Anteya Research
What Is a Notaris and a PPAT in Bali? Who Does What in Your Deal (2026)
June 2, 2026
A Notaris (notary) drafts and legalises deeds, company documents, and agreements. A PPAT (Pejabat Pembuat Akta Tanah, or Land Deed Official) is separately authorised to make land-transfer deeds, most importantly the AJB (Akta Jual Beli, the Sale and Purchase Deed). Often the same licensed person holds both titles, but the roles are distinct: one handles general legal instruments, the other the specific act of transferring land rights. Knowing which hat that person wears tells you what you are signing.
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What a Notaris does
A Notaris is a public official appointed by the Ministry of Law to create authentic deeds (akta) that carry stronger evidentiary weight than a privately signed contract. In property, the Notaris drafts and legalises the lease agreement (akta sewa), company incorporation documents, shareholder and loan agreements, and powers of attorney. The Notaris does not set the commercial terms; that is your job. The Notaris makes the agreement formal, checks identities, and holds the record, which is why serious leasehold deals run through one.
What a PPAT does
A PPAT is authorised specifically to make deeds that transfer land rights registered at the land office (BPN, Badan Pertanahan Nasional). The headline instrument is the AJB, which moves a freehold (Hak Milik) or right-to-build (HGB, Hak Guna Bangunan) title from seller to buyer.
Because Indonesian agrarian law does not recognise direct Hak Milik ownership by foreigners, the AJB usually appears when a foreign-owned company (a PT PMA) acquires an HGB title. The PPAT verifies the certificate, checks tax is settled, and submits the transfer for registration.
Can you provide the developer's name, completed projects, and a notarized sample from a previous foreign buyer transaction?
Buyer inquiry, Anteya CRM, 2025
A notarised sample shows which instrument the seller actually uses, and whether it matches what you were told.
Who does what at each step
1. Lease agreement (leasehold). The Notaris drafts the akta sewa: term, extension, transfer rights, and expiry. A lease extension in Indonesia is a contractual right you negotiate, not an automatic entitlement, so this wording matters most.
2. PT PMA setup. To hold an HGB title through a company, the Notaris prepares the incorporation deed; you then register the company through OSS.
3. AJB (title transfer). When an HGB title changes hands, the PPAT makes the AJB and confirms taxes are paid first: BPHTB on the buyer, income tax on the seller.
4. Title registration. The PPAT then submits the deed to BPN so the certificate is reissued in the new holder's name. Until then, the public record has not caught up.
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See also Bali property taxes, fees, PPN and BPHTB and leasehold versus freehold in Bali.
Why the buyer needs independent representation
In off-plan Bali deals, the Notaris or PPAT is very often introduced and paid by the developer. That professional owes a duty to be impartial, but the drafting instructions sit on the seller's side.
Anteya observation: in the deals we see, the large majority of first-time foreign buyers rely solely on the developer's introduced notary and never appoint anyone to read the deed on their behalf. It is one of the most common gaps we flag before a deposit. The fix is cheap: a buyer-side notary or an independent Indonesian lawyer reads the akta before you sign.
Have you checked the developer?
Buyer inquiry, Anteya CRM, 2025
Checking the developer and checking the deed are different jobs. A clean developer can still hand you a lease with a weak extension clause. Our note on how to evaluate a Bali developer before you deposit covers the first; the deed is where your own notary earns its fee.
How the fees work
Fees track transaction value; treat every figure below as typical, not fixed, and confirm in writing. Professional fees are commonly quoted at roughly 0.5 to 1 percent of value, with small deals often at the higher end. These are separate from pass-through taxes: BPHTB (buyer-side acquisition tax) is typically around 5 percent, and PPN (VAT) applies to new builds at the prevailing national rate, so verify the current figure at signing.
What about the payment plan for the rest, how many months are comfortable for you to complete the rest?
Buyer inquiry, Anteya CRM, 2025
On an installment structure, ask when the deed is signed relative to your payments, because signing before most of the money moves changes your exposure.
What to check when choosing one
- Ask whether the person acts as Notaris, PPAT, or both for your documents.
- Ask for a redacted sample of the exact deed type you will sign, and confirm the fee split (professional fee versus taxes) in writing.
- For a lease, have your own adviser read the extension and transfer clauses before you sign.
A fuller walkthrough is coming in our Bali closing series TODO: confirm live slug in Sanity.
FAQ
Is a Notaris the same as a PPAT in Bali?
Not exactly. A Notaris makes general legal deeds and agreements; a PPAT makes land-transfer deeds like the AJB. The same person often holds both roles, but the function differs by document.
When is the deed signed relative to my down payment?
They are separate events. On installment deals the notarial deed is usually signed at a defined milestone, not at first payment. Ask exactly when your deed is executed, because that timing shapes your exposure.
Can I use my own notary instead of the developer's?
Yes. You can appoint an independent Notaris or Indonesian lawyer to review or draft your deed, even when the developer proposes theirs. It is the main way a buyer protects their own interests.
What is the AJB in a Bali property purchase?
The AJB (Akta Jual Beli) is the Sale and Purchase Deed that transfers a freehold or HGB right from seller to buyer. A PPAT makes it, confirms taxes are settled first, and submits it for registration.
How much do notary and PPAT fees cost in Bali?
Professional fees are typically quoted at roughly 0.5 to 1 percent of transaction value, with small deals often at the higher end. That is separate from pass-through taxes such as BPHTB (around 5 percent) and PPN on new builds.
Anteya Research is the editorial function of Anteya Real Estate, a Bali-based investment property advisory. This article reflects patterns across thousands of buyer conversations logged in the Anteya CRM between 2023 and 2026, plus first-hand observations from our team.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and situations vary. Consult a licensed Indonesian notaris (notary) for your purchase.
External references: Ikatan Notaris Indonesia and company-registration portal OSS.
