Can Foreign Tourists Get an Indonesian Driving Licence in Bali?

Under the rules in force, tourists on a visit visa or Visa on Arrival are not among the foreigners who can get an Indonesian driving licence (SIM). Article 9(2) of Police Regulation No. 5 of 2021 on issuing driving licences lists only three groups of foreigners: KITAP holders, holders of diplomatic visas or cards, and holders of official visas or a KITAS for expert workers and students. The catch is that an old Denpasar police requirements page and several agents in Bali still say tourists can. The steps below were checked in October 2026 against the text of Perpol 5/2021 (amended by Perpol 2/2023), Government Regulation 76/2020, ANTARA, detik and JPNN.

Step 1: Check your stay permit

• KITAS (expert workers, students) or KITAP: eligible. Foreigners who work must also attach a work permit from the manpower ministry.
• Visit visa, e-VoA, visa-free entry: not listed in Perpol 5/2021. The Polresta Denpasar requirements page archived in May 2023 still lists "passport and a visit or transit stay permit", but that wording comes from the older Perkap 9/2012, which has been replaced, and the page is now offline. We found no official Bali police statement from 2023-2026 that clears this up.
• Because sources conflict, call or visit the licensing office (Satpas) before doing anything. Don't pay anyone until Satpas staff themselves confirm your permit is accepted.

Step 2: Prepare documents

• Original passport and a valid KITAS or KITAP, plus photocopies.
• A doctor's certificate of physical health.
• A pass result from the psychological test.
• A driving-school certificate for a new licence (Article 9 of Perpol 5/2021; valid up to 6 months).
• Active national health insurance (JKN) is required by Perpol 2/2023 and was trialled by Bali police from September 2024; how it applies to foreigners is unclear, so ask at the counter.

Step 3: Go to a Satpas that serves foreigners

Foreigners in Bali are generally directed to Satpas SIM Polresta Denpasar. The address in circulation, Jl. Gunung Sanghyang No. 110, Kerobokan, open Monday-Saturday 09.00-13.00, comes from an agent's website rather than an official source, so check Google Maps and the traffic police Instagram before you go. The mobile SIM service only renews valid SIM A and C licences; it does not issue new ones. We found nothing on whether the Badung or Gianyar offices serve foreigners.

Step 4: Health and psychological tests

National rates reported by detikOto (October 2025): health test about Rp35,000, psychological test Rp100,000 at the Satpas (up from Rp60,000 in mid-2025), and insurance Rp50,000. The online psychological test (ePPsi) is reported at Rp57,500 by detik and Rp77,500 by Metro TV, so that figure is uncertain. We found no Bali-specific rates.

Step 5: Theory, simulator and practical exams

The sequence under Perpol 5/2021: registration, fingerprint and face capture, theory exam, simulator skills test, then the on-track practical test. The regulation provides English-language briefing material for foreigners, but we found no confirmation from Bali that the theory exam itself is offered in English. Fail and you retake at the next slot.

Step 6: Pay the fee and collect the licence

• New SIM A (car): Rp120,000; new SIM C (motorbike): Rp100,000 (Government Regulation 76/2020).
• Renewal: SIM A Rp80,000, SIM C Rp75,000.
• Valid 5 years under Article 4(1) of Perpol 5/2021, with no separate rule for foreigners.

The official total for a new SIM C, including tests and insurance, is roughly Rp285,000-300,000, excluding driving-school fees.

Beware of "no test" offers

At least one agent in Bali advertised tourist licences in 2026 for about Rp2.2 million per class with a "no test" promise. That is far above the official rate and contradicts the exams the regulation requires. In July 2026 a Denpasar traffic police officer was examined by the police ethics unit (Propam) after a video of a SIM A issued outside procedure went viral (JPNN, ANTARA). A licence issued outside procedure can cause trouble at police checks and with accident insurance claims.

Short-stay tourists: use an International Driving Permit

For visit-visa holders the clear, legal route is an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your home country plus your original national licence; Article 3(13) of Perpol 5/2021 recognises international licences issued abroad. Bali Governor's Circular No. 7 of 2025 (ANTARA, 24 March 2025) also tells foreign tourists to carry an international or national licence. Details for cars are in our article on self-driving in Bali, for motorbikes in the motorbike rental rules, and fines for riding without a valid licence in the Bali traffic ticket article.

If you have just received a KITAS and plan to stay a year or longer, getting an Indonesian licence makes sense, because most countries' IDPs are valid for only one year. Arrive early, as Satpas counters are usually quietest shortly after opening.