The content of the article:
Recently, in one of our articles, we told you how to get a driver's license in Thailand, and today we will touch on the topic of driving in a country close "in spirit" to Thailand — Indonesia, or rather the island of Bali, which is gaining momentum in popularity more and more.
The rights of ASEAN states apply in Bali, so if you are lucky enough to get a driver's license in one of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asia, you can safely drive on the roads of Bali. If you are just planning your car trip around the island, this information is for you.
Unsurprisingly, in Bali, as in Thailand, landlords absolutely do not care if you have rights or not. They do not bear any responsibility for who they provide their vehicle to. However, in any accident, regardless of whether you are to blame or not, if your rights do not meet Indonesian requirements, consider all the blame will be on you.
Despite the fact that Indonesia has also signed the Vienna Convention, unfortunately, it has no force for the police. In any case, the staff will require you to have a certificate of either an international standard, a local one, or the countries of the ASEAN association. Therefore, before the trip, you need to take care of this in advance.
An international driver's license can be obtained fairly quickly on the basis of your national license without taking additional exams. To do this, you just need to contact the traffic police of your city, bring the necessary papers, photos and pay the tax fee. The validity period of international rights is usually 3 years (sometimes they are given for a year) and they operate on the territory of 130 countries that have signed the UN Convention on Road Traffic. Pay attention to the category: for driving a moped, motorcycle and even a scooter, category A is required, for a car — B.
In case you did not have time to apply for international visas, the "weekend" rights are very popular among foreigners in Bali. Have you heard about these?
You can get them at the Politabes police station and only in Denpasar by providing a copy of your passport, a copy of the visa page and necessarily the address of your residence (find out the address of the hotel or rented accommodation in advance). This address will be indicated in your rights. Such a driver's license will cost from $30 to $50, and the price can be negotiated. Some foreigners are able to negotiate and can pay below this cost.
The "weekend" (tourist) rights are valid for 1 month and are suitable only for driving motor vehicles and those who are not in the country for a long time. For those who plan to live longer in Bali, or even stay for permanent residence, it is better to take care of obtaining local rights.
It is interesting here that the categories A and B that we are familiar with in Bali are defined differently:
SIM A - driving a passenger car;
SIM C is a motorcycle license.
Indonesian driver's licenses are issued for a period of 5 years and can be obtained at the age of 17. Foreigners who have a residence permit in Indonesia (KITAS) can obtain local rights on an equal basis with citizens of the country, and they can be obtained without passing a practical exam and without confirming their qualifications.
Indonesia has its own structure, like the traffic police, which issues driver's licenses. Pay attention to the fact that a separate certificate is issued for each category, that is, you can have two types of rights: to drive a motorcycle and to drive a car. Payment for each certificate is charged separately (about 2,500,000 IDR for one), however, you can get a discount when registering two categories at once. The registration procedure is simple:
Make a photocopy of KITAS
Take a psychological test: the test consists of 20 simple questions in English. The cost is about 100,000 IDR for a motorbike and the same for a car
Color blindness and pressure test: The office is located next to the psychological test verification center. There is usually a queue here, but you are given a ticket and everything goes pretty quickly. Your blood pressure and color discrimination will be checked. The price of the test is 25,000 IDR.
Submission of all documents for the rights. The traffic police building is also located near the vision check center. This step is the longest in terms of waiting time (1-2 hours), again due to the queue. You will be called on a ticket, a photo will be taken and fingerprints will be taken.
The theoretical exam consists of 30 video questions in Indonesian. The questions are simple: you need to answer whether the driver did the right thing or not. Many people, even without knowledge of the language, respond logically and get to the point. However, if you are not sure, then you are allowed to bring an interpreter to the exam. You need to answer 21 out of 30 questions correctly. The results are given immediately. In case of a failed exam, you will be allowed to retake any day except Sunday.
If you are getting your license for the first time or you do not have any driving documents with you to confirm your practice, you may be asked to take a practical exam (each category has its own requirements). For category SIM A (for passenger car): moving forward and backward along a narrow lane of cones; zigzagging back and forth; parking, parallel parking; moving uphill, turning on and off the handbrake, then exiting; moving downhill with a stop and exit. For category SIM C (motorcycle): driving on a narrow road with cones standing close together; zigzagging around the cones (knocking down several cones, the exam does not count); figure eight; reaction test and U-turn.
To obtain the rights, you must pay a state fee of 100,000 IDR
Issuance of a certificate. After completing all the stages, you will receive the rights on the same day.
There are agencies in Bali that will help you get your license without problems and queues for an additional fee. The question in this case is only the competence and responsibility of this agency.
There is an opinion on the Internet that it is possible to negotiate with the Indonesian police immediately and there are "unofficial fines". Yes, there are situations when foreigners try to solve all problems on the spot. But it doesn't always work out and not everyone does. Let's look at what penalties are relevant in Bali:
If you are stopped (the Indonesian police have the right to stop you to check your documents) and a fine is issued, then you need
to pay the specified amount in any bank nearby (surat tilang biru), return to the police officers with a receipt and pick up the transport documents and driver's license.
Tips for foreign drivers on how to cope with difficulties on the road:
In conclusion, a couple more tips:
The exotic island of Bali is beautiful and interesting, no wonder it is so popular. And studying it behind the wheel of a car or bike is even more attractive. Use our advice and safe roads for you!