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RUScooters in Bali: rental, licence, helmet and fines
In short. A scooter is the main way to get around Bali, but to ride legally you need a motorcycle licence from your home country plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) endorsed for motorcycles. A helmet is mandatory for both rider and passenger. Without the right paperwork your travel insurance is void after a crash, and the whole hospital bill stays with you.
Which documents you need
Indonesian traffic law (UU No. 22/2009) requires a foreigner operating a vehicle on public roads to carry two documents at the same time:
- a national driving licence with a motorcycle category;
- an International Driving Permit (IDP) with category A, issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention.
An IDP that only covers cars does not work for a scooter, and neither does an "international licence" bought online: it is not a document. The IDP must be issued at home, before you fly, by the authority that issues it in your country.
At a roadblock the police usually check three things: your national licence, the IDP and the bike's own registration paper (STNK). The STNK should be under the seat, the rental shop provides it, and it is worth asking about it when you pick the bike up.
What rental costs
Market ranges for the 2026 season, a working range rather than an official tariff:
- 110-125 cc scooters (Scoopy, Vario, BeAT): about 60,000-120,000 rupiah per day, 400,000-650,000 per week, 1.5-2.2 million per month;
- 150-160 cc maxi scooters (NMAX, PCX): about 120,000-250,000 rupiah per day, 800,000-1,100,000 per week, 2.5-3.5 million per month.
The longer the term, the lower the daily rate: on a monthly rental the daily price drops by half or more. A helmet is usually included, a second helmet for a passenger is often extra, and insurance or roadside assistance is not in the base price.
We work with vetted rental shops: prices, models and terms are collected in the bikes section of our site, where you can also send a request.
Helmet and fines
A helmet is mandatory for the rider and for the passenger, and it must be fastened. It is the first thing police look at and the most common reason to be stopped.
Fines (Surat Tilang), under Indonesian traffic law and as applied by the traffic police:
- no helmet: up to 250,000 rupiah;
- no valid licence or IDP: 500,000 to 1,000,000 rupiah.
If you are stopped, ask for the official citation slip: with it the fine is paid at a bank or in court, not on the spot. Checkpoints are most often set up on busy stretches: the Canggu bypass, Sunset Road, and the roads towards Ubud and Uluwatu.
Safety and insurance
A scooter is both the main transport and the main source of injuries for visitors. Three things worth keeping in mind:
- Ride only with valid documents. After a crash without the right licence and without a helmet, your medical insurance may refuse to pay, and a Bali hospital bill for a fracture easily runs into thousands of dollars.
- Do not ride after drinking. Both with the police and with the insurer, that case goes against the rider.
- Check brakes, tyres and lights when you get the bike. Photograph any existing damage so you are not charged for it on return.
If you would rather not ride yourself, or you are travelling with children, we arrange a car with a driver and transfers separately, which is safer.
What next
Available bikes with prices and rental terms are in the bikes section, and villas near the surf and cafes, where a scooter is most useful, are listed below.
Villa catalog with current prices: Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud and other areas.
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