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Importing personal goods in Bali

28 May 2026 • inMoving, Sea

Moving to Indonesia and wondering how to bring your belongings with you? In June 2025, the Ministry of Finance replaced the long-standing PMK 28/2008 with PMK 25/2025, the new regulation governing the import of transferred personal effects. The procedure is now more structured, fully electronic, and stricter on documentation. Here is how it works in practice, and what to expect when shipping your household to Bali.

A quick note before we start: Limajari Cargo handles personal imports only. We do not handle commercial imports.

Two partners, one journey

A successful relocation rests on the coordination between two logistics partners.

Your origin freight forwarder organises the departure from your country: collection, packing, export documentation, and booking the shipment by sea or air. If you don’t already have a forwarder you trust, we can connect you with reliable partners in France, Australia, and other key markets. Just reach out.

Limajari Cargo takes over the moment your goods arrive in Indonesia: customs clearance under PMK 25/2025, inspection at the port, inland trucking, and final delivery to your home in Bali.

Who can import personal goods duty-free

Under PMK 25/2025, duty and tax exemption on transferred personal goods is available to specific categories of importers:

  • Foreign nationals holding a valid KITAS or ITAS for work or study, with an authorised stay of at least 12 months.
  • Indonesian citizens who have lived continuously abroad for 12 months or more are returning home.
  • Diplomats and officials of international organisations, under their respective agreements.

Eligibility for retirement KITAS holders and other categories should be confirmed on a case-by-case basis before shipping. Our team can advise based on your specific visa status.

The goods themselves must be:

  • For personal or household use, not commercial resale.
  • Owned and used abroad before shipment (a minimum period typically applies; we will confirm this for your case).
  • Declared in detail, with serial numbers for electronics.

A few items are simply not allowed as personal effects, regardless of visa status: cars, motorcycles, scooters and their spare parts, weapons, hazardous materials, and commercial quantities of new goods. Alcohol and tobacco are also restricted.

Sea or air, FCL or LCL

Most household relocations travel by sea freight, which is significantly cheaper for larger volumes. Sea cargo arrives at Tanjung Perak port in Surabaya and is then trucked overland to Bali.

You have two options:

  • FCL (Full Container Load): a dedicated 20-foot or 40-foot container. Best for full households, with maximum security and flexibility on timing.
  • LCL (Less than Container Load): a shared container where you pay only for the space your goods occupy. Best for smaller shipments.

Air freight is faster but considerably more expensive. It arrives at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. We handle both and can advise which makes sense for your volume and timeline.

Documents you will need

Personal identity and visa documents:

  • Original passport with entry stamp
  • KITAS or ITAS (residence permit)
  • Sponsorship letter from your employer or sponsor, where applicable
  • Power of attorney to Limajari Cargo, so we can file the PIBK on your behalf

Shipping documents from your origin agent:

  • Bill of Lading (sea) or Air Waybill (air)
  • Commercial invoice and detailed packing list
  • ISPM-15 fumigation certificate for any wooden crates or pallets

Supporting documents:

  • Travel evidence (boarding pass, flight booking confirmation)
  • Detailed inventory of your goods, including serial numbers for electronics, with estimated values

Returning Indonesian citizens follow a slightly different path, including pre-departure registration through the online portal. Get in touch, and we will walk you through what applies to your situation.

Box labelling under PMK 25/2025

This is one of the bigger procedural changes. Every box in your shipment must now be individually labelled. At a minimum, each box should show:

  • A description of the contents
  • The condition of the items (used)
  • The quantity
  • An estimated value

Alongside that, every package should also carry your name as consignee, the shipper’s name, the box number against the packing list, and the delivery address in Bali.

Label your overall shipment clearly as “household goods and used personal effects” on the documents. Photograph each box before it is sealed, both as a personal record and as backup if customs needs clarification.

Timing

Your personal goods must arrive in Indonesia within three months of your own arrival in the country. Anything that lands outside that window will be reclassified as a general commercial import and treated under standard customs procedures, with duties, taxes, and a much heavier documentation load.

Plan your shipment timing carefully, especially if you are coming from a country with a long transit to Indonesia. Sea freight from Europe typically takes 6 to 8 weeks port-to-port, plus origin and destination handling.

The clearance process

Once your goods land in Indonesia, here is what happens:

  1. We file the PIBK (Pemberitahuan Impor Barang Khusus) electronically through Bea Cukai’s SKP system, attached with your passport, visa, packing list, inventory, and power of attorney.
  2. The customs office reviews your filing and may request clarification.
  3. Your container or shipment is positioned in the inspection area. Physical inspection is standard for personal effects shipments. You or an authorised representative should expect to attend.
  4. Customs determines whether the goods qualify for full duty and tax exemption, or whether duties apply (for example, on new items, restricted goods, or quantities outside the personal-use range).
  5. Once cleared, customs issues the SPPB (Surat Persetujuan Pengeluaran Barang), the release approval.
  6. We organise inland trucking from the port and final delivery to your home, including unpacking and removal of packing debris.

What is included in our service

When you import your personal goods through Limajari Cargo, our quotation typically covers:

  • Filing the PIBK and managing customs clearance
  • Cargo inspection coordination
  • Inland trucking from the port to your residence
  • Home delivery, unpacking, and debris removal

What our quotation does not cover, because these are paid directly to the government or terminal operators:

  • Import duties and taxes, where applicable
  • Terminal handling charges at the port
  • Customs storage fees, if your shipment overstays the free period
  • Demurrage on containers held beyond free time

Every move is different, so we issue a personalised quotation rather than a generic estimate. Send us your route, volume, and timing, and we will come back to you with a clear breakdown.

Practical tips for a smoother clearance

  • Send us your documents well before your goods arrive in Surabaya or Denpasar. Filing the PIBK in good time avoids storage charges at the port.
  • Keep your inventory honest and detailed. Customs reviews this carefully, and discrepancies cause delays.
  • Avoid mixing brand-new items into a “used personal effects” shipment. They draw scrutiny and often duties.
  • For wooden furniture and packing materials, confirm with your origin forwarder that everything is ISPM-15 compliant.
  • Save your boarding pass and entry stamp. These prove your arrival date and anchor the 3-month window.

Ready to plan your move?

Moving across continents is enough to manage on its own. The clearance side should not be the part that keeps you up at night.

Request your quotation and tell us where your goods are coming from, when you arrive in Bali, and roughly how much volume. We will take it from there.

For the official source, see Indonesian Customs and PMK 25/2025 on the Ministry of Finance portal.

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