Scooter licence in Bali: IDP, SIM C and riding legally

Renting a scooter in Bali takes about five minutes, and plenty of shops will hand over the keys without asking to see a licence. That does not make riding legal. It is also the most common way visitors end up without insurance cover after a crash.

This guide explains what you need to ride legally as of October 2026: the right International Driving Permit for visitors, the Indonesian SIM C for residents, what happens at police checks, and how to learn to ride before you join the traffic. Rules and fees change, so check the details again shortly before you rely on them.

The short version

• Every scooter counts as a motorcycle in Indonesia, from a 110cc Honda Scoopy to a 160cc PCX. You need a motorcycle licence. A car licence does not cover you.
• Visitors carry their home motorcycle licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) showing category A, the motorcycle category. You get the IDP in your home country before you travel.
• Residents with a KITAS or KITAP can apply for the Indonesian motorcycle licence, the SIM C.
• Wear a helmet with the strap done up, and carry the bike's registration card, the STNK.
• Talk of banning tourists from renting scooters has come up since 2023, but as of October 2026 no island-wide ban is in force. What has changed is enforcement.

Why your car licence is not enough

Indonesian law treats every two-wheeler with an engine as a motorcycle. The local SIM C covers motorcycles up to 250cc, which includes every scooter you are likely to rent. Foreign licences follow the same logic: your documents must show that you are licensed for motorcycles at home.

A licence and IDP that only show category B (cars) do not cover a scooter, whatever its engine size. Rental shops rarely check this. Police and travel insurers do.

The International Driving Permit

An IDP is an official translation of your home licence, issued by an authorised body in your own country, often the national motoring association. It only works together with the original licence, so carry both, plus your passport or a copy of it. You cannot get an IDP after you arrive in Indonesia, and the "international driving licence" documents sold by private websites are not the same thing.

Which convention?

Indonesia's police regulation on licences recognises international permits issued abroad under the UN road traffic conventions or other international agreements. Indonesia signed the 1968 Vienna Convention but has never ratified it, and it is not a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention, so official advice differs between countries. The UK, for example, lists the 1968 permit for Indonesia, while the United States only issues the 1949 version. In practice, police and rental shops in Bali accept both. Get the one your home country issues for Indonesia.

Validity differs too. A 1949 permit lasts one year from issue. A 1968 permit lasts up to three years, but never longer than your home licence.

Check for the A stamp

The permit lists vehicle categories: A for motorcycles, B for cars. The issuing office will only validate category A if your home licence includes motorcycles. Open the booklet before you fly and make sure category A is stamped or marked. If your home licence does not include motorcycles, an IDP cannot fix that.

ASEAN licences

If your licence comes from another ASEAN country, a 1985 ASEAN agreement on recognising domestic driving licences may cover you. Officers at roadside checks often expect an IDP anyway, so carrying one saves a long conversation.

The SIM C for residents

Who can apply

The national police regulation on licences (Perpol 5 of 2021) sets out the immigration documents a foreigner needs: a passport plus a KITAP for permanent residents, or a KITAS for people working or studying in Indonesia. Diplomatic staff have a separate route. If you are in Bali on a visit visa, the IDP is your route, not the SIM C.

Where to apply

In south Bali, most foreigners apply at the licensing office (Satpas) of the Denpasar city police, Polresta Denpasar, on Jalan Gunung Sanghyang in Padangsambian, West Denpasar. The licence service sits behind the main police building, and the health and psychology checks are done by approved providers nearby. Other regency police forces run their own Satpas offices, so if you live elsewhere, ask first whether they process foreign applicants. Go early on a weekday morning.

What to bring

• Passport, plus copies of the photo page and your visa or stay permit
• KITAS or KITAP, plus a copy
• Your home licence and IDP, plus copies
• A copy of your work permit if you are employed in Indonesia, which the regulation lists for working foreigners
• A black pen

The regulation also lists a certificate from an accredited driving school among the requirements. Ask at the office whether it applies to you when you go.

The process

1. Health check: eyesight, colour vision and blood pressure, with a certificate at the end.
2. Psychological test: a short questionnaire on a computer. The certificate is valid for six months.
3. Registration, fingerprints and photo at the Satpas.
4. Theory test on a computer. You need a score of 70 to pass. The regulation provides English study material for foreigners, and if you fail, you can retake the test up to twice within 14 working days.
5. Practical test on the test track. For the SIM C this is typically a slow zigzag between cones and a figure of eight between painted lines. Putting a foot down or knocking a cone usually counts against you, so practise slow-speed control beforehand.
6. Payment, then your card is printed, often on the same day.

Costs

As of October 2026, the state fee for a new SIM C is Rp 100,000. The health certificate and psychological test are paid separately and together usually add roughly Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000. Optional rider accident insurance adds around Rp 30,000. Agents charge their own fees on top.

Use the official process. Denpasar police have publicly urged applicants not to use intermediaries, and a card obtained without the tests gives you none of the skills the tests are there to check.

Validity

The regulation makes a SIM C valid for five years, renewable before it expires. Some foreign residents report cards with a shorter validity linked to their stay permit, so check the date on yours.

What happens at a police check

Bali police run regular traffic operations, especially around Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta and Uluwatu. In one three-day operation in Badung in May 2025, officers seized 56 vehicles and cited 81 riders, 30 of them foreign tourists. Missing licences and helmets, incomplete paperwork and loud aftermarket exhausts were the usual problems. In 2026 the police have also relied heavily on electronic enforcement cameras (ETLE), both fixed and mobile, so a violation can be recorded without anyone stopping you. Tickets for a rental bike go to the registered owner, who will pass them on to you.

At a check, officers usually ask for your licence and IDP, the STNK and sometimes your passport. Ask the rental owner for the STNK before you ride off. It often lives under the seat.

Under Indonesia's road traffic law (Law 22 of 2009), the maximum fines are:

• Riding without a valid licence: up to Rp 1,000,000
• Having a licence but not carrying it: up to Rp 250,000
• No STNK: up to Rp 500,000
• No helmet, for rider or passenger: up to Rp 250,000
• Using a phone while riding: up to Rp 750,000

Stay calm and polite, switch the engine off and show your documents. If you are fined, ask for the ticket (surat tilang), which explains how the fine is settled through the official process.

Helmets and the other rules

• Rider and passenger must wear a helmet certified to the Indonesian SNI standard, with the strap fastened. Rental helmets are often tired, so many residents buy their own from a proper helmet shop.
• Keep left. Indonesia drives on the left.
• Headlight on, day and night. Most modern scooters do this automatically.
• One passenger at most.
• No phone in your hand while moving.
• Speed limits are low, typically 50 km/h in towns.
• At traffic lights, you may only turn left on red where a sign allows it.
• No riding on pavements, and no riding after drinking.

Insurance: the expensive part

Most travel policies only pay for a scooter accident if you held a licence valid for that bike, both at home and under Indonesian law, wore a helmet and kept to local rules. Some policies also cap the engine size, often at 125cc, or need a motorbike add-on. Read the full policy wording. Without the right licence, a hospital bill or a medical evacuation can land entirely on you. Damage to the rental bike is usually your responsibility as well.

Renting sensibly

• Rent from a shop or villa that gives you a clear written agreement and has a solid record of reviews.
• Take photos and a short video of the bike, including existing scratches, before you leave.
• Check the brakes, tyres, lights, horn and mirrors, and ask for the STNK.
• Avoid leaving your passport as a deposit. Many reputable rentals accept a copy and a cash deposit.
• If you are new to riding, choose a light automatic such as a Honda BeAT, Scoopy or Vario rather than a heavier NMAX or PCX.
• As of October 2026, a standard automatic commonly rents for roughly Rp 60,000 to Rp 150,000 a day, with lower rates by the week or month.

Learning to ride safely

Bali's traffic is a hard place to learn, and a first ride in rush-hour Canggu is not the moment to find out how the brakes feel. A few lessons in a quiet area, then on small roads with an instructor, make a real difference: slow-speed balance, smooth braking, tight turns and reading the traffic around you.

Our pick: Bali Bike School

Bali Bike School is the school SmartBali recommends for learning to ride and for getting your licence sorted. It is based in Sanur, on Jalan Pantai Merta Sari in Sanur Kauh, and is open every day from 9am to 4pm. According to the school's own information, it offers:

• Private one-to-one lessons rather than large group classes, in English or Indonesian, run by local Balinese instructors
• Automatic scooter lessons (on Yamaha Fazio and NMAX scooters) and manual motorcycle lessons, booked as one, two or three sessions
• A step-by-step progression: an open practice area first, then quiet roads, then real traffic once you are ready
• A training bike and a helmet with an intercom, so your instructor can talk you through each move
• Free pickup and drop-off, with practice at a suitable area within about 25 minutes of where you are staying
• Licence assistance for the SIM C and SIM A, including help with paperwork, scheduling and preparation for the theory and practical tests

You need to be able to ride a bicycle before you start, and the school says most people who can need two to three sessions to ride an automatic confidently. Manual lessons are for people who already ride an automatic. Prices are listed on the school's website, and it is worth asking them directly what the current licence requirements are for your visa.

After your lessons, build up slowly. Leave night riding, heavy rain and passengers until you feel comfortable, and stick to quieter roads for the first week.