Driving in Bali as a foreigner: licence, helmet, police checks and scooter rental in 2026

This guide is for expats, digital nomads and long-stay visitors who ride or drive in Bali, or plan to. Enforcement on the island has tightened in waves since 2023: a governor's circular for foreign visitors in 2025, police operations in 2025 and February 2026, and a 2026 focus on camera-based electronic ticketing. Traffic rules, fees and local practice change often, so confirm the details with the traffic police, a Satpas licence office or a licensed professional before acting. Nothing here is legal advice.

The short version

• A visitor needs a valid home licence and, for Indonesia, an international driving permit (IDP) that covers the vehicle class. For a scooter that means a motorcycle category, not just a car category.
• The UK government lists the 1968 type of IDP for Indonesia. Get it in your home country before you travel.
• Long-stay residents should switch to an Indonesian licence (SIM). A new SIM A (car) or SIM C (motorcycle) needs a medical certificate, a psychological test and theory and practical tests.
• A helmet that meets the Indonesian national standard (SNI) is mandatory for the rider and any passenger.
• Police checks in tourist areas look for helmets, licences and vehicle papers. Statutory maximums run up to Rp 1,000,000 for riding without a licence, and a foreigner with a ticket can also face immigration action.
• After an accident, stop, help, report to the police and stay. Leaving the scene can bring up to 3 years in prison.

Which licence a visitor needs

Home licence plus an international driving permit

Indonesian law recognises a licence issued abroad where a bilateral or multilateral agreement says so. Police Regulation 5 of 2021 on SIM issuance says an international licence issued in another country is valid in Indonesia under the UN road traffic convention or another international agreement. It does not name a convention year.

The sources disagree slightly on the convention, so this is worth checking before you buy a permit:

• The UK government's driving abroad table lists the 1968 type of IDP for Indonesia.
• The UN treaty record for the 1968 Vienna Convention shows Indonesia as a signatory (8 November 1968) with Indonesian declarations on file, but the page as read did not show a ratification date.
• The UN record for the 1949 Geneva Convention does not list Indonesia as a participant.

In practice, the safest choice is the 1968 permit, issued by the motoring body or licensing authority in the country that issued your home licence. An Indonesian-issued international SIM is valid only outside Indonesia, so it does not help a visitor here.

The permit must cover the vehicle

An IDP lists vehicle categories. The 1968 convention uses letters such as A and A1 for motorcycles and B for cars. A May 2023 report quoting the head of the Bali transport agency said foreigners may drive in Bali only with the right licence, and noted that a SIM C is needed for a motorcycle and a SIM A for a car. A November 2025 report on police guidance added that a car licence may not cover motorcycles, because many car licences cover only 50 cc mopeds while most rental scooters are at least 125 cc. A July 2024 report noted that this mismatch may leave insurance invalid after a collision.

Vehicle	What to check
Scooter or motorbike	Motorcycle category stamped on the IDP and valid on your home licence, matching the engine size
Car	Car category on the IDP and valid on your home licence
Both	Both categories, plus the home licence carried together with the IDP

How long a visitor may use it

No source opened for this guide states a fixed number of days or months that a tourist may drive on an IDP in Indonesia. Treat the permit's own validity and your visa or stay permit as the practical limits. A visa on arrival gives 30 days and can be extended once; overstaying is fined at Rp 1,000,000 per day, according to the UK government's travel advice. Driving does not change any of that, and a stay beyond the permit's validity is not covered by it. Anyone who lives in Indonesia on a stay permit should plan for an Indonesian licence. The UK government notes that UK residents with a KITAS (temporary stay permit card) can apply for an Indonesian national licence.

The Indonesian SIM for foreigners

Classes and age

The SIM is issued by the national police and is valid for 5 years under Police Regulation 5 of 2021. The minimum age is 17 for SIM A and SIM C. SIM C covers motorcycles up to 250 cc, and a one-year-old SIM C can be upgraded to SIM C1 for larger bikes. Police in Denpasar announced in 2024 a trial of SIM C1 at the Denpasar and Karangasem Satpas offices. Check whether that is still running.

Documents

The regulation asks foreign applicants for immigration documents instead of the Indonesian ID card. The listed categories are:

• Passport and KITAP (permanent stay permit card) for people living permanently in Indonesia.
• Passport and a KITAS or official visa for experts working in Indonesia and for students.
• Diplomatic documents for embassy staff and families.
• A work permit for foreigners who work in Indonesia.

The text lists those categories only. Practice at individual Satpas offices may differ for other stay permits, so ask before queueing. The 2021 text also asks for a driving school certificate, but the regulation was amended in 2023 and the 2026 guides for new SIM A and C do not list it. Confirm at the Satpas whether it is requested.

Detik reported in July 2024 that Polresta Denpasar began checking for active BPJS Kesehatan (national health insurance) membership from SIM applicants. The report did not say whether foreign applicants are included, so ask.

Medical and psychological certificates

• The physical check covers eyesight, hearing and limbs. It is done by a police doctor or a general practitioner recommended by the police health unit. The doctor's certificate is valid for only 14 days.
• The psychological test covers cognitive ability, psychomotor ability and personality. It is done by a police psychologist or an approved outside psychologist. The certificate is valid for 6 months.

Tests

• Theory test: taken on a screen. Preparation material is provided in English for foreigners. The pass mark is 70, and a failed test can be repeated twice within 14 working days.
• Simulator test: also with a pass mark of 70, where a simulator is available.
• Practical test: applicants must make no errors in any item. Two trial runs are allowed before the test, and two retakes within 14 working days.

Fees published in 2026

The state fee (PNBP under Government Regulation 76 of 2020) is Rp 120,000 for a new SIM A and Rp 100,000 for a new SIM C. Renewal of a SIM A is Rp 80,000. The clinic fees come on top and vary by clinic.

Item	Published figure
New SIM A, state fee	Rp 120,000
New SIM C, state fee	Rp 100,000
SIM A renewal, state fee	Rp 80,000
Medical check	Roughly Rp 25,000 to Rp 100,000, depending on the clinic
Psychological test	Roughly Rp 37,500 to Rp 100,000
Optional insurance on renewal	Roughly Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000
Estimated total, new SIM	Roughly Rp 175,000 to Rp 270,000

These are press estimates, so confirm the total at the counter. An expired SIM cannot be renewed under the regulation. A new application is required.

Online registration

The police app Digital Korlantas Polri lets Indonesian applicants register, pay and take the theory test, then book a practical test at a Satpas. The guides do not say whether foreign applicants can use it, so assume an in-person visit with passport and permit may be needed. Mobile counters called SIM Keliling exist in some cities, mostly for renewals. Whether one runs in Bali and accepts foreigners was not confirmed.

Helmet law

The Traffic and Road Transport Law (Law 22 of 2009) requires every motorcycle rider and passenger to wear a helmet that meets the Indonesian national standard (SNI). A motorcycle without a sidecar may carry at most one passenger. Riders must keep their main lights on in the daytime. The maximum penalty for not wearing a standard helmet, or letting a passenger ride without one, is 1 month in prison or a fine of up to Rp 250,000.

Riding without a helmet is listed among the most common violations in Bali police reports from 2024, 2025 and 2026. In a May 2025 night raid in Pererenan, most violators said short trips made helmets seem unnecessary. They were ticketed anyway. A cheap fashion helmet without the SNI mark can count as a violation, so check the mark when renting.

Police checks, tickets and typical fines

A ticket is called a tilang. Camera-based enforcement, called ETLE, is part of the Bali police approach, with static and mobile units. The police said in December 2025 that CCTV and ETLE cameras feed a control centre that looks for riding without a helmet, wrong-way driving and reckless riding. Bali police named electronic ticketing as the focus of the 2026 Operasi Patuh Agung campaign.

The law sets maximums. The actual amount is decided through the ticketing and court process, and no source opened for this guide gave a typical figure. The wording below follows the original 2009 text of the law, which was later touched by job-creation legislation, so treat the maximums as a guide only.

Violation	Law 22 of 2009	Maximum prison	Maximum fine
Driving without a licence	Article 281	4 months	Rp 1,000,000
Unable to show a valid licence	Article 288(2)	1 month	Rp 250,000
Vehicle without registration papers	Article 288(1)	2 months	Rp 500,000
Rider or passenger without an SNI helmet	Article 291	1 month	Rp 250,000
More than one passenger on a motorcycle	Article 292	1 month	Rp 250,000
Motorcycle without daytime headlight	Article 293(2)	15 days	Rp 100,000
Not signalling a turn	Article 294	1 month	Rp 250,000
Not obeying a police officer	Article 282	1 month	Rp 250,000

Three practical points follow. First, ask for the official ticket and pay through the official channel. The UK government warns that foreigners in even minor traffic incidents may be vulnerable to extortion. Second, an Indonesian immigration official said in 2024 that a foreigner who gets a ticket, even for a minor offence, may face immigration action including deportation. Third, in an Ubud patrol in October 2024, police said they preferred warnings and tyre deflation for illegally parked motorcycles over fines.

Bali-specific rules and enforcement, 2023 to 2026

• March 2023: Governor Koster announced that tourists, especially foreigners, may not rent or borrow motorbikes and should use licensed travel operators. In May 2023 the head of the provincial transport agency said no regulation had been officially issued and it was still under discussion. A police circular of March 2023 asked rental agencies to check that renters can ride, that identity is verifiable, and that the vehicle has a plate and a helmet.
• July 2024: an immigration enforcement official said traffic tickets can lead to immigration action.
• March 2025: Governor's Circular 7 of 2025 asks foreign visitors to obey traffic rules, carry a valid international or national licence, wear a helmet on a motorbike, and use four-wheeled rental vehicles from a licensed rental business. It is a circular directed at visitors, and its exact legal weight for scooter rental is unclear.
• May 2025: a raid in Pererenan ticketed 30 foreigners and 20 Indonesians. Police seized 35 motorbikes, which can be reclaimed only after a court hearing.
• July 2025: during the Operasi Patuh Agung operation, police targeted riders without an SNI helmet, phone use while riding, wrong-way driving, underage riders and overloading. Separately, the Bali Transportation Agency began spot checks of commercial tourist vehicles in Badung under a governor's decree.
• November 2025: the Bali traffic directorate advised foreigners with little two-wheeler experience not to ride alone. A short supervised test ride before rental was floated as a possible requirement, but no source confirms it as a rule.
• February 2026: Operation Safety Agung, from 2 to 15 February, covered all of Bali with extra presence in Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, Kuta, Jimbaran, Uluwatu and Ubud.

Police figures reported in 2025 counted 142 foreigners involved in road accidents in Bali in 2024, with 21 deaths. Another report described the 142 as collisions, so the exact wording differs between outlets.

Renting a scooter or car

A responsible rental has the following:

• The agency asks for your licence and IDP and checks the category.
• An SNI helmet is supplied, the plate is fitted and the vehicle registration paper (STNK) is in the vehicle or in a copy you hold.
• The contract states the deposit, damage, theft, fines and insurance in writing.
• Photos or video of the vehicle's condition are taken before you ride away.

Passport as a deposit is a risk. The UK government advises always carrying your passport or stay permit, because police may ask for it. Offering a copy or a cash deposit is a safer route. This is practical advice, not a legal rule, and no official source opened for this guide addresses rental deposits directly.

Insurance needs a closer look. Rental scooters often come with little or no cover. Travel insurers may refuse a claim if the licence did not cover the vehicle. Ask for the cover in writing and read the exclusions in your own policy.

Under Article 236 of the traffic law, whoever causes an accident must pay compensation, set by a court. For minor accidents with only property damage, the parties can settle outside court if they agree.

Driving on the left and parking

Traffic keeps to the left (Article 108). Riders and drivers must drive with full attention, so using a phone while riding is a violation. Police asked rental agencies in July 2025 to explain to foreign renters which roads they may and may not use. Parked motorbikes blocking roads can get their tyres deflated or be towed, as happened in Ubud in October 2024.

Accidents, insurance and Jasa Raharja

Article 231 of the traffic law requires a driver in an accident to stop, help the victim, report to the nearest police and give information. A driver who deliberately leaves the scene without a valid reason faces up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp 75,000,000 (Article 312). Negligent driving that causes an accident carries maximums that rise with the harm:

Outcome	Maximum prison	Maximum fine
Vehicle or property damage only	6 months	Rp 1,000,000
Light injuries	1 year	Rp 2,000,000
Serious injuries	5 years	Rp 10,000,000
A death	6 years	Rp 12,000,000

What to do after an accident

1. Stop and move to a safe spot if the road is dangerous. The UK government advises waiting for the police at the scene, or moving elsewhere if you feel unsafe.
2. Help anyone hurt and call for medical help.
3. Report to the nearest police station and cooperate. Stay available for statements.
4. Photograph the scene, plates and damage. Keep the rental contract and the police paperwork.
5. Inform the rental agency and your travel insurer.
6. If you caused injury or death, the law requires you to help with treatment or funeral costs. This does not end a criminal case (Article 235).

Jasa Raharja is the state road-accident insurer. A 2026 report quoted it at Rp 50,000,000 to heirs of a person who died and up to Rp 20,000,000 for treatment of injured victims. The conditions, including how it treats foreign visitors and riders at fault, were not found. Treat it as a limited safety net, not as a replacement for travel or medical insurance.

What to carry

• Passport or stay permit (KITAS or KITAP), or a copy as the rental agency agrees.
• Home licence and IDP, or the Indonesian SIM.
• Vehicle registration (STNK) or a copy, and the rental agency's details.
• Proof of insurance.

Where to get it done

• A Satpas (police licence office) at the local police resort, for a new Indonesian SIM, renewal and the test steps.
• A licensed doctor recommended by the police health unit for the medical certificate, and an approved psychologist for the psychological test.
• The motoring body or licensing authority of your home country, before you travel, for the IDP.
• The local immigration office, for questions about visa extensions or a stay permit.
• The local traffic police unit, for tickets and accident reports.
• A licensed rental operator, with a written contract and a helmet, plate and registration paper in order.
• A travel insurer or broker, for cover that includes motorcycle riding with your licence category.