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PBG and SLF are the two building documents every property in Bali needs. The PBG (Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung, building approval) approves the plans before construction starts and replaced the old IMB. The SLF (Sertifikat Laik Fungsi, certificate of fitness for use) is issued after the building is finished and inspected, and it is what allows the building to be occupied, rented out or run as a business.
Fees (biaya): the PBG carries a regional retribution set by local regulation; the SLF certificate is free by regulation. Drawings, audits and professional fees are quoted before work starts. More on cost below and in notary fees in Bali.
When do you need a PBG and an SLF in Bali?
- Building a villa or house. The PBG comes first, before any construction. The SLF follows when the building is 100% finished.
- Renovating, extending or changing use. A PBG is needed again, with the previous IMB or PBG and the renovation plans.
- Renting out a villa. A villa offered for short or long stays needs an SLF on top of the PBG. Without it, the building is not supposed to host guests or support a full business licence.
- Buying or leasing a villa. Check both documents during property due diligence. A building without them is a problem you take over from the seller.
Which documents does a PBG need?
- Owner's KTP or passport, and NPWP for the owner or the PT PMA
- Land certificate (SHM or HGB), or the AJB or lease agreement for a foreign applicant
- Latest land and building tax notice (SPPT PBB)
- Technical drawings signed by a certified architect or engineer: site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, structure and MEP
- Statements: the planner's responsibility letter, the owner's no-dispute statement, neighbour consent near boundaries
- Zoning compliance (KKPR), and an SPPL or AMDAL where required
- Soil report for multi-storey buildings or sloping sites; fire safety plan for guesthouses
- A power of attorney if an agent applies for you, and company documents with the notarial deed if a company applies
Which documents does an SLF need?
The approved PBG, the completion report, as-built drawings, the technical audit results and system certificates (electrical, fire safety and others), and the owner's statement of responsibility.
How does the PBG and SLF process work?
- Prepare the documents and drawings.
- Submit through SIMBG, the national online building system. Business actors go through OSS, which is linked to SIMBG.
- Technical review by the regency office for zoning, safety and design. In Canggu, Seminyak and the rest of Badung that is Badung's licensing office (DPMPTSP); Ubud falls under Gianyar's.
- PBG issued, then built according to the approved plans.
- SLF: technical audit, upload, on-site inspection and issue.
Typical timing is 20 to 45 working days for a PBG and 25 to 60 working days for an SLF, depending on the documents and the inspection.
What does a PBG and SLF cost (biaya PBG)?
The PBG retribution is calculated by the regency from the building's value, area, type of construction and function, at rates set by local regulation. The SLF certificate itself carries no government fee by regulation. The rest of the cost is professional work: certified drawings, the technical audit, and the legal preparation and filing. You get those quoted separately, so government fees are never bundled into one figure.
How long is an SLF valid?
An SLF is valid for 20 years for a house and 5 years for a non-residential building, which then needs renewal. For what the SLF certificate says in English, see land certificates in English.
