Cekindo - Business and Import Licenses in Indonesia

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Online Single Submission Licensing System

In Indonesia, if you want to expand your business or distribute your product, you have to apply for particular licenses and register your product (for certain products).

A business license is required for any business activities and companies, including foreign-owned companies (PT PMA). To facilitate and ease business licensing processes, Online Single Submission (OSS) system has been implemented.

With OSS, all business entities will have to register online. After completion of registration at the OSS, each business will automatically get a Business Identity Number NIB (Nomor Induk Berusaha) one day after the registration, provided that all required documents are complete. A Business License will also be granted alongside the NIB if your business does not require other licenses, which depends on the business sector your company is engaged in.

Classification of Business Licenses

A company engaged in general trading, goods or other services should have a business license.
A company engaged in the manufacturing industry outside of oil, gas and geothermal energy, should have an industrial business license.
A company engaged in other industries, such as construction, should have a construction business license.

Since September 2019, 45 additional business fields (KBLI) are no longer required to obtain additional licenses. Only NIB and SIUP are required to start immediate business operations in Indonesia. Check out the 45 KBLIs here.

Import License

Before the implementation of OSS (Online Single Submission), any businesses who wanted to import goods to Indonesia legally were required to obtain a special license – the General Import License (API-U) or a Producer Import License (API-P), depending on what products you were dealing with. The processing time of these licenses could take up to five months.

However, the implementation of the OSS licensing system and the cancellation of unnecessary procedures by Ministry of Trade have allowed more convenient and shorter processing time.

PRODUCT IMPORT LICENSES IN INDONESIA

MEDICAL & BPOM DISTRIBUTION LICENSES

Foreign and local companies that intend to sell medical devices in Indonesia are required to obtain two licenses: an Indonesian medical distribution license and a medical devices registration. For an Indonesian medical distribution license, you must set up your own local entity in Indonesia or utilize a distributor with a medical device distributor license issued by the Ministry of the Health.

Furthermore, you will also need to secure BPOM distribution license during the registration process of your products.

Learn more How to Register Medical Devices in Indonesia

COSMETIC DISTRIBUTION LICENSE

Before any cosmetic products are allowed to be distributed and sold in Indonesia, BPOM distribution license is required. To secure your BPOM distribution license, you are required to register your cosmetic products at the Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM).

In general the procedures of cosmetic registration are as follows:
1. Register legal entity at BPOM
2. Register manufacture
3. Register cosmetic products

Furthermore, every importer is required to maintain Product Information Files (PIF) that include information on import and distribution of cosmetic products.

Learn more How to Register Cosmetics in Indonesia

FOOD & BEVERAGES DISTRIBUTION LICENSE

To be able to distribute and sell your food and beverages across Indonesia, you will need to register your food and/or beverages at BPOM to obtain BPOM distribution license.

In general the procedures of food and beverages registration are as follows:
1. Register legal entity at BPOM
2. Register facility, followed by inspection
3. Register manufacture
4. Register food and/or beverages

Learn more How to Register Food and Beverages in Indonesia

FOOD SUPPLEMENT DISTRIBUTION LICENSE

If you are looking to distribute and sell food supplement and/or traditional medicine in Indonesia, you have to follow similar registration process at BPOM in order to secure your BPOM distribution license.

In general the procedures of food supplement registration are as follows:
1. Register legal entity at BPOM
2. Register facility, followed by inspection
3. Register manufacture
4. Register food supplement and/or traditional medicine

Learn more How to Register Food Supplements in Indonesia

Selected Testimonials

As a new business in Indonesia, we started consulting with multiple law firms but quickly narrowed down to only Cekindo. Cekindo was recommended as one of the top firms by multiple sources in the business community. The staff at Cekindo was very responsive to our needs as a new business. The team provided consultancy and assisted our startup firm with initial business setup, licenses and permits, HR/recruitment and market research. One year since our establishment, we still consider Cekindo as our partner.

PT Ohmnia Tenaga Surya

When we intended to enter the Indonesian market back in 2013/14, Cekindo helped us to understand the possibilites and options for business presence in Indonesia through legal advice & also advisory on how to arrange for ownership. Furthermore, Cekindo also provides us with a range of fully professional and reliable accounting & tax services for our representative office in Indonesia. In the world of digital & virtual economy like today, it is an essential prerequisite to have the most reliable business partner like Cekindo.

Jan Pilař
Hydropol

A huge gratitude to Cekindo, particularly its visa team, for handling our visa cases. During our visa applications, Cekindo was extremely helpful not only in facilitating all of our visa requirements but also in clarifying our queries/doubts. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the good work of Cekindo’s visa team.

Sagar Datar
Bristlecone

When I was looking for a reliable partner who could help with company registration, payroll, taxes and working permit in Indonesia, Cekindo’s domain knowledge and clear communication astonished. Firstly, we decided to pursue cooperation with Cekindo in terms of company registration, but they also assisted me in obtaining the necessary working permits and visas (KITAS), and we use their payroll and tax reporting services until now.

Matthias Coessens
Product Director at Empyrean Solutions Apac

Cekindo handled business visa for our new colleague promptly and made the start of our company in Vietnam easier and faster. I particularly enjoyed communication with the consultant, who advised the best solution for us and was all the time available to answer any questions. She made sure that all the documents were collected and prepared on time and we got great support during the whole process. Thank you Cekindo and I hope to cooperate again in the near future!

Ivana Bartonkova
Marketing and HR director of Port Cities Vietnam

Cekindo assisted us with a selection of our local distributor in Indonesia and organised several meeting in Jakarta. Their assistance enabled us to meet our potential local partners and choose the best distributor conveniently. The decision to cooperate with Cekindo was based on a recommendation from our prominent partner in Bali and we cannot be more grateful. Cekindo’s systematic work, active communication, thoroughness and professionalism was exceptional.

Ing. Václav Tomek
Phyto CZ Sro

Cekindo initially helped us with setting up our business structure in Indonesia and getting us all due licenses and approvals. Currently, Cekindo is associated with us as our business partner in Indonesia by providing a face to our name and handling various business activities on our behalf. Without their help, we would be lost in keeping up with regulatory requirements and being a compliant company in Indonesia.

Vivek S.Rathaur
Vega Industries

Thanks to Cekindo and its one-stop market entry solutions, we could start exploring the Indonesian market. Cekindo’s broad portfolio of services included a formal process of our representative office registration, consultations regarding proper legal set-up and even working permit and visa applications. Cekindo’s extensive knowledge of the latest developments and legal requirements allowed us to focus on more operational matters and to build a local team in Indonesia.

Peter van der Linde
Co-founder / Director strategy & solutions, Akvo Pte Ltd

After extensive research online, I reached out to several companies including Cekindo. Cekindo’s info package and summary of services were by far the most thorough and professional and their pricing was competitive and reasonable. Cekindo’s sound knowledge of all administrative requirements gave me the confidence that my company incorporation of 100% foreign owned export company was being executed correctly and legally.

Kingsley Fiegert
Director, Morning Star Investments (WA) Pty Ltd

With knowledgable team, Cekindo helped me make the whole process of company registration and product registration of health and beauty products in Indonesia less confusing and seamless at the same time. They have always been swift in response and hands-on at every email, never leaving me wondering or worried. As far as I am concerned, they go above and beyond the call of duty. They will most certainly be my long-term partner moving forward into the years to come. Thank you Cekindo!

Jason Peter Stevens
Group CEO, Studio XII Pte Ltd

Selected Clients