Driving in Indonesia
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Indonesia accepts the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP issued in Australia. To legally ride a scooter you also need a motorcycle class on your Australian licence — an IDP alone is not enough, and police roadblocks in Bali check for it.
What Australian drivers need to know
- Scooter accidents are the leading cause of serious injury for Australians in Bali.
- If your licence doesn't cover motorcycles, your travel insurance almost certainly won't cover a scooter crash.
- Helmets are compulsory and enforced.
- Private driver hire is cheap — roughly AUD $60 – $80 for a full day — and far safer than driving yourself.
How to get an International Driving Permit in Australia
Only the state and territory motoring clubs affiliated with the Australian Automobile Association can issue one — NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT and AANT. It costs around $49, you don't need to be a member, and it's valid for 12 months.
You cannot get one once you have left Australia. Apply at least two weeks before you fly.
Read the full IDP guideInsurance warning. Australian travel insurance policies exclude claims from driving or riding without a valid licence for that vehicle in that country. A car licence does not cover a scooter — hiring one in Indonesia without a motorcycle class on your Australian licence means an accident is entirely uninsured.
More Indonesia essentials
Indonesia driving FAQs
Can I ride a scooter in Bali on my Australian licence?
Only if your Australian licence includes a motorcycle class and you carry a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit obtained in Australia. Without both, you're riding illegally and your travel insurance won't cover a crash — the most common cause of large uninsured medical bills for Australians in Bali.
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