Driving Permit for Indonesia
Driving in Indonesia on a foreign licence? Carry an IDP alongside your home permit. Indonesia recognises the IDP, drives on the left, and police in Bali check foreign drivers documents.
- Drive on
- Left
- Convention
- Not a party
- IDP validity
- 12 months
- Processing time
- 24 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Indonesia?
If you plan on driving in Indonesia with a foreign driver's license, you should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your original national licence. Indonesia drives on the left, and while its treaty position is technically ambiguous, in practice its authorities recognise the IDP issued under the UN conventions on road traffic. The IDP is essentially an official multilingual translation of your home licence, so a police officer can read in a language they understand exactly what you are entitled to drive. A foreign licence on its own, even one printed in English, is generally not treated as sufficient, and the two documents are meant to be presented together.
For most visitors this makes the international driving permit for Indonesia a practical must-have rather than an optional extra, and it is especially relevant if you intend to hire a scooter or motorbike in Bali. You must obtain the IDP in your home country before you travel, typically through your national automobile association, because Indonesian authorities do not issue IDPs to foreign tourists on arrival. Make sure the permit carries the correct vehicle category: a car needs the car endorsement, and a scooter or motorcycle needs the two-wheel (motorcycle) endorsement, or that class of vehicle will not be covered.
On the ground, driving in Bali means real enforcement: police run roadside document checks in tourist areas such as Canggu, and being unable to show a valid IDP with your national licence can lead to an on-the-spot fine. Nationals of fellow ASEAN member states are generally allowed to drive on their home licence without an IDP, provided it is in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Everyone else should assume the IDP is expected. Beyond the paperwork, remember that having the correct documents also matters for travel insurance and rental cover in the event of an accident.
Indonesia has not ratified either UN road-traffic convention.
Indonesia is not a contracting party to the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, so no treaty obliges it to recognise an International Driving Permit. That does not automatically make an IDP useless: rental companies and police often ask for a readable translation of a foreign license, and many drivers carry one for exactly that reason. Read the country detail below and confirm the current rules with your rental company before you travel.
What you need to drive in Indonesia
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
IDP required for cars and scooters.
Helmet mandatory.
Carry both documents together: an International Driving Permit is only valid alongside your original national driver's licence, not on its own.
You must obtain the IDP before arriving, as Indonesian authorities do not issue IDPs to visiting foreign tourists.
The IDP must show the correct vehicle category, so a scooter or motorbike requires the two-wheel (motorcycle) endorsement and a car requires the car endorsement.
Indonesia drives on the left-hand side of the road, similar to the UK, Australia and Japan.
Nationals of ASEAN member states can generally drive on their home licence without an IDP if it is in English or has a certified English translation.
The legal minimum driving age is 17, but rental companies typically set a higher minimum driver age of around 21.
What to know before you turn the key
Indonesia drives on the left — the driver sits on the right, and roundabouts flow clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Police checks common in Bali.
Driving without a valid IDP can result in an on-the-spot fine, reported by several sources at up to around IDR 1,000,000, and driving without the correct documents may also void your travel insurance or rental cover in an accident.
Local rules to watch in Indonesia
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Bali: police run roadside document checks in tourist hotspots such as Canggu, and scooter or motorbike hire commonly requires you to show an IDP.
Anyone riding a scooter or moped must have the motorcycle category on their IDP; a car-only permit does not cover two-wheeled vehicles.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Indonesia keeps.
Common questions about driving in Indonesia
Drive Indonesia, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.