Category: Land and Property

Foreign Land Ownership in Bali: The Lines a Lawful Structure Will Not Cross

A nominee land arrangement is void under Indonesian law, and the exposure remains with the Indonesian named on the title. This article is written first for the Indonesian asked to be the front, and then for the foreign buyer, and it sets out the lawful routes to foreign land ownership in Bali, the harm a… READ MORE →
The Rise of PT PMDN, or the Return of Nominee Arrangements?

Bali’s restriction on foreign-owned companies has raised a fair question: stronger local business, or a return of nominee arrangements? The two are not opposites, and the channel the question overlooks is a lawful relationship between a foreign-owned company and an Indonesian-owned company. The Indonesian party owns the asset; the foreign company supplies services for a… READ MORE →
PT PMA Restrictions in Bali: Why the Property Workarounds No Longer Work

Bali now blocks new foreign-owned company registrations in low and medium-low risk classifications, and the familiar workarounds no longer escape it. Switching to an accommodation code meets building-footprint and reserved-field limits. The fee-based management code reserves the broker role to Indonesian citizens. Nominee structures meet beneficial ownership disclosure. Each closure carries its own verification mechanism. READ MORE →
The Villa Question and the Line on Directors’ Personal Expenses

The villa question reaches nearly every foreign director running a Bali PT PMA in the first six months of trading. The 2023 reform to Indonesia’s benefit-in-kind regime under PMK 66/PMK.03/2023 changed the answer materially. Worked arithmetic on villa rent, vehicles, school fees, and KITAS costs. READ MORE →
Bali Property in 2026: Perda No. 4 of 2026, the Nominee Prohibition, and the Compliant Investment Structure

Nominee land arrangements in Bali have been void under Indonesian law since 1960. Bali Provincial Regulation No. 4 of 2026 did not create a new prohibition — it added criminal prosecution for both parties to the arrangement and for any intermediary or facilitator. The compliant structure, the risks, and the due diligence requirements are addressed… READ MORE →
Property Acquisition in Bali: A Due Diligence Framework for Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals acquiring residential property in Bali encounter a transaction environment that differs materially from the legal frameworks of their home countries. The protections that function automatically elsewhere, covering independent legal representation, registered easements, title insurance, and structured conveyancing, must be specifically commissioned here. This article covers thirteen due diligence categories that every foreign national… READ MORE →
Bali 2036: Growth Alone Will Not Protect Your Business

Bali is still growing, though growth alone does not make a business durable. This article examines what founders need to test before capital is committed, including structure, feasibility, governance, uneven trading conditions, and whether the venture still makes sense under closer review. READ MORE →
SLF, KBLI 2025, and Short-Stay Villas

SLF, KBLI 2025, and risk-based licensing now place short-stay villa monetisation inside a more disciplined legal pathway. This article explains why a management company does not solve operator-role problems and what evidence is needed to build a lawful structure. READ MORE →
Counterparty Due Diligence for Foreign Investors in Indonesia

Counterparty due diligence is the discipline that sits between outright fraud and honest but unrealistic promises. This article explains how foreign investors in Indonesia can look beyond pitch decks, test promoters and structures against Indonesian regulation, and recognise warning signs before capital is exposed. It also sets out how TraceWorthy designs structured counterparty due diligence… READ MORE →
KBLI 2025: Real Estate and Accommodation

KBLI 2025 real estate and accommodation rules reshape monetising property in Indonesia. This guide explains the licensing impacts on PT PMA, tourism certification, and OSS actions to implement now. READ MORE →
KBLI 2025 Scale Restrictions in OSS and Why PT PMAs Feel the Impact First

KBLI 2025 is legally effective and is now the reference point for business activity classification in Indonesia. For many PT PMA owners, the first friction is an OSS block caused by business scale settings applied to specific five-digit KBLI activities. This article explains how scale gating works, why PT PMAs meet it early, and how… READ MORE →
KBLI Restrictions for Foreign Investors in Indonesia

This longform guide explains how KBLI restrictions for foreign investors in Indonesia connect to UMKM protection, PT PMA capital requirements, the Positive Investment List, and real estate and accommodation structures. It provides practical examples, risk indicators, case references, and a design-led approach to lawful KBLI selection for projects in Bali and across Indonesia. READ MORE →