International Driving Permit Indonesia

Foreign visitors need an International Driving Permit alongside their valid original licence to drive or ride in Indonesia, including Bali.

• A foreign licence alone isn't accepted by Indonesian authorities — it must be paired with an IDP issued in your home country.
• Your IDP is generally usable for the length of your tourist visa, up to about 6 months.Commonly reported
• Indonesia's own "SIM Internasional" is issued by the traffic police to Indonesian licence holders for driving abroad — it isn't something a foreign visitor applies for or needs.
• Staying long-term on a KITAS or KITAP permit typically means sitting Indonesia's written and practical driving tests for a local licence, since there's no direct conversion pathway.
• Indonesia drives on the left, with the driver's seat on the right side of the vehicle.

Indonesia follows left-hand driving with dense motorbike traffic, and road conditions plus enforcement can vary noticeably between cities and areas like Bali.

• Speed limits are typically 50 km/h in urban areas, 80 km/h on rural roads, and up to 100 km/h on motorways.Commonly reported
• Helmets are required for motorbike and scooter riders, and are worth wearing in genuinely good condition given real accident risk on Bali's roads.
• Minor traffic violations or accidents can sometimes leave foreign drivers vulnerable to informal on-the-spot demands for payment — dealing directly with police at a station is the safer route.Commonly reported
• If you're involved in an accident, stay at the scene, wait for police, and report it fully at a police station.Commonly reported

Car rental companies across Indonesia, including Bali, generally ask for your IDP alongside your original licence, and many apply their own minimum-age and licence-history requirements.

• The legal minimum age to drive in Indonesia is 17, and rental companies commonly expect drivers to be at least 21-23, with some requiring more for certain vehicle categories.Commonly reported
• Typical documents requested at pickup: your IDP, original licence, passport, and a credit card for the security deposit.Commonly reported
• Plenty of visitors to Bali choose to hire a car with a driver rather than self-drive, given local traffic conditions and road layouts.Commonly reported
• Requirements vary by rental company — confirm specifics with your provider before arrival.Commonly reported

Scooter rental is one of the most common ways to get around Bali, and the same IDP requirement applies to motorbikes as to cars, with your IDP needing to show a matching motorcycle category.

• Your IDP only shows a motorcycle category if your original licence already includes one — it can't add a category you don't hold at home.
• Scooter rental is especially common around Ubud, Canggu, and Uluwatu, where many visitors rely on a scooter as their main transport.Commonly reported
• Helmets are mandatory for the rider and any pillion passenger.
• Bali has seen a real rise in moped and motorbike accidents among visitors — ride cautiously, and confirm your travel insurance actually covers scooter use.Commonly reported
• Driving or riding without a valid licence and IDP can affect your travel insurance coverage if you're in an accident.

Keep your original driver's licence and your IDP together as your standard document set any time you're driving or riding in Indonesia, including Bali.

• Your IDP and original licence work as a pair — one is not a substitute for the other at a roadside check.
• Keep both documents physically accessible (not just a photo on your phone) whenever you're driving or riding.
• A passport or passport copy is also worth keeping with you, alongside your rental agreement if you're using a hired vehicle.Commonly reported
• Police in Bali routinely check documents in popular tourist areas such as Canggu, Seminyak, and Uluwatu — riding without valid documents can mean a fine of up to IDR 1,000,000 or the vehicle being impounded.Commonly reported