Import & distribute products in Indonesia

How importing works under the OSS regime

Indonesia's OSS Risk-Based Approach scrapped the old API-U import licence and folded import authorisation into the NIB (Nomor Induk Berusaha) issued automatically when you register your KBLI. What gets gated separately is the *product registration* — the BPOM Izin Edar for food / drugs / cosmetics / medical devices, the halal certificate for products with halal-sensitive contents, the SNI mark for industrial goods on the mandatory list. That's where most setup time is spent, not the company itself.

Foreign-ownership rules for import & distribution

Wholesale (KBLI 46xxx) is generally 100% PMA-open under Pres. Reg. 10/2021. The hidden constraint is that a foreign-owned wholesaler cannot run direct retail (47xxx) — if your business model spans both, you need either two entities or an Indonesian SME partner for the retail side. Some sub-categories are restricted: distribution of media, defense items, and certain pharma classes have foreign-ownership caps or domestic-partner requirements.

How long does setting up an import business take

Plan 4–8 weeks end-to-end for the company side (incorporation → NIB → tax) and add 2–4 months for product registration depending on what you're importing. BPOM medical-device approvals (Class B/C/D) regularly take 3–6 months. Halal certification is now mandatory for most food products — start the queue early, the BPJPH backlog is real.

KBLI codes that fit this goal

Permits you'll typically need

• BPOM Izin Edar (food / cosmetics / drugs / medical devices)

  BPOM (National Agency of Drug & Food Control)

  Mandatory for any food, beverage, cosmetic, drug or medical device sold in Indonesia.

• Halal certificate (sertifikat halal)

  BPJPH / Ministry of Religious Affairs

  Mandatory for food/beverage products under UU 33/2014 — phased rollout now in force for most categories.

• SNI Mark

  BSN (National Standardization Agency)

  Required for industrial goods on the mandatory-SNI list (helmets, electronics, steel, toys, tyres, etc).

• Customs identification (NIB serves as customs ID)

  Directorate General of Customs & Excise

  Auto-issued with NIB; no longer a separate filing.

How much capital and what ownership rules apply

Standard PT PMA capital floor applies: paid-up minimum IDR 2.5 billion, total investment value IDR 10 billion per KBLI per location (BKPM Reg. 5/2025). Most wholesale KBLI codes are 100% PMA-open. The exceptions are cosmetics (sometimes capped under sector rules), pharma distribution (Kemenkes overlay), and any product class where Pres. Reg. 10/2021 imposes a foreign-ownership cap.

Step-by-step setup

1. 01
   Identify the right wholesale KBLI for your product mix — multiple codes are common (e.g. 46493 + 46443 for a medical-equipment company that also distributes cosmetics).
2. 02
   Incorporate the PT PMA via notary deed → AHU validation, register the chosen KBLIs in the deed.
3. 03
   NIB issued via OSS — automatic once the company is registered. Becomes your import authorisation, customs ID, and basic licence.
4. 04
   Apply for product-specific permits in parallel: BPOM Izin Edar per SKU, halal where required, SNI mark for mandatory-list industrial goods.
5. 05
   NPWP + tax registration → import duty + VAT (PPN) handled automatically once customs see your NIB.
6. 06
   First shipment and customs clearance — your product permits need to be issued before your goods can clear customs.
7. 07
   LKPM quarterly reports begin once NIB is active.

Common gotchas worth knowing

• ·A foreign-owned wholesale PT PMA cannot run direct retail (47xxx) — selling B2C on your own e-commerce site requires a partner SME or a separate entity.
• ·Halal is no longer optional for most food/beverage SKUs — BPJPH certification timelines often run longer than the company-setup phase.
• ·Some product classes need an Authorised Importer Holder structure where the Indonesian entity must be the regulatory-record holder, not the foreign manufacturer.
• ·Pharma and medical-device imports require a designated Penanggung Jawab Apoteker / Tenaga Kesehatan on the company structure for the duration the licence is active.

Frequently asked