Yes, tourists can ride scooters in Bali in 2026. You need your home licence plus an international driving permit that covers motorcycles, a helmet that meets the Indonesian standard, and a scooter from a registered rental. The maximum penalty for riding without a licence is 4 months or Rp 1,000,000, and we found no ban on tourists in force. Bali police run a traffic operation from 26 October to 8 November 2026, and accidents rose 26% in the first nine months of the year, so check your insurance and think about a driver.
By Alex Moskvin, Founder of SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Private Car with Driver in Bali — From $59 per car, flexible daily use.
Can tourists ride scooters in Bali in 2026?
Yes. We found no ban on tourists in force, but you need your home licence plus an international driving permit that covers motorcycles, an SNI-standard helmet and a scooter from a registered rental. Riding without a licence risks up to 4 months or Rp 1,000,000, and police run checks until 8 November 2026.
This guide also answers:
- Do I need an international driving permit to ride a scooter in Bali?
- Is there a ban on tourists riding scooters in Bali?
- What is the fine for riding without a helmet in Bali?
Top picks from this guide
#1
Licence and IDP
Bring your home licence and an international driving permit that covers motorcycles. The British FCDO says a UK licence alone is not enough, and the Bali police traffic director said in November 2025 that the permit must cover the exact vehicle. A car licence may cover only a 50cc moped, and The Bali Sun notes that almost all rental scooters are 125cc or more.
#2
Is there a tourist ban?
We found no ban on tourists riding scooters in force. The governor proposed one in March 2023, and in May 2023 he barred residents who are not registered rental businesses from renting two-wheelers to foreigners. Rent only from a registered business, and expect your licence and permit to be checked.
#3
Helmet, checks and fines
The law requires a helmet that meets the Indonesian standard (SNI) for the rider and the passenger, with a maximum penalty of 1 month or Rp 250,000. Riding without a licence carries up to 4 months or Rp 1,000,000. Police checks are focused on tourist areas, and an operation runs until 8 November 2026.
#4
Grab and Gojek bikes
Motorcycle taxis, called ojol, can be booked in the Grab and Gojek apps for short trips, as The Bali Sun noted in November 2025. You ride as a passenger, so the licence and rental questions are not yours, but the helmet rule still applies. Our fare guide compares them with a private driver.
#5
A driver for the day
The British FCDO suggests hiring a private driver or a car with a driver in Bali, and the Bali police said in 2023 that a local driver is the easier choice for tourists. Our private car with driver is from $59 per car and needs no licence or permit from you.
Can tourists ride a scooter in Bali in 2026?
Yes, if you meet four conditions: a valid home licence for motorcycles, an international driving permit (IDP) that covers motorcycles, a helmet that meets the Indonesian national standard, and a scooter that is registered and rented from a registered business. No law or regulation bans tourists from riding that we could find in early November 2026. The rules are the ordinary traffic rules, and the police are enforcing them.
The enforcement is current. Bali police started Operation Patuh Agung 2026 on 26 October with about 1,055 officers. It runs until 8 November, and Canggu and Sanur get special attention because of repeated violations involving foreign visitors, as Bali Expat reported from ANTARA. The same report gives the reason: from January to September 2026 Bali recorded 7,393 traffic accidents, up 26% from 5,879 a year earlier, with 415 deaths against 404.
What licence and permit do you need?
Indonesia requires a driving licence that matches the vehicle (Article 77 of the traffic law). For a visitor that means your home licence plus an IDP, or an Indonesian SIM C licence, which is mainly for residents. The British FCDO says you cannot drive with a UK licence alone, but can drive with an IDP issued by the UK, and that you should check your travel insurance covers you. Check your own government's travel advice for your country.
The permit must cover motorcycles. The Bali Sun reported in November 2025, quoting the Bali police traffic director, that the licence must cover the exact vehicle. It added that many car licences automatically cover a 50cc moped, while almost all scooters in Bali are 125cc or more, and that rental shops may now ask riders to prove they can ride before they sign. The same director advised foreigners who are unskilled on two wheels not to ride a motorbike alone.
Is there a tourist scooter ban?
Not at the time of writing. A ban was proposed in 2023 and did not become a rule for visitors, but a rental rule did. The table shows the steps.
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| March 2023 | The governor of Bali proposed banning foreigners from renting and riding motorbikes | The Bali Sun, 23 March 2023 |
| 28 May 2023 | Residents who are not registered with a trade agency or the rental association may not rent two-wheelers to foreign tourists | The Bali Sun, 29 May 2023 |
| November 2025 | Police traffic director advises unskilled foreigners not to ride alone; more checks before keys are handed over | The Bali Sun, 19 November 2025 |
| 26 Oct - 8 Nov 2026 | Operation Patuh Agung 2026, with special attention to Canggu and Sanur | Bali Expat, citing ANTARA, 26 October 2026 |
So rent from a registered business, not from a guesthouse owner or a friend. Check the rules again before you travel, because policy on this has changed fast before. Our transport guide compares the other ways to get around.
What are the penalties for no licence, no helmet or no papers?
Law No. 22 of 2009 on road traffic sets maximum penalties, which a court decides. The amount you are asked to pay at a roadside stop can differ from these maximums, and the FCDO warns that foreigners involved in even minor violations or accidents may be vulnerable to extortion. A commercial rental guide, bali.com (updated July 2026), says roadside fines are typically Rp 300,000-500,000 per missing document and Rp 250,000 for no helmet. Treat those as reported figures, not an official schedule.
| Offence | Article of Law 22/2009 | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Riding without a licence | 281 | 4 months or Rp 1,000,000 |
| No vehicle registration (STNK) with the vehicle | 288(1) | 2 months or Rp 500,000 |
| Cannot show a valid licence | 288(2) | 1 month and/or Rp 250,000 |
| No SNI helmet, or a passenger without one | 291 | 1 month or Rp 250,000 |
| More than one passenger | 292 | 1 month or Rp 250,000 |
| Headlight off in the daytime | 293(2) | 15 days or Rp 100,000 |
Text of Law No. 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transport, as transcribed on Wikisource. These are legal maximums, not roadside amounts.
The police do act on this. In a three-day operation on 1-3 May 2025 Badung police recorded 81 violations, 30 of them by foreigners, and seized 56 vehicles. Most foreigners stopped had no helmet or no licence, or had a loud modified exhaust, according to The Bali Sun. Traffic cameras are also in use: since November 2022 the electronic ticket system in Denpasar and Badung has sent fines and warnings to the rental owners, as Bali police told The Bali Sun in January 2023.
Does travel insurance cover a scooter accident in Bali?
Often not, and this is where riders lose most. The Bali Sun wrote in May 2025 that many standard health and travel policies do not cover a collision when you are driving, and that policies that do cover it can be invalidated if you break a local road law, for example by riding without the correct licence or a helmet, drunk, or on an illegally modified vehicle. In November 2023 it added that some policies cover only mopeds up to 125cc or require a converted international licence.
A 2020 case shows how it ends. An Australian man's insurance claim after a scooter crash in Kuta was rejected because his policy excluded motorcycles above 50cc unless an upgrade was bought, and his scooter was 125cc, according to Nine News and The Bali Sun. The family faced a hospital bill of about $35,000, and the hospital was charging $3,000 a day. Before you rent, read the policy for the engine size, the licence category it accepts, and what happens if you have no helmet or have been drinking.
How risky is it, and what are the safer options?
Canada's travel advice, updated on 13 October 2026, says motorcycle and scooter accidents are the main cause of death and serious injury among foreign visitors in many parts of Indonesia, including Bali, and that rented motorcycles are often stolen, so you may have to pay the replacement cost. The British FCDO reports a large rise in moped and motorbike accidents in Bali and suggests a private driver or a car with a driver. In 2024 Bali police recorded 142 collisions involving foreigners, 35% fewer than in 2023, The Bali Sun reported, and many minor ones are never reported.
If you still want to ride, the Bali Sun's practical advice is to take a lesson first; riding schools for tourists operate across the island. Otherwise book a motorcycle taxi in the apps for short trips, as our Grab, Gojek or private driver guide explains, or hire a driver for the day; our private driver cost guide shows what that costs per car. Rain, night riding and the long road to Nusa Penida's ports are the times when a driver is worth more than a scooter; see our Nusa Penida safety guide.
Fuel is another small risk for riders: in mid-October 2026 a tanker problem caused queues at petrol stations across Bali, and the governor extended an odd-even refuelling rule to 23 October, saying on 19 October that supplies were back to normal, according to Bali Expat. Check your tank before a long ride.
Where these facts come from
- Law No. 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transport, text on Wikisource — Articles 77, 106, 281, 288, 291, 292 and 293, retrieved 2 November 2026
- GOV.UK, Indonesia travel advice: safety and security — licence and IDP, helmet, private driver, extortion risk, page updated 18 September 2026, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Bali Expat, 26 October 2026: Bali police launch traffic safety operation until November 8 — Operation Patuh Agung 2026, accident figures for January-September 2026 (citing ANTARA), retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 19 November 2025: Major changes coming for tourists renting motorcycles — licence must cover the vehicle, 142 collisions in 2024, rental checks, ojol and lessons, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 6 May 2025: Crackdown on tourists driving illegally — Badung operation figures, insurance invalidation, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 29 May 2023: Governor bans tourists hiring mopeds directly from locals — registered rental rule, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 23 March 2023: Calls growing for a rethink over the proposed moped ban — the March 2023 proposal, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 12 May 2023: Bali warns tourists must have an international driving licence — transport agency statement, penalty for no licence, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 20 January 2023: Rental companies warned about tourists violating traffic rules — ETLE cameras and fines sent to rental owners, local driver advice, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 21 November 2023: Bali wants to change how tourists hire motorcycles — insurance limits on engine size and licence, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 5 March 2020: Australian man's $35,000 hospital bill not covered by insurance — scooter above 50cc excluded, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Government of Canada: Indonesia travel advice — scooter accidents and stolen rentals, updated 13 October 2026, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Bali Expat, 20 October 2026: Bali extends odd-even rule for fuel purchases until October 23 and 15 October 2026 — fuel queues and rationing, retrieved 2 November 2026
- bali.com: International driving license for Bali — a commercial guide, updated July 2026; reported roadside amounts, treated as unofficial, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Tour prices from SB Excursions tour pages, November 2026
FAQ
Can tourists ride scooters in Bali in 2026?
Yes. We found no ban on tourists in force, but you need your home licence plus an international driving permit that covers motorcycles, an SNI-standard helmet and a scooter from a registered rental. Riding without a licence risks up to 4 months or Rp 1,000,000, and police run checks until 8 November 2026.
Do I need an international driving permit to ride a scooter in Bali?
Yes. The British FCDO says a UK licence alone is not enough, and the Bali police traffic director said in November 2025 that the permit must cover the exact vehicle. A car-only permit may not cover a scooter of 125cc or more. Carry the permit and your home licence together.
Is there a ban on tourists riding scooters in Bali?
We found no ban in force in early November 2026. The governor proposed one in March 2023, and in May 2023 he barred unregistered residents from renting two-wheelers to foreigners. Police now check licences and rentals more strictly, so rent from a registered business.
What is the fine for riding without a helmet in Bali?
The law sets a maximum of 1 month or Rp 250,000 for a rider without an SNI helmet, and the same for letting a passenger ride without one. Bali Police recorded most foreigners stopped in a May 2025 operation as having no helmet or no licence.
Does travel insurance cover scooter accidents in Bali?
Often not. Many policies exclude riding, limit cover by engine size such as 50cc or 125cc, or become invalid if you have no correct licence or helmet. A 2020 claim for a 125cc scooter crash was rejected and left a family with a bill of about $35,000. Read your policy before you rent.
How dangerous are scooters in Bali?
Bali police recorded 7,393 traffic accidents from January to September 2026, up 26% on 2025, with 415 deaths. Canada's travel advice says scooter accidents are the main cause of death and serious injury among foreign visitors in many parts of Indonesia, including Bali.
Can I rent a scooter from my guesthouse owner in Bali?
It is not allowed under the governor's May 2023 rule: residents who are not registered rental businesses may not rent two-wheelers to foreign tourists, and tourists may only hire from a registered business. Police may also ask for the vehicle registration (STNK), which the rental company should provide.
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