Time-Consuming and Difficult: Police Procedures and Driver’s License Acquisition in Indonesia
- Publish
- 2025/08/12
- Update
- 2025/08/12
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Indonesian Police Procedures and Driver’s Licenses in Numbers
24.8% say “Obtaining a Driver’s License Takes the Longest Time” Among Indonesian Police Procedures
Many Indonesians share the perception that various procedures at Indonesian police stations are complex and time-consuming.
The following are the results of a survey conducted by Databoks, an economic and business data portal, involving 1,200 respondents on “The Most Time-Consuming Indonesian Police Procedures”:
- Obtaining a driver’s license: 24.8%
- Accident report: 17.3%
- Transfer of vehicle ownership: 12.3%
- Extension of Vehicle Registration Certificate (STNK): 6.3%
- Acquisition of crowd permit (Izin Keramaian): 5.8%
- Renewal of driver’s license: 5.8%
- Acquisition of Certificate of Good Conduct (SKCK): 3.7%
- Other: 0.7%
- No response: 23.3%
In Indonesia, a motorcycle driver’s license can be obtained without attending driving school, as long as the applicant submits the necessary documents and passes both the written and practical exams. At first glance, this may seem easy, but due to the difficulty of the exams and the lengthy document verification process, many resort to “backdoor licensing” (unofficial means) or drive without a license—both of which are seen as problematic.
It is said that the exchange of bribes in Indonesian government offices and police procedures has significantly decreased under the current administration of President Joko Widodo, and many citizens feel this improvement.
However, the mindset of “solving problems with money” has not disappeared among either public officials handling the procedures or local residents visiting the offices. Particularly in police-related matters, under-the-table dealings still appear to be rampant.
Reference: Katadata Instagram @katadatacoid
Precautions when conducting an on-site inspection in Indonesia
Some visitors consider, "My primary purpose is to conduct maintenance work at the factory, but the visa application process appears cumbersome. I will simply enter on a Visa on Arrival (VOA) and carry out the work discreetly."
However, there have been numerous cases where entering without the appropriate visa for the intended activities has resulted in significant legal and operational issues. It is therefore strongly advised to obtain the correct visa prior to travel.
Here are the types of visas and their purposes.
Indonesian Police Procedures and Driver’s Licenses in Video
Motorcycle Driver’s License Practical Exam in Indonesia
This video shows the practical exam required to obtain a motorcycle driver’s license in Indonesia.
The test involves riding a motorcycle while avoiding obstacles placed on small circles drawn on the ground, requiring advanced skills. The term “GAGAL” displayed midway through the video means “failure.”
Complaints about this exam are constant, with remarks such as “The course setup is unrealistic” and “This test doesn’t help in real-life situations.” The difficulty of the exam is cited as one of the reasons why fraudulent licensing methods and unlicensed driving remain prevalent.
Note: In August 2023, the Indonesian police announced they would eliminate the zigzag and figure-eight sections of the driving skills test, replacing the figure-eight with an S-shaped path. The width of the course used in the exam will also be increased.
Persistent Phenomenon of Children Commuting to School by Motorcycle
By law, Indonesians must be at least 17 years old to obtain a driver’s license. However, many junior and senior high school students still use motorcycles to commute to school. In one video, a junior high school student caught by a police officer while riding a motorcycle can be seen crying and screaming, “I want to go home! I’m scared!”
The police officer makes some effort to talk to the child, asking for their name and offering to escort them home, but does so with a half-smile. The situation might be that “since it’s endless to crack down on children riding motorcycles, they usually let it slide, but when they did catch one, the child reacted with unexpected crying and screaming, leaving the officer at a loss.”
The high number of children riding motorcycles in Indonesia can be attributed to the inadequate development of public transportation, making it difficult to use in many areas. Other factors include schools being far away, making motorcycles cheaper than buses or trains, and the absence of adults available to provide school drop-offs and pick-ups.
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Taxi Troubles
IT company
We had planned to use a ride-hailing app for local transportation; however, due to the combination of the morning rush hour and heavy rain, no taxis were available even after waiting for over 30 minutes. In the end, we arranged a motorcycle taxi on short notice, but heavy traffic caused further delays. As a result, we were forced to postpone one of the two business meetings scheduled for the morning.
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Interpreter Issues
Cosmetics manufacturer
While traveling from central Jakarta to a client in the suburbs, our freelance local interpreter suddenly canceled. Since English was not widely understood in the area, we were unable to fully convey the finer nuances of our business discussions, which was highly regrettable. We came to realize that it would have been better to engage a professional interpreter through a reputable agency rather than relying on a low-cost freelancer.
For Companies Interested in Market Research in Indonesia
What products and services do Indonesians prefer to consume?
Given the significant differences in climate, culture, religion, infrastructure, laws, and regulations, such preferences can be hard to imagine from a Japanese perspective.
If you are wondering, “We’d like to sell our products in Indonesia, but don’t know where to start,” we recommend trying our online market research service.
From our panel of 110,000 Indonesians, we can conduct targeted surveys filtered by gender, place of residence, and other criteria to match your specific needs.
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