Do You Need an International License to Ride in Bali? (Yes — Here's How)

It's the question we answer most, so here it is in plain language — the law, the process, and the reality on the road.

The short answer

Yes. To legally ride a motorbike in Indonesia, a foreign visitor needs an International Driving Permit (IDP) with the motorcycle (A) category, carried together with their home country's motorcycle license.

What the law says

Indonesian traffic law (UU No. 22/2009) requires every rider to hold a valid license for the vehicle class. For visitors, that means an IDP issued under the 1949 or 1968 conventions, endorsed for motorcycles. A car-only IDP does not cover scooters — check for the motorcycle stamp before you fly.

How to get an IDP (usually in one day)

Apply in your home country before you travel — most motoring associations issue them same-day for US$15–40, valid 1–3 years:

• Australia: state motoring clubs (NRMA, RACV, RACQ…)
• UK: the Post Office
• US: AAA
• EU: your national automobile club

Bring your motorcycle license and a passport photo. That's it.

What actually happens at checkpoints

Police checkpoints are routine in tourist areas, and they're calm affairs when your paperwork is right: license, IDP, a photo of your passport, helmet on — a 30-second wave-through. Without the IDP you're looking at a fine, and repeat stops can sour a holiday fast.

The part that really matters: insurance

Here's the sentence worth the whole article: travel insurance can refuse motorbike claims — including medical costs — if you weren't licensed to ride. The IDP isn't really about avoiding a roadside fine. It's about making sure a bad day stays a bad day, not a financial catastrophe.

What we require at handover

• Foreign guests: valid passport + IDP with motorcycle category (we photograph both — copies, never your originals as deposit).
• Indonesian guests: KTP + SIM C.

Everything else — deposit, helmets, the flexible fuel policy — is spelled out on our requirements page with zero fine print.

Sorted your IDP? Then the island's open. Pick your bike and we'll deliver it to your villa with two helmets in the seat, anywhere around Ubud, Pejeng, and Gianyar — free.