balipropertyguideThe Notary Law in English: what a Bali buyer signs, and in which language
Most of what a foreign buyer signs is signed before a notary. The rules on language, reading and witnesses, and when a notarial deed falls back to a private one.
The Notary Law, the articles a foreign buyer meets
A Bali lease, a PPJB, a power of attorney, a company’s deed of establishment — most of what a foreign buyer signs is signed before a notary. The Notary Law decides what the notary must do, in what language the deed is, and when a notarial deed loses the force that makes it worth paying for.
| Article | What it decides | Used on |
|---|---|---|
| Notary Law art. 15(1), as amended by Law 2/2014 | A notary makes authentic deeds of all acts, agreements and determinations the law requires or the parties want in authentic form, unless assigned to another official. | — |
| Notary Law art. 15(2)(f), as amended by Law 2/2014 | Including deeds relating to land. | notary and PPAT |
| Notary Law art. 43(1), as amended by Law 2/2014 | A deed must be made in Indonesian. | — |
| Notary Law art. 43(3)-(4), as amended by Law 2/2014 | But it may be made in a foreign language if the parties wish, and the notary must translate it into Indonesian. | — |
| Notary Law art. 43(6), as amended by Law 2/2014 | If versions differ, the Indonesian-language deed is used. | — |
| Notary Law art. 16(1)(m), as amended by Law 2/2014 | The notary must read the deed to the parties in front of at least 2 witnesses, signed then and there by the parties, witnesses and notary. | — |
| Notary Law art. 16(9), as amended by Law 2/2014 | If not, the deed has only the evidential force of a private deed. | — |
| Notary Law art. 52(1) | No deed for the notary, the notary's spouse, or relatives by marriage or blood in the direct line or collaterally to the third degree. | — |
What a notary does
A notary makes authentic deeds of all acts, agreements and determinations the law requires or the parties want in authentic form, unless assigned to another official (Notary Law art. 15(1), as amended by Law 2/2014), including deeds relating to land (Notary Law art. 15(2)(f), as amended by Law 2/2014). A notary may also legalize signatures and fix the date of private documents by registering them in a special book, and certify copies against originals (Notary Law art. 15(2)(a)-(d), as amended by Law 2/2014) — a private lease “legalized” by a notary is still a private document whose signatures and date are certified, not a notarial deed. A notary has only one office, at the notary's seat (Notary Law art. 19(1), as amended by Law 2/2014); as PPAT the seat must follow the notary's seat (Notary Law art. 19(2), as amended by Law 2/2014). Notary and PPAT in Bali.
The language of the deed
A deed must be made in Indonesian (Notary Law art. 43(1), as amended by Law 2/2014). Where a party does not understand it, the notary must translate or explain the deed in a language the party understands (Notary Law art. 43(2), as amended by Law 2/2014), or, failing that, an official translator does (Notary Law art. 43(5), as amended by Law 2/2014). A deed may be made in a foreign language if the parties wish, and the notary must translate it into Indonesian (Notary Law art. 43(3)-(4), as amended by Law 2/2014). Where the versions differ, the Indonesian-language deed is used (Notary Law art. 43(6), as amended by Law 2/2014).
The practical consequence for a bilingual Bali lease: the English column is a courtesy; the Indonesian one decides. Have the Indonesian text translated independently before signing — our reading of art. 43(6), not advice on any particular deed. Leasehold explained.
Signing: reading, witnesses, identity
| Requirement | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parties | at least 18 years old or married, and legally competent | Notary Law art. 39(1), as amended by Law 2/2014 |
| Identity | known to the notary or introduced by 2 identifying witnesses, or by 2 other parties | Notary Law art. 39(2), as amended by Law 2/2014 |
| Reading and signing | read the deed to the parties in front of at least 2 witnesses, signed then and there by the parties, witnesses and notary | Notary Law art. 16(1)(m), as amended by Law 2/2014 |
| Exception to reading | need not be read if the parties have read and understood it themselves, stated in the closing and with every page initialled — but the heading, appearance, short summary and closing are always read | Notary Law art. 16(7)-(8), as amended by Law 2/2014 |
| Witnesses | at least 18 or married, competent, understand the language of the deed, able to sign, and not related to the notary or the parties by marriage or blood (lineal, or collateral to the third degree) | Notary Law art. 40(2), as amended by Law 2/2014 |
Break those rules and the deed has only the evidential force of a private deed (Notary Law art. 16(9), as amended by Law 2/2014; Notary Law art. 41, as amended by Law 2/2014) — the authentic deed’s evidential advantage is gone. The notary must also make each deed as a minuta and keep it in the notary's protocol, with the documents and the parties' fingerprints attached (Notary Law art. 16(1)(b)-(c), as amended by Law 2/2014), and keep confidential everything about the deed and the information obtained for it, unless a law provides otherwise (Notary Law art. 16(1)(f), as amended by Law 2/2014).
Independence
A notary must act trustworthily, honestly, carefully, independently and impartially, and protect the interests of the parties (Notary Law art. 16(1)(a), as amended by Law 2/2014), and may make no deed for the notary, the notary's spouse, or relatives by marriage or blood in the direct line or collaterally to the third degree (Notary Law art. 52(1)). A notary proposed by the seller or the agent is still bound to both sides; whether to use a different one is the buyer’s choice. Breaches of the duties can bring written warning, temporary dismissal, honorable dismissal, or dishonorable dismissal (Notary Law art. 16(11), as amended by Law 2/2014). The 2014 amendment was enacted on 15 January 2014 (Law 2/2014, signature block). The PPAT regulation.
This is commentary on the official text, not legal advice. We do not recommend notaries.
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Questions on this page
Can a notarial deed in Indonesia be in English?
Yes, if the parties wish; the notary must then translate it into Indonesian (Notary Law art. 43(3)-(4), as amended by Law 2/2014). The default is Indonesian (art. 43(1)), and where interpretations differ the Indonesian-language deed is used (art. 43(6)).
I don't speak Indonesian. Can I still sign a Bali lease at a notary?
Yes. The notary must translate or explain the deed in a language you understand (art. 43(2)); if the notary cannot, an official translator does (art. 43(5)). Witnesses must understand the language of the deed (art. 40(2)(c)).
What happens if the notary didn't read the deed out?
Unless the parties declared they had read and understood it themselves, with every page initialled (art. 16(7)), a deed not read in front of two witnesses and signed then and there has only the evidential force of a private deed (art. 16(9)). Breach of the form, party and witness rules has the same result (art. 41).
Is a notary the same as a PPAT?
No. A notary makes authentic deeds generally, including deeds relating to land (art. 15(2)(f)); a land-right transfer deed is made by a PPAT. A notary acting as PPAT must have the same seat as a notary (art. 19(2)).
Sources cited on this page
Every rule above was read in the Indonesian original on 20 September 2026, not from an English summary. How we check this.