What Bali’s odd-even fuel rule means from Oct. 17
Bali will match subsidised-fuel purchases to vehicle plate numbers from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19, 2026. Odd plates go first, with limits of 20 litres for cars and 3 litres for motorcycles.
By Mukmin John
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Denpasar — Bali will use an odd-even licence-plate system for subsidised-fuel purchases from Oct. 17 through Oct. 19, 2026, with vehicles carrying odd-numbered plates eligible on Oct. 17. The temporary rule applies at Pertamina filling stations across Bali.
The change comes as the Bali Provincial Government and PT Pertamina Patra Niaga seek to speed service and reduce queues at filling stations. The policy matches the final digit on a vehicle’s licence plate with the date: odd-numbered plates are served on Oct. 17, while even-numbered plates are served on Oct. 18. The published reports also state that odd-numbered plates are scheduled again for Oct. 19.
For foreign residents and visitors, the practical point is that eligibility is determined by the last number on the vehicle’s plate, not by the driver’s nationality or the vehicle’s make. A rented or borrowed vehicle therefore falls under the same plate-based rule. The reports describe the measure as applying to subsidised fuel, including Pertalite.
What the Bali fuel rule means in practice
Purchases are capped at 20 litres for four-wheel vehicles and 3 litres for two-wheel vehicles. These are maximum amounts for the relevant vehicle categories, so a vehicle with an eligible plate is still subject to the quantity limit.
The system is temporary and is scheduled to run for three days, from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19, 2026. The reports attribute the policy to the Bali Provincial Government and PT Pertamina Patra Niaga and say it is implemented simultaneously at Pertamina stations throughout Bali.
The restriction is linked to queues and fuel supply management rather than to an immigration requirement. Visitors using motorcycles or cars should understand that the plate’s final digit controls access on the applicable date, while the vehicle type controls the purchase ceiling. The reported schedule does not describe a separate exemption for foreign-registered vehicles.
On Oct. 17, the first day of the measure, odd-numbered plates receive the serving turn. On Oct. 18, even-numbered plates receive the turn. The reports state that the arrangement continues through Oct. 19, when odd-numbered plates are scheduled again.
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