Bali Officials Flag Motorcycle-Rental Licensing Gap

Denpasar — Bali officials said foreign-invested motorcycle-rental businesses are operating far beyond the number of companies officially licensed to run them, with the provincial investment agency recording no more than five licensed firms and estimating that the activity may involve 400 to 500 businesses. The remarks were reported in Bali on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, 2026.

The change comes after the Bali provincial government restricted access to Indonesia’s Online Single Submission system for new foreign-investment applications in motorcycle rental and other business categories. The restriction applies across Bali and does not automatically cancel permits already issued, according to the provincial government.

Bali’s licensing gap matters to foreign visitors and residents

For a foreign resident or visitor, the issue is whether a motorcycle-rental operator is conducting business under a permit held by a foreign-invested company. The officials’ figures describe a gap between formal licensing records and the number of businesses operating in the market; they do not establish that every rental shop or every motorcycle is foreign-owned.

I Ketut Sukra Negara, head of Bali’s Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Agency, said the agency’s data showed no more than five foreign-invested companies with motorcycle-rental business permits. He said field activity could reach 400 to 500 businesses.

The Bali government said it had closed access to new foreign-investment applications for 18 business classifications, including motorcycle rental, from the third week of May 2026. Existing licensed companies remain subject to reporting requirements, while the provincial government’s announcement said the restriction would continue until further policy was issued.

The reports do not state a single enforcement deadline for the businesses identified as operating without the relevant permit. They establish the scale of the licensing discrepancy and the provincial government’s decision to restrict new foreign investment in the activity.

Sources

• detikBali — established regional news organization
• Bali Post — established regional news organization
• jakartaglobe.id
• small.news