ class SideShiftModule : public SceneModuleInterface
 
   bool canTransitFailureState() override { return false; }
 
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override { return true; }
-
   void initVariables();
 
   // non-const methods
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/include/behavior_path_start_planner_module/start_planner_module.hpp b/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/include/behavior_path_start_planner_module/start_planner_module.hpp
index 5b5b28766c5a7..909b4c694653f 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/include/behavior_path_start_planner_module/start_planner_module.hpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/include/behavior_path_start_planner_module/start_planner_module.hpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class StartPlannerModule : public SceneModuleInterface
 
   bool canTransitFailureState() override { return false; }
 
-  bool canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState() override;
+  ModuleStatus setInitState() override;
 
   /**
    * @brief init member variables.
diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/src/start_planner_module.cpp b/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/src/start_planner_module.cpp
index e7c29b8fe9a26..6377c7cfe844d 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/src/start_planner_module.cpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_start_planner_module/src/start_planner_module.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "behavior_path_start_planner_module/util.hpp"
 #include "motion_utils/trajectory/trajectory.hpp"
 
+#include <behavior_path_planner_common/interface/scene_module_interface.hpp>
 #include <lanelet2_extension/utility/query.hpp>
 #include <lanelet2_extension/utility/utilities.hpp>
 #include <magic_enum.hpp>
@@ -347,9 +348,9 @@ bool StartPlannerModule::canTransitSuccessState()
   return hasFinishedPullOut();
 }
 
-bool StartPlannerModule::canTransitIdleToWaitingApprovalState()
+ModuleStatus StartPlannerModule::setInitState()
 {
-  return isActivated();
+  return isActivated() ? ModuleStatus::RUNNING : ModuleStatus::IDLE;
 }
 
 BehaviorModuleOutput StartPlannerModule::plan()