Short answer
Short answer: to rent a scooter from Iron Rent you need only your passport. To ride it legally in Indonesia you need two things together — your national driving licence with the motorcycle category and an International Driving Permit (IDP). A car-only licence does not count, and an IDP on its own does not count either. Without the pair you risk a fine at a police check, and our optional damage protection does not apply in an accident. We help arrange an IDP through our partner, the International Drivers Association.
- Updated: 12 October 2026.
- Written by Iron Rent, renting motorcycles in Bali since 2019 from our office in Kerobokan.
- This is practical information from a rental company, not legal advice; rules are enforced by the Indonesian police and can change.
- Price: scooters from 200,000 IDR per day; the longer the rental, the lower the daily rate, and a month never costs more than the monthly rate.
- Included: two helmets, a phone holder, servicing in our own workshop.
- Delivery: free within 20 km of the Kerobokan office on rentals of 3+ days; the airport costs 200,000 IDR.
- Deposit: refundable, returned in the currency it was paid in.
- Documents: a passport is enough to rent; to ride legally you need your national licence with the motorcycle category plus an IDP.
- Protection: optional damage protection for the rented bike (levels MAX and MIN).
The short answer
Two separate questions get mixed up all the time, so here they are separately.
- To rent a scooter from us: a passport. Nothing else. We take a photo of it and a refundable deposit, and the bike is yours for the dates you booked. We never hold your original passport.
- To ride legally on an Indonesian road: your national driving licence with a motorcycle category (A, A1, A2, AM or your country's equivalent) plus an International Driving Permit that carries the same motorcycle category.
The IDP is a translation of your home licence into a standard format, not a licence in itself. That is why it only works together with the licence it translates. If your home licence covers cars only, the IDP will also cover cars only, and you are not licensed for a scooter in Indonesia.
What the police check, and where
Police checks in the tourist south are a normal part of riding in Bali. They are more frequent on the main roads of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu and on the bypass towards Sanur and Nusa Dua, often in the morning and late afternoon. You will be asked for your licence and IDP, sometimes for the bike's registration card (STNK), which lives under the seat or in the bike's document pouch.
If you cannot show a valid licence with the motorcycle category plus an IDP, expect a fine. Riding without a helmet, with a passenger without a helmet, or through a red light adds to the list. With the right documents in your pocket, a check takes two minutes and you ride on.
Keep the originals or good photos: the licence and IDP in your pocket, a photo of both on your phone, and the STNK with the bike. Do not leave the originals in the underseat compartment — if the bike is stolen, the documents go with it.
Why it matters for the damage protection
Our optional damage protection, MAX or MIN, covers the rented bike after an accident on three conditions: you report it from the scene, you are sober, and you are the rider named in the contract. A valid motorcycle licence or IDP with the motorcycle category is part of riding within the agreed conditions. Without it the protection does not apply, and the repair is paid in full by the renter.
Travel insurance from your home country usually works the same way. Most policies that cover motorcycle riding require you to be licensed for the vehicle in the country where you ride; a scooter accident without a valid licence and IDP is one of the most common reasons for a declined medical claim. Read your policy before you fly, not after.
How Iron Rent helps you get an IDP
If you do not have an IDP yet, we help arrange one through our partner, the International Drivers Association. Message us on WhatsApp at +62 812 2885 3301 before your trip and we will explain the steps. You will need your valid national licence with the motorcycle category and a passport-style photo. We do not publish the cost or processing time here, because both depend on the option you choose with the partner — ask and we will tell you what applies to you.
If your country issues IDPs through a national motoring organisation (automobile club, post office or transport authority), that is also a valid route; apply before you leave home.
Checklist before you ride
- National licence — valid, not expired, with a motorcycle category. Check the back of the card: a small motorcycle symbol or the letter A with a date next to it.
- International Driving Permit — issued against that licence, with the same motorcycle category ticked, valid for your travel dates.
- Passport — needed to rent; a photo on your phone is enough to carry around.
- Both helmets on — rider and passenger, straps closed. Two helmets come with every rental.
- STNK with the bike — we hand it over with the scooter; keep it in the bike's document pouch.
- Phone holder and a photo of the documents — the holder is on the bike; the photos save you if something gets lost.
Common situations in plain words
- "I have a car licence and an IDP." You can rent, but you are not licensed to ride a scooter in Indonesia. Expect a fine at a check and no damage protection in an accident.
- "I have a motorcycle licence but no IDP." Same result at a police check: the pair is required. Ask us about arranging an IDP before you travel.
- "I have a motorcycle licence and an IDP but the IDP shows cars only." The IDP must repeat the motorcycle category. Check the categories on it before you fly.
- "I'm only riding around the villa in Canggu." Canggu's main roads are a regular place for checks. The distance does not change the rule.
- "I'll rent a 110cc, that is not a real motorcycle." In Indonesia a scooter is a motorcycle; the same licence rules apply from the Honda Scoopy up to the Kawasaki ZX-10R.
What we do and do not check at handover
At handover we check your passport, go through the bike's condition together and explain the controls. We ask about your licence and IDP so you know where you stand, and we help you get an IDP if you do not have one — but the decision to ride without the documents, and its consequences at a police check or after an accident, stay with the rider. The scooter, two helmets and a phone holder are ours; the paperwork in your pocket is yours.
Bigger bikes need the licence category that matches them; if you plan to move from a scooter to a 250cc or bigger bike during the rental, tell us in advance so we can confirm what your licence allows.
FAQ
Do I need an International Driving Permit to rent a scooter in Bali?
To rent from Iron Rent you need only your passport. To ride legally you need your national licence with the motorcycle category plus an IDP. The IDP alone or a car-only licence is not enough.
Is an IDP enough on its own?
No. An IDP is a translation of your national licence and only works together with it. It must also show the motorcycle category.
What happens at a police check without an IDP?
Expect a fine. Checks are common on the main roads of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu and the bypass. With a valid licence and IDP a check takes a couple of minutes.
Does the damage protection work without a licence or IDP?
No. Riding within the agreed conditions, including a valid motorcycle licence with an IDP, is one of the conditions; without it the renter pays the full repair.
Can Iron Rent help me get an IDP?
Yes. We help arrange one through our partner, the International Drivers Association. Message us on WhatsApp before your trip; you will need a valid national licence with the motorcycle category and a photo.
How much does the IDP cost and how long does it take?
Both depend on the option you choose with the partner, so we do not publish fixed figures. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what applies to you.
Need help choosing?
Send your dates, Bali area and riding style. We will suggest the right scooter, sport bike or big bike.