If you've read our guide on The Truth About Bali's Motorbike "Ban": What It Actually Means in Practice, you already know the one document that actually matters is an International Driving Permit that specifically covers motorcycles. Here's exactly how to get one — and the mistakes that trip up most travelers.
You Must Apply Before You Land
This is the single most important thing to know: you cannot get an official IDP once you're in Indonesia. It has to be arranged in your home country, using your home driving license, before you fly. If you arrive without one, your options are renting a car instead, using drivers, or waiting for family or a friend back home to arrange one and ship it — which rarely works out in time for a short trip.
Make Sure It's the Right Format
Indonesia is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, and an IDP issued under that convention is the safest, most universally recognized option at Bali checkpoints. Some countries issue the newer 1968 Vienna Convention format instead — in practice these are usually accepted too, but the 1949 format is the one you want if your country offers a choice.
Make Sure It Covers Motorcycles
This is where most tourists get caught out without realizing it. An IDP is a category-based document, same as a regular license: a car license translates into a car-category IDP, and that category does not cover a 125–160cc scooter. You specifically need the motorcycle category on the permit. If your home license only covers cars, check with your issuing authority about adding a motorcycle endorsement before you apply — otherwise the IDP you get won't actually let you ride legally in Bali, even though it looks official.
Where to Apply
In most Western countries, IDPs are issued by an authorized national automobile association rather than a government office — AAA or the National Auto Club in the US, the AA, RAC, or the Post Office in the UK, CAA in Canada, and similar motoring organizations across most of Europe and Australia. Applications are usually quick: a form, your existing license, a passport photo, and a small fee.
The process differs by country, and in some it runs through a government agency rather than a motoring club. If you're applying from Russia, for example, the permit is issued by the traffic police rather than an auto association — the Russian-language version of this guide covers that process in full detail.
Watch Out for Scam Websites
Search "International Driving Permit" and you'll find paid services promising an instant digital IDP with no wait. Some are legitimate resellers; many are not recognized by any government and won't hold up at a checkpoint. If in doubt, go directly through your country's official issuing authority — it's rarely more expensive, and it's the only version that's guaranteed to be genuine.
Bring the Physical Booklet
Photos on your phone are frequently not accepted. Carry the actual paper IDP together with your home license every time you ride — an IDP on its own, without the license it translates, isn't valid.
Once you've got the paperwork sorted, here's what actually happens if you're stopped anyway: Stopped at a Police Checkpoint in Bali: What to Expect.
The Bottom Line
Apply in your home country before you travel, get the motorcycle category specifically, use an official issuing authority, and carry the physical document alongside your original license. It's a small amount of admin that removes essentially all of the legal risk around riding in Bali.
For the full picture of what's legally required of riders in Bali, see our main guide: Bike Rental Laws in Bali 2026: What You Need to Know.
Want to double-check your documents will work for our fleet before you rent? Ask us on WhatsApp or Telegram — happy to take a look.