PT PMA in Bali: Step by Step Setup Process (2026)

Setting up a PT PMA in Bali takes six steps: confirm your business activity (KBLI) is open to foreign investment and open in Bali, reserve a company name, sign the deed of establishment before a notary, obtain ministry approval, register the tax number, and obtain the business identification number (NIB) and licences in OSS. The registration itself takes about one to two weeks. The licensing after it takes from a few days to several weeks depending on the risk level of your activity. Since May 2026 Bali has closed 18 business lines to new foreign-owned companies, so the first step matters more than it used to.

Key takeaways

• A PT PMA is the only company type a foreigner can hold shares in directly in Indonesia. It is an Indonesian limited liability company with foreign shareholding.
• The order is: KBLI check, name, deed, ministry approval, tax number, NIB. Doing them out of order costs weeks.
• In Bali, 18 KBLI codes are closed to new PT PMA applications and a virtual office is no longer accepted as the company address.
• After registration the company must deposit its capital, open a bank account, file quarterly LKPM reports and monthly tax returns even with no income.

Also read: How to Open a Representative Office in Bali

What a PT PMA is

A PT PMA (Perseroan Terbatas Penanaman Modal Asing) is an Indonesian limited liability company in which one or more shareholders are foreign, either foreign individuals or foreign companies. It is a normal Indonesian legal entity: it can sign contracts, employ staff, hold a building title (HGB) and sponsor stay permits. What makes it “PMA” is that it is registered as a foreign investment with the Ministry of Investment and BKPM, which brings capital requirements and reporting duties that a fully local company (PT PMDN) does not have.

The right to set one up comes from the Investment Law (Law No. 25 of 2007) and the Positive Investment List (Presidential Regulation No. 10 of 2021, amended by No. 49 of 2021), which lists the activities that are closed, limited or conditional for foreign ownership. Most activities are open to 100 percent foreign ownership. Some require an Indonesian partner, a minimum scale or a specific licence.

Step 1: Check the business activity (KBLI) before anything else

Every Indonesian company is licensed by five digit KBLI codes. The code decides whether foreigners can own the business, how much of it, what licences you need after the NIB, and what the minimum investment is. In 2026 it also decides whether you can register in Bali at all.

Since the third week of May 2026, Bali has blocked new PT PMA applications in OSS for 18 low and medium-low risk codes. They include star and non-star hotels under 6,000 m², other accommodation such as villas and guesthouses, real estate, cafes and bars, car and motorcycle rental, management consulting, several retail categories, tailoring, gyms and sports facilities. The full list is in our article on Bali’s closed business lines. Existing companies keep their licences; new ones cannot apply.

What we do at this step: map your real activity to the right codes, check each code against the Positive Investment List, check its live status in OSS for a Bali location, and confirm the risk level and the licences that follow. If a code is closed in Bali, we tell you now, not after you have signed a lease.

Step 2: Decide the structure

A PT PMA needs at least two shareholders, who can be individuals or companies, one director and one commissioner. The director runs the company day to day and is the person in charge towards the tax office, so the director needs an Indonesian tax number (NPWP), which in practice means a stay permit (KITAS or KITAP) or Indonesian residence. The commissioner supervises the director. One person cannot be both.

Who holds the shares affects the tax on dividends, the stay permit the founders can apply for, and how easy it is to exit later. A foreign shareholder who wants an investor KITAS needs a personal shareholding of IDR 10 billion, which is separate from the company’s paid-up capital. Decide this at the start, because changing it later needs a new deed and a shareholders’ meeting.

Step 3: Reserve the name and sign the deed

The company name is reserved in the AHU system of the Ministry of Law. It must be at least three words, and some words are not allowed. The notary then drafts the deed of establishment (akta pendirian), which sets out the shareholders, the capital, the board and the business purposes, and the shareholders sign it, in person or by power of attorney. The notary submits the deed to the ministry and the approval decree (SK Kemenkumham) is usually issued within a few days. At this point the company legally exists.

Step 4: Register the tax number

The company registers for its NPWP in the tax office’s Coretax system. The tax office is determined by the registered address, which is one reason the address should be in the place where you actually operate. If you run a Lombok business, do not register it in Bali, and if you run a Bali business, do not register it in Jakarta.

Step 5: Obtain the NIB and licences in OSS

The company is registered in OSS (Online Single Submission) and receives its NIB, the business identification number that also acts as its import licence and company registration. What happens next depends on the risk level of each KBLI code:

Until the standard certificate is verified, the NIB shows the status “belum terverifikasi” and the company should not trade in that activity. This is the step that takes the most time, and it is where most delays happen, so we prepare the supporting documents while the deed is being processed.

Step 6: Bank account and capital

The company opens an Indonesian bank account and the shareholders deposit the paid-up capital. Most banks still require the director to be present in Indonesia, although some accept a KITAS and online verification.

Under BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025, in force since 2 October 2025, the minimum paid-up capital of a PT PMA is IDR 2.5 billion, reduced from the previous IDR 10 billion. The company must also commit to an investment plan of more than IDR 10 billion for each business line at each location, excluding land and buildings, and report progress against it. The paid-up capital is expected to stay in the company for at least twelve months unless it is used for the company’s own investments or operations, which must be documented. Some sectors set higher thresholds. The investor KITAS has its own, separate requirement of IDR 10 billion in shares held by the applicant personally.

What the company must do after registration

• File the quarterly investment activity report (LKPM) with BKPM. Missing it can lead to your company being blocked from making changes in OSS and AHU, which also stops stay permit renewals.
• File monthly tax returns through Coretax, even when there is no income, and the annual corporate return.
• Register the company and its employees with BPJS (health and employment social security).
• Hold a general meeting of shareholders at least once a year and keep the corporate documents up to date.
• Keep proper books from day one. This is what we handle under our accounting and compliance service.

How long it takes

Common mistakes

• Choosing a code that sounds right instead of the one that fits, and finding out later that the licence does not cover what the company does.
• Registering at a virtual office in Bali. Bali no longer accepts a virtual office as a PT PMA address, and a company registered at one is a target for review.
• Not verifying the standard certificate after receiving the NIB.
• Not filing tax and LKPM reports because the company has no income yet.
• Using an Indonesian nominee to hold shares. Nominee arrangements are illegal in Indonesia and no side agreement protects the foreign party.

Ready to start?

Send us your activity, your intended address and who the shareholders will be. We will confirm within a day whether the business can be registered as a PT PMA in Bali and what it will involve. Book a consultation, or read the detailed list of PT PMA requirements in Bali.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to set up a PT PMA in Bali?

The company itself, from name reservation to NIB, usually takes one to two weeks. Operating licences for medium and high risk activities can take several more weeks. The bank account is often the slowest part.

Can a PT PMA in Bali be 100 percent foreign owned?

For most activities, yes. The Positive Investment List sets out the activities that are closed or limited for foreigners, and some activities require an Indonesian partner or a minimum scale.

Do I need to be in Indonesia to set up the company?

The deed can be signed by power of attorney and most of the process is online. Banks usually require the director to be present in Indonesia to open the account.

Which business lines are closed to new PT PMAs in Bali?

Since May 2026, 18 KBLI codes are closed in Bali, including small hotels, other accommodation, real estate, cafes and bars, vehicle rental, management consulting and several retail categories. See our full list.

What is the minimum capital for a PT PMA in 2026?

The minimum paid-up capital is IDR 2.5 billion under BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025, with an investment plan of more than IDR 10 billion per business line per location, excluding land and buildings. Some sectors require more. The investor KITAS requires IDR 10 billion in shares held personally by the applicant.