Got a Traffic Ticket in Bali? Fines and How to Pay

Traffic fines in Bali follow Law No. 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transport (UU LLAJ): no SNI-certified helmet, up to Rp250,000; no driving licence, up to Rp1,000,000. Those are ceilings. The final amount is decided by the court, and the money goes through BRI (BRIVA), not into an officer's hand at the roadside.

Which offences get ticketed most, and what are the maximum fines?

• No SNI helmet, rider or passenger: Article 291(1) and (2), up to Rp250,000.
• No driving licence: Article 281, up to Rp1,000,000.
• Unable to show a valid licence: Article 288(2), up to Rp250,000.
• No vehicle registration (STNK): Article 288(1), up to Rp500,000.
• Riding against traffic or ignoring signs and road markings (for example one-way streets in Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud): Article 287(1), up to Rp500,000.
• More than one passenger on a motorbike: Article 292, up to Rp250,000.
• Using a phone while riding or driving: Article 283, up to Rp750,000.
• No number plate: Article 280, up to Rp500,000.
• No seatbelt in a car: Article 289, up to Rp250,000.

The traffic law also lists short jail terms, such as one month for helmets. Since the new Criminal Code and Law No. 1 of 2026 on Criminal Penalty Adjustment took effect on 2 January 2026, "kurungan" (light detention) is no longer a principal penalty, so for ordinary traffic offences you are effectively looking at a fine. Fine lists for Operasi Patuh in June 2026 in national media still used the maximums above.

I'm a foreign tourist. Is my home licence enough?

No. Police in Bali ask for an International Driving Permit (IDP) that covers motorcycles, together with your original home licence, or an Indonesian licence. A home licence alone can be treated as not holding a valid licence. Depending on the officer, that means Article 281 (up to Rp1,000,000) or Article 288(2) (up to Rp250,000). The bigger cost is usually travel insurance, which generally refuses motorbike accident claims without a valid licence. Rental and riding requirements are covered in our Bali motorbike rental rules for 2026.

What's the difference between a manual ticket and ETLE?

A manual ticket happens when an officer stops you. You receive a ticket, and your licence, registration or vehicle may be held as evidence until it's settled. ETLE (Electronic Traffic Law Enforcement) uses cameras. Bali has had fixed cameras in Denpasar and Badung since 2022-2023, plus mobile ETLE. In February 2026 the National Traffic Police (Korlantas) handed ETLE Mobile Handheld devices to Bali Police; they record photos and video with time, location and vehicle identity and feed the national ETLE system. Not being stopped doesn't mean you got away with it.

How does an ETLE ticket reach a scooter or car renter?

The ETLE confirmation letter goes to the owner's address on the STNK, which is the rental company. The owner must confirm within 8 days of the offence and pay within 15 days, or the registration is temporarily blocked. Since 2022 Bali Police have asked rental owners to check the national ETLE app regularly. The result: a bill can arrive after you've returned the vehicle. Ask about the ETLE fine clause before signing, and keep a copy of the contract and your return time.

How do I pay?

• Manual ticket: the ticket carries a 15-digit BRIVA code. Pay the fine deposit via BRImo, ATM, a BRI teller, or a transfer from another bank to that BRIVA number. Article 267 of the traffic law allows fines to be deposited with a bank.
• Without attending court: the court rules on the case, then you collect your licence or STNK at the designated District Prosecutor's Office with proof of payment. If the ruling is lower than your deposit, the balance can be collected at a BRI branch within one year of the ruling, using a cover letter from tilang.kejaksaan.go.id.
• If you want to attend: go to the District Court on the date printed on the ticket.
• ETLE: after confirmation on the ETLE site or app, a BRIVA code is issued and paid the same way before the deadline.

Foreign visitors without an Indonesian account can pay cash at a BRI teller or ask the rental or hotel to transfer for them, as long as it goes to the official BRIVA number.

What if an officer offers to "settle" on the spot?

Handing cash directly to an officer outside the official process is an illegal levy, and you walk away with no proof. Stay calm and polite, and ask for an official ticket with a BRIVA code. Note the name on the name tag, the location and the time. Complaints can go through Dumas Presisi (dumaspresisi.polri.go.id or the SuperApp Presisi Polri) or the Propam complaints service at yanduan.propam.polri.go.id. Keep in mind that holding your licence or STNK until the fine is paid is a legal procedure, not extortion.

Are there special checks targeting foreigners in Bali?

There are no raids aimed only at foreigners, but routine operations catch plenty of tourists. Operasi Patuh Agung on 14-27 July 2025 deployed 1,067 officers and targeted helmets, seatbelts, phones, vehicles without plates and underage riders. Bali's traffic director, Kombes Turmudi, said the standard is the same for all road users and asked rentals to brief foreign customers. In February 2026 Bali Immigration and Korlantas discussed a three-stage scheme for foreign traffic offenders: on-the-spot education, records for repeat offenders, then immigration action for serious or repeated violations. As of that report the scheme was still being drafted, not in force. Other non-traffic obligations are covered in rules for tourists in Bali 2026.

Keep photos of your passport, IDP and the rental STNK on your phone, wear a helmet with the strap fastened, and avoid unfamiliar one-way streets at night. Those three habits prevent most of the tickets tourists pick up in Bali.