Bali Rules for Tourists in 2026: Levy, Temples, Scooters and Visas

Bali is easygoing in many ways, and most visitors never come close to trouble. It is also an island where religion runs through daily life, and where the provincial government has become noticeably firmer with foreign visitors since 2023. Rules that used to be loosely enforced, from the tourist levy to riding a scooter without a licence, now come with checks, fines and, in serious cases, deportation.

This guide sets out the rules that matter most for tourists as of October 2026: what is law, what is local custom, and what tends to get people into trouble. Regulations here change often, so check official sources before you rely on any detail.

The Bali tourist levy

Every foreign tourist visiting Bali pays a provincial levy of IDR 150,000 per person (as of October 2026). It has applied since 14 February 2024 and is now based on Bali Provincial Regulation No. 2 of 2025. It is separate from your visa fee.

• How to pay: online through Love Bali, the provincial government's website and app (the address ends in baliprov.go.id), by card, bank transfer, virtual account or QRIS. You can also pay at counters at the airport and seaports, or through registered partners such as some hotels and attractions.
• How often: once per trip to Bali, not per day.
• Proof: a voucher with a QR code, sent by email. Keep it on your phone.
• Who is exempt: holders of diplomatic and official visas, transport crew, KITAS and KITAP holders, family unification visa holders, student visa holders, golden visa holders and holders of certain other visas. Most simply show their card. Golden visa holders and the "other visas" group must apply through Love Bali before arriving.

Under the governor's rules, tourists who have not paid can be refused entry to tourist attractions. Provincial figures show that only about 43 percent of foreign visitors had paid in 2026 up to September, and the province is pushing harder through airlines and travel platforms. Pay only on the official site; copycat sites charge far more.

The governor's circular: Bali's dos and don'ts

In March 2025 Governor Wayan Koster issued Circular Letter (Surat Edaran) No. 7 of 2025, a list of obligations and prohibitions for foreign tourists. It updates an earlier circular from 2023 and is meant to apply until a permanent regional regulation replaces it. A broader draft regulation on quality tourism was still before the provincial parliament when we last checked, so the circular remains the main reference.

What tourists must do

• Respect temples, sacred symbols and statues, and follow local customs, especially during ceremonies.
• Dress modestly and appropriately at temples, tourist attractions and public places.
• Behave politely at sacred places, in restaurants and shops, and on the road.
• Pay the tourist levy.
• Be accompanied by a licensed guide when visiting cultural and natural sites.
• Change money only at licensed money changers and pay in rupiah.
• Obey traffic law: hold a valid international or Indonesian driving licence, wear a helmet, do not overload vehicles, and never drive after drinking or taking drugs.
• Use licensed car rental and transport services.
• Stay only in licensed accommodation.

What tourists must not do

• Enter the inner sacred areas of temples (the utamaning mandala and madyaning mandala) unless praying in traditional Balinese dress. Women who are menstruating may not enter these areas.
• Climb sacred trees or monuments, or take indecent or nude photos at sacred places.
• Litter or pollute rivers, lakes and the sea.
• Use single-use plastic, including plastic bags, styrofoam, straws and drinks in plastic packaging.
• Swear, act aggressively, cause disturbances or be rude to officials, locals or other tourists, or spread hate speech or false information on social media.
• Work or run a business without the proper documents from the Indonesian authorities.
• Take part in illegal activity, including trading drugs, protected animals or sacred artefacts.

The provincial civil service police (Satpol PP) monitor compliance, and the police handle serious cases under Indonesian law.

Temples, sacred trees and sacred places

Most temples welcome respectful visitors to their outer courtyards. A few simple habits go a long way.

• Dress: wear a sarong (kamen) and a sash (selendang) tied at the waist, with shoulders covered. Many temples lend or rent them at the entrance for a small donation.
• Stay where visitors are welcome: the inner courtyards are for worship. If a gate is closed or a sign asks you not to enter, do not.
• Ritual purity: besides menstruation, Balinese custom also asks people with bleeding wounds or who are in mourning after a recent death in the family to stay out of temples.
• Body position: do not sit or stand higher than a priest or the offerings, do not step over offerings, and do not walk in front of people who are praying.
• Sacred trees and shrines: large banyan trees wrapped in black and white chequered cloth (poleng) are sacred, as are the small shrines you see on beaches, in rice fields and at crossroads. Do not climb them, sit on them or use them as a photo prop. Several visitors have been deported in recent years after nude or disrespectful photos at sacred sites.

Riding a scooter: licence, helmet, insurance

Scooters are how much of Bali gets around, and they are where many tourists get into legal and physical trouble.

• You need a valid licence for the vehicle. For a scooter, that means an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles, carried with your home licence, or an Indonesian motorcycle licence (SIM C). A car licence alone does not cover a motorbike.
• Police checks are common in tourist areas. Indonesia's traffic law allows fines of up to IDR 1 million for riding without a licence, and helmets are compulsory for rider and passenger.
• Insurance: many travel insurers refuse claims for accidents when you were riding without the right licence or without a helmet. Read your policy before you rent.
• Rent from licensed businesses, as the governor's rules require.

In 2026 the provincial government included a ban on tourists renting motorbikes in a draft regulation. As of October 2026 we could not confirm that it has been passed, so check the current position before you rent.

Working on a tourist visa

A Visa on Arrival or e-VOA allows tourism, business meetings, buying goods, government visits and transit. It does not allow work. That includes paid jobs for Indonesian clients, teaching yoga or surf classes, running retreats, offering photography or DJ services, managing villas, volunteering and, according to UK government advice, influencer work.

Immigration actively checks, and recent deportations have included visitors running yoga retreats and doing technical work on short-stay visas. If you plan to work remotely or stay for months, look at Indonesia's dedicated remote worker, business and work visas on the official immigration e-Visa site rather than stretching a tourist visa.

Drugs: take this seriously

Indonesia has some of the strictest drug laws in the world, and Bali is no exception.

• Trafficking can carry the death penalty, and foreign nationals have received death sentences. Possession of even small amounts can bring long prison sentences.
• Cannabis is illegal in every form, including medicinal cannabis, CBD oils and creams, and edibles. Psychedelic mushrooms are also illegal, whatever a menu board might suggest.
• Prescription medicines: some medicines that are legal at home, including certain stimulants, sedatives and strong painkillers, are controlled in Indonesia. Carry them in their original packaging with your prescription or a doctor's letter, bring only what you need for the trip, and check with the Indonesian embassy before you travel if you are unsure.
• Never carry a bag or parcel for someone else, and be wary of offers from strangers in nightlife areas. The legal risk is enormous and you cannot know what you are buying.

Alcohol is legal, but drink sensibly. Methanol in illicitly made spirits has caused deaths in Indonesia, and you cannot detect it by taste or smell. Stick to sealed, branded drinks from reputable venues.

The new criminal code

Indonesia's new criminal code came into force on 2 January 2026. It makes sex outside marriage and unmarried cohabitation offences, but only if a spouse, parent or child files a complaint. Police cannot act on their own initiative, and Bali officials have said hotels will not be required to ask guests for marriage certificates. Authorities have said the aim is not to target tourists, but it is worth knowing the law exists.

Overstays

Overstaying your permit costs IDR 1,000,000 per day, paid at immigration before you can leave. Long overstays can lead to detention, deportation and an entry ban, and leaving without paying makes things worse.

• Know your last legal day. Immigration counts the day you arrive as day one.
• A 30-day Visa on Arrival can be extended once, but only before it expires.
• If your flight is cancelled or you fall ill, contact an immigration office before your permit runs out, not after.

Why some visitors get deported

Bali's regional immigration office deported 342 foreign nationals between January and June 2026. The reasons it gave were misuse of visas and residence permits, overstays, public order offences, breaches of local customs and illegal economic activity. In practice, the common patterns are:

• working or running a business on a visitor visa
• overstaying
• disrespect at temples and sacred sites, including nude photos
• drunken fights, aggression and abuse towards officials or locals
• involvement in drugs or other illegal trade

Deportation usually comes with an entry ban, and you pay for your own flight.

Where you stay matters

Hotels register foreign guests with the authorities automatically. If you stay in a private villa or house, your host is meant to report you, and UK government advice notes a fine of IDR 5 million for failing to register. Ask your host to confirm it is done. The governor's rules also require tourists to stay in licensed accommodation, and in 2026 eight major booking platforms agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan.

How to report problems

• Emergencies: call 112, Indonesia's general emergency number.
• Police: call 110. Bali police say the line runs 24 hours with help in several languages.
• Breaches of the tourist rules: the province published a WhatsApp line for reports under the 2025 circular, +62 812 8759 0999. It was listed by the Bali tourism office in 2025, so check it is still active.
• Visa and immigration matters: go to an immigration office. Bali has offices in Denpasar, at Ngurah Rai (in Jimbaran) and in Singaraja.
• Your embassy or consulate: contact them if you are arrested, detained, lose your passport or are seriously hurt. Several countries have consular offices in Bali.
• Levy problems: use the help options on the official Love Bali site.

Keep a photo of your passport, visa and levy voucher on your phone, and save your accommodation's address in Indonesian. Most problems are far easier to sort out when you can show who you are and where you are staying.