Setup goal

Open a consulting firm in Indonesia

Foreign-owned consulting in Indonesia is straightforward in some lanes and meaningfully harder in others. Management consulting (KBLI 70209) sits at Low risk under OSS RBA, so NIB alone covers OSS-side licensing. Architecture (71101) is Medium-High and engineering (71102) is High risk, so both require a verified Standard Certificate or full Operating Licence on top of NIB. Legal services and notarial work are closed to foreign-owned firms entirely. Plan the licence stack against the specific KBLI before incorporating.

Most consulting is open; some isn't

Management consulting (KBLI 70209), IT consulting (62029), architecture (71101), engineering (71102), and HR / recruitment consulting (78101, 78102) are 100% PMA-open under Pres. Reg. 10/2021. Legal services (69100) and notarial services are reserved for Indonesian-licensed professionals, so a foreign-owned PT PMA can\'t practise law in Indonesia. Audit services (KAP) require partners to hold an Indonesian audit licence. Tax consulting is open but the consultants themselves need an Indonesian tax-consultant licence (Konsultan Pajak).

Capital and the IDR 10b commitment

Consulting PMAs hit the IDR 10b investment commitment naturally through office, equipment, and working capital — but the commitment is real, tracked via LKPM. Many consulting PMAs underestimate this, register the company, then get LKPM-flagged for under-investment two years in. Plan the capital deployment realistically before incorporation.

Professional licensing on top of company licensing

The PT PMA itself is just the company. The individual professionals delivering services may need their own Indonesian licences — KAP (audit), Konsultan Pajak (tax), Notaris (notary, closed to foreigners), Advokat (lawyer, closed to foreigners), and various engineering / architecture professional certifications (IAI, PII). For some sectors (architecture, engineering), the PT PMA needs at least one Indonesian-certified professional on staff to deliver licensed work.

Most likely KBLI codes

KBLI codes that fit this goal

70209Other management consultancy activities100% PMA

The default for general management / strategy / operations consulting. Low risk in OSS RBA, so NIB alone covers OSS-side licensing.

See KBLI 70209

62029Computer consulting activities & IT facility management100% PMA

IT advisory, systems implementation consulting, digital transformation work. Medium-High risk: NIB + verified Standard Certificate from the Ministry of Communication and Digital.

See KBLI 62029

71101Architectural activities100% PMA

Architecture consulting and design. Medium-High risk: NIB + verified Standard Certificate, plus an IAI-certified architect on staff to deliver licensed work.

See KBLI 71101

71102Engineering activities & related technical consulting100% PMA

Engineering consulting, project management, technical advisory. High risk in OSS RBA: NIB + full Operating Licence (Izin) and a PII-certified engineer on staff.

See KBLI 71102

78101HR / staffing agency activities100% PMA

Executive search, recruitment, talent placement of Indonesian workers. Medium-High risk: NIB + verified Standard Certificate from the Ministry of Manpower.

See KBLI 78101

78102Foreign labor selection and placement100% PMA

Placement of foreign workers into Indonesian roles. High risk: NIB + full Operating Licence from the Ministry of Manpower.

See KBLI 78102

Sector permits

Permits you'll typically need

NIB (basic business identification)
OSS / BKPM
Standard for any consulting PMA.
Konsultan Pajak licence (per consultant)
Ministry of Finance / IKPI
Required for individuals delivering tax consulting services in Indonesia.
IAI architect certification
Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia
Required for individuals delivering architecture services — a PT PMA needs at least one certified architect on staff to operate.
PII engineer certification
Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia
Required for engineering consulting; PT PMA needs Indonesian-certified engineers for licensed work.

Capital & ownership

How much capital and what ownership rules apply

Standard PT PMA: IDR 2.5b paid-up, IDR 10b total investment value per KBLI per location. PMA-ownership is open at 100% for management consulting (70209), IT consulting (62029), architecture (71101), engineering (71102), and HR / recruitment (78101 / 78102). OSS RBA risk varies by lane though: 70209 is Low risk (NIB only), 62029 / 71101 / 78101 are Medium-High (NIB + verified Standard Certificate), 71102 and 78102 are High risk (NIB + full Operating Licence). Legal services (69100), notary, and Indonesian-only professional services are closed entirely. Audit firms (KAP) need partners holding Indonesian audit licences regardless of foreign ownership.

Setup sequence

Step-by-step setup

01
Confirm the consulting service line you'll deliver maps to a PMA-open KBLI (and not a closed one like legal / notary).
02
If a profession requires Indonesian certification (architecture, engineering, tax), confirm you can hire at least one certified professional before incorporation.
03
Incorporate PT PMA — register the consulting KBLI(s) in the deed.
04
NIB via OSS, NPWP + tax registration.
05
Apply for any professional certifications individual consultants need (Konsultan Pajak, IAI, PII).
06
Open + first engagements + LKPM quarterly reports.

Gotchas

Common gotchas worth knowing

·Legal services (KBLI 69100) and notary services are closed to foreign-owned firms — a foreign-owned PT PMA can't practise law or issue notarial deeds.
·Audit firms need ≥75% of partners to hold Indonesian audit licences — foreign ownership is allowed but governed by separate KAP rules, not standard PMA rules.
·Tax consulting is PMA-open but each consultant needs an Indonesian Konsultan Pajak licence (IKPI) to issue tax opinions / represent clients before the tax authority.
·Architecture / engineering PMAs that fail to keep at least one IAI / PII-certified Indonesian on staff lose their ability to take on licensed work.

Frequently asked

Can a foreigner open a law firm in Indonesia?

No — KBLI 69100 (legal activities) is closed to foreign-owned PT PMAs. Foreign lawyers can act as foreign-law consultants in collaboration with an Indonesian firm but not practise Indonesian law independently.

What KBLI is consulting?

KBLI 70209 (Other management consultancy activities) is the default for general business consulting and sits at Low risk in OSS RBA. IT consulting → 62029 (Medium-High). Architecture → 71101 (Medium-High). Engineering → 71102 (High risk, requires full Operating Licence). HR / recruitment → 78101 (Medium-High) or 78102 (High, for foreign-worker placement). Tax consulting falls under 69200 but requires individual Konsultan Pajak licensing on top of the PMA.

Can my foreign-owned PT PMA do tax consulting?

Yes — the company can deliver tax consulting, but the individuals signing tax opinions and representing clients before the DJP must hold an Indonesian Konsultan Pajak licence (issued by IKPI). The PMA structure is open; the practitioner licensing is separate.

Do I need to hire Indonesian professionals?

Depends on the service line. Architecture (IAI), engineering (PII), and tax consulting (IKPI) all require Indonesian-certified professionals to deliver licensed work. Pure management consulting has no such requirement.

How much capital does a consulting PT PMA need?

Standard IDR 2.5b paid-up, IDR 10b total investment value per KBLI per location. Most consulting firms hit the IDR 10b commitment over 2–3 years through office, equipment, and working capital — but the commitment is real and tracked via LKPM.

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Open a consulting firm in Indonesia

Most consulting is open; some isn't

Capital and the IDR 10b commitment

Professional licensing on top of company licensing

Permits you'll typically need

NIB (basic business identification)

OSS / BKPM

Standard for any consulting PMA.

Konsultan Pajak licence (per consultant)

Ministry of Finance / IKPI

Required for individuals delivering tax consulting services in Indonesia.

IAI architect certification

Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia

Required for individuals delivering architecture services — a PT PMA needs at least one certified architect on staff to operate.

PII engineer certification

Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia

Required for engineering consulting; PT PMA needs Indonesian-certified engineers for licensed work.

How much capital and what ownership rules apply

Step-by-step setup

Confirm the consulting service line you'll deliver maps to a PMA-open KBLI (and not a closed one like legal / notary).

If a profession requires Indonesian certification (architecture, engineering, tax), confirm you can hire at least one certified professional before incorporation.

Incorporate PT PMA — register the consulting KBLI(s) in the deed.

NIB via OSS, NPWP + tax registration.

Apply for any professional certifications individual consultants need (Konsultan Pajak, IAI, PII).

Open + first engagements + LKPM quarterly reports.

Common gotchas worth knowing

·Legal services (KBLI 69100) and notary services are closed to foreign-owned firms — a foreign-owned PT PMA can't practise law or issue notarial deeds.

·Audit firms need ≥75% of partners to hold Indonesian audit licences — foreign ownership is allowed but governed by separate KAP rules, not standard PMA rules.

·Tax consulting is PMA-open but each consultant needs an Indonesian Konsultan Pajak licence (IKPI) to issue tax opinions / represent clients before the tax authority.

·Architecture / engineering PMAs that fail to keep at least one IAI / PII-certified Indonesian on staff lose their ability to take on licensed work.