Importing Aftermarket Auto Parts into Indonesia: NIB/API, the 2025 Import Rules, Mandatory SNI and Customs

Short answer

To import aftermarket auto parts into Indonesia legally, an importer has to clear three tracks at once. First, business identity and importer status: a NIB obtained through the OSS system, valid as an importer identification number (API), which for traders is normally API-U. Second, Ministry of Trade import policy: since June 2025 the former Permendag 36/2023 and its amendments (including Permendag 8/2024) have been revoked and replaced by a general regulation, Permendag 16/2025, plus several commodity-cluster regulations, so each HS code must be checked for "restricted" status, import approval (PI) and surveyor report (LS) requirements. Third, product standards: some automotive products, such as tyres, automotive safety glass and wheel rims, are under mandatory SNI and need an SPPT-SNI certificate before they can be imported and sold. The rules have changed several times in three years, so verify every specific decision with your customs broker (PPJK) and the authorities' latest notices.

Who this is for, and what it does not cover

This article is written for two readers: importers and wholesalers in Indonesia who bring in aftermarket exterior parts, door hardware and small body components, and parts suppliers that export to Indonesia and need to understand what their customers must prepare. The focus is the regulatory path: who may import, which goods need permits, which need SNI, and how labelling and customs clearance work. Freight, duty calculations and landed cost are a separate topic and are not covered here; no duty rates are given. Check rates against the Indonesian customs tariff book (BTKI) and your broker's quote.

The 2026 regulatory landscape: three tracks

Many people assume one "import licence" is enough, but in Indonesia compliance is three systems stacked together. The first is business and investment registration, run through OSS (Online Single Submission), which issues the NIB. The second is Ministry of Trade import management, which decides whether a given HS code is freely importable or needs a PI or an LS; these permits are handled through systems such as INATRADE. The third is the standards system of the Ministry of Industry and the National Standardization Agency (BSN), which decides whether a product must carry the SNI mark. Everything then converges at customs (DJBC, commonly called Bea Cukai) through the INSW single window, and every field on the declaration must match the data in the other three systems.

Step one: obtain a NIB through OSS

The NIB (Nomor Induk Berusaha, business identification number) is the basic identity for doing business in Indonesia and is applied for online through OSS. The NIB is tied to the company's business classification (KBLI codes), so an importer should confirm that its registered activities cover wholesale or trade of automotive parts. A wrong KBLI can create data mismatches later when applying for import permits or filing customs declarations. Have a consultant or broker familiar with OSS check the KBLI, especially if the company combines retail, wholesale and repair services.

NIB as API: API-U versus API-P

Under Permendag 16/2025, importers must hold a NIB that is valid as an API. There are two types. API-U (Angka Pengenal Importir Umum, general importer) is granted only to businesses importing goods to trade or transfer them. API-P (Angka Pengenal Importir Produsen, producer importer) is granted only to businesses importing goods for their own production use, such as capital goods, raw materials and auxiliary materials. The new regulation states that an importer may choose only one of the two, not both. Goods imported under API-P may in principle not be traded on, with limited exceptions.

Why aftermarket distributors are normally API-U

An aftermarket parts importer sells to downstream wholesalers, parts shops and workshops, which is trading, so API-U is normally the right registration. API-P may apply only when the company is itself an assembler or body builder importing parts for its own production line. A common mistake is a converter that imports under API-P and then sells part of the stock to outside customers, which is high-risk under the new rules. Because you can choose only one type, confirm your business model for the next three to five years with an adviser before deciding.

Foreign-owned versus local companies

If the importer is a foreign-owned company (PMA), it must also comply with investment rules on permitted business lines and capital, which are likewise handled in OSS. This article does not quote investment thresholds, because they belong to investment regulations and vary by business category. For exporters the practical point is that your customer, local or foreign-owned, must be able to show a valid NIB/API; that is worth confirming before the first shipment.

Tax and customs registration

Besides the NIB, the importer needs a valid taxpayer number (NPWP) and a completed customs user registration in order to file import declarations. Permendag 16/2025 also requires taxpayer status to be confirmed before import permits are issued, so a company with tax-status issues may be blocked at the PI stage. New importers should ask their broker to run a "dry-run" level data check before the first shipment, confirming that company name and address are identical across NIB, NPWP and customs registration.

From Permendag 36/2023 to 16/2025: what happened

Permendag 36/2023, issued at the end of 2023, tightened import controls sharply, adding more goods that needed a PI and technical review, and in the first half of 2024 large numbers of containers were held up at ports. The government amended it several times; Permendag 8/2024 took effect in May 2024 and relaxed requirements for some goods. On 30 June 2025 the Ministry of Trade announced that Permendag 36/2023 and its amendments were revoked and replaced by nine new regulations: Permendag 16/2025 as the general import regulation, and eight others (numbers 17 to 24) covering commodity clusters such as textiles, agricultural goods, chemicals, electronics, certain industrial goods, consumer goods and non-new goods. According to public sources, the new rules took effect in late August 2025.

The structure of Permendag 16/2025

Permendag 16/2025 divides imports into "free" goods (Barang Bebas Impor) and "restricted" goods (Barang Dibatasi Impor). Free goods need only a valid NIB/API and normal customs clearance. Restricted goods need whatever the relevant cluster regulation prescribes, such as a PI, verification or technical review. The regulation also sets procedures for applying for, amending and extending permits through OSS and INATRADE. For a parts importer, the key task is to determine, for every HS code, which category it falls into and which cluster regulation applies.

Permendag 22/2025: certain industrial goods

Of the nine new regulations, the one most likely to touch automotive parts is Permendag 22/2025 on import policy for certain industrial goods. According to the summary in Indonesia's official legal database, it covers: iron and steel, alloy steel and derivative products; tyres; semi-finished hand tools; ceramics; flat glass and safety glass; saccharin, cyclamate and alcohol-containing fragrance preparations; raw materials for alcoholic beverages; downstream plastics; and valves. Specific HS codes in these groups need import approval, and some also face designated entry ports and post-border supervision. In other words, products such as tyres and automotive safety glass may need a trade-side import permit in addition to SNI.

What about auto parts? Decide by HS code

In our checks we did not find any list that treats "aftermarket auto parts" as a whole as restricted. Import controls are listed HS code by HS code, so the right question is not "do auto parts need a permit?" but "is my HS code on a restricted list?". A steel component classified under certain chapter 72 or 73 headings could fall within the steel group of Permendag 22/2025, while a part with the same function classified in chapter 83 or 87 could have a completely different outcome. The Ministry of Finance also publishes, by ministerial decree, the HS lists restricted under each trade regulation, and brokers use that list for their assessment.

Typical HS classification for handles, hinges and regulators

Under the international HS structure, vehicle door handles and hinges, as base-metal fittings, are commonly classified under heading 8302 (base-metal mountings and fittings, which includes a subheading for those suitable for motor vehicles). Window regulators, door lock mechanisms and other body parts are commonly classified under heading 8708 (parts and accessories of motor vehicles). The final classification, however, depends on material, function and the national subheadings of the Indonesian tariff book (BTKI), and the same product can be declared differently by different importers. Before ordering, give your broker product photos, material and intended use for a classification check, and consider applying to customs for an advance ruling so a dispute does not surface only when the goods arrive.

PI import approval and INATRADE

The PI (Persetujuan Impor, import approval) is the most common trade permit for restricted goods. It typically states the permitted HS codes, quantity and validity period, and is applied for through the Ministry of Trade's INATRADE system (integrated with OSS and INSW). The new rules stress that PIs must align with national data such as commodity balances, so timing and approved quantities can be affected by policy. If any HS code in your range needs a PI, build the application timeline into your purchasing plan instead of starting once the goods have left port.

Laporan Surveyor (LS): when it is needed

An LS (Laporan Surveyor, surveyor report) is issued by an appointed inspection company after verifying goods at origin or before shipment, to confirm the goods match the permit. Under Permendag 36/2023 some goods required both a PI and an LS; later amendments and the new rules changed which goods need an LS. Because LS requirements depend on the HS code and the cluster regulation, we cannot conclude that auto parts as a class do or do not need an LS. Practical advice: have your broker check each HS code; where an LS is required, allow time for inspection at origin and ask your supplier to provide complete packing and description data.

The Lartas list and INSW lookups

Indonesia refers to goods subject to import and export restrictions as Lartas (larangan dan pembatasan, prohibitions and restrictions). Importers can use INSW, the Indonesia National Single Window, to look up the restrictions and documents that apply to an HS code, and the customs system checks those requirements at declaration. INSW is a good starting point, but there can be a lag between regulatory changes and system updates, so confirm with your broker. Keep each SKU's HS code, Lartas status, required permits and lookup date in one master file so that affected items can be found quickly when rules change.

What SNI is: mandatory versus voluntary

SNI (Standar Nasional Indonesia, the Indonesian National Standard) is set by the National Standardization Agency, BSN. Most SNIs are voluntary. Only when the responsible ministry (for automotive products usually the Ministry of Industry, Kemenperin) declares an SNI mandatory (SNI wajib) by ministerial regulation must the products concerned be certified and carry the SNI mark before being produced or imported for sale in Indonesia. So the question is not whether a matching SNI standard exists, but whether a current ministerial regulation lists that product's HS code as mandatory.

Confirmed mandatory SNI items in the automotive area

From the public regulations we checked: automotive safety glass is under a Ministry of Industry regulation making SNI mandatory (a 2025 regulation replaced the 2015 one); motor vehicle wheel rims for vehicle categories L, M, N and O are under a 2024 Ministry of Industry regulation that replaced a 2012 one; and tyres (passenger car, light truck, truck and bus, motorcycle tyres and inner tubes) have long been mandatory SNI products, with the rules updated in recent years. These products normally need an SPPT-SNI at import, and some are also subject to trade-side permits. Whether other automotive products are on the list must be checked against the latest Ministry of Industry and BSN notices.

Do door handles, hinges and window regulators need mandatory SNI?

This is the question we hear most often. The honest answer: in our checks we did not find any current mandatory SNI regulation covering outside or inside door handles, door hinges, door lock mechanisms or window regulators. But "not found" is not the same as "officially confirmed exempt". The mandatory list grows as the Ministry of Industry issues new regulations, so we do not give a guarantee here. Before your first import, have your broker or a certification consultant check your HS codes against the BSN and Ministry of Industry mandatory SNI lists, and file the result with the date. If these items are ever added, both exporters and importers will need lead time to certify.

SPPT-SNI and the LSPro process

When a product falls under mandatory SNI, an SPPT-SNI (certificate for use of the SNI mark on a product) is required. It is issued by an LSPro (product certification body) that is accredited by the National Accreditation Committee, KAN, and appointed by the responsible ministry to certify that product. The usual steps are: application with technical documents, an audit of the factory's quality system, sampling and testing at a designated laboratory, issue of the certificate, and periodic surveillance afterwards. Certificates are generally tied to a specific factory and product type, so a change of factory or design often requires reassessment.

Practical points for overseas manufacturers

For an overseas factory, the SPPT-SNI audit usually means the LSPro sends auditors to the plant, and testing is done in designated laboratories, so time and cost must be planned early. In practice the Indonesian importer or its appointed representative is usually involved in the application, and the certificate shows both manufacturer and importer details. That means a change of Indonesian importer may require an amendment or a new application. Importers and suppliers should agree at the start who applies, who owns the certificate, and what happens if the partnership changes.

Bahasa Indonesia labelling requirements

Indonesia requires certain goods traded domestically to use or be accompanied by a label in Bahasa Indonesia. The legal basis is the 2021 government regulation on the trade sector and its implementing Ministry of Trade regulation (Permendag 25/2021), whose annex lists the goods that must carry an Indonesian-language label. The importer is the responsible business, so it must check whether its products appear in that annex. For aftermarket parts, even items not on the mandatory list benefit from an Indonesian product name and the importer's name and address on the pack, which helps both clearance and downstream sales. Mandatory SNI products have additional marking and labelling rules.

Practical packaging and labelling advice

Importers and exporters should settle the labelling plan with the first order. Options include printing English and Indonesian product names, the OEM reference number and country of origin on cartons and inner boxes at origin, or having the importer apply Indonesian stickers at its warehouse in Indonesia. The first reduces work after arrival but needs the exporter's artwork support; the second is more flexible, but you must confirm the rules allow labelling after entry and whether customs may ask to see labels at inspection. Either way, the product name on the label should match the name on the declaration.

Customs: DJBC, PIB and CEISA

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC, Direktorat Jenderal Bea dan Cukai) handles import clearance. The importer or its broker files the import declaration (PIB, Pemberitahuan Impor Barang) through the customs electronic system, which exchanges permit and Lartas data with INSW. The declaration lists HS code, description, quantity, value, origin and relevant permit numbers. If a free trade agreement applies, the matching certificate of origin is also needed. Any field that does not match the commercial invoice, packing list or permit can trigger inspection or requests for more documents.

Clearance lanes and inspection

Indonesian customs assigns declarations to lanes based on risk: typically green, yellow and red, plus a priority lane for compliant importers. Green usually means release after document checks, yellow means documents are reviewed, and red means physical inspection. New importers, new items and importers with past violations are more likely to be routed to inspection. A parts container often holds hundreds of SKUs; if descriptions are vague, such as simply "auto parts", inspectors are likely to ask for item-by-item explanations, delaying release.

The role of the customs broker (PPJK)

A PPJK (Pengusaha Pengurusan Jasa Kepabeanan) is a licensed customs service provider. A good PPJK does more than file declarations: it helps with HS classification, Lartas checks, alerts on rule changes and communication with customs during inspection. Because Indonesia's import rules went through several major changes between 2023 and 2025, we strongly recommend making "regulatory checks" part of your PPJK's scope and asking for a written record of the basis and date for each HS code decision. Remember: rules change, so rely on your broker's latest confirmation.

Pre-import document checklist

The following is a general checklist; specific requirements still depend on the HS code.

Company: a valid NIB (as API-U or API-P), correct KBLI codes, NPWP and customs user registration.

Product: each SKU's HS code and classification basis, Lartas lookup result, whether a PI or LS is required, whether mandatory SNI applies and the SPPT-SNI certificate.

Shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where applicable, permit numbers, and the agreed labelling plan.

Common mistakes

First, declaring with vague descriptions such as "auto parts", which cannot be matched during inspection. Second, importing under API-P and reselling, in breach of the new rules. Third, checking only the old Permendag 36/2023 or 8/2024 lists and not updating to the 2025 cluster regulations. Fourth, assuming a part does not need SNI without keeping a record of the check. Fifth, mismatches between the supplier's invoice description, packing list description and pack labelling. None of these are deep legal problems; they are data-management problems, and most can be avoided by building a proper SKU master file before ordering.

How exporters can help

As a parts manufacturer on the export side, the most useful thing you can give an Indonesian customer is clean, consistent data: OEM reference number, vehicle application, material, weight, a suggested HS code (for reference only, as the importing country's classification prevails), a clear English description, and packaging labels that can be adapted. HAO-GUO's catalogue, for example, can be searched by OEM number at https://www.haoguo.tw/en/products?oem=<OEM number>, so an importer can map each enquiry to a specific part number before handing it to the broker for classification, reducing back-and-forth later.

How to verify: an actionable sequence

Step 1: confirm the company's NIB status and API type, and check KBLI codes in OSS. Step 2: assign an HS code to every SKU and get written confirmation from your broker. Step 3: look up the Lartas requirements for each HS code in INSW and compare them with Permendag 16/2025 and the relevant cluster regulation. Step 4: check the HS codes against the BSN and Ministry of Industry mandatory SNI lists. Step 5: check whether the goods are on the mandatory Indonesian-label list. Step 6: file the results with the lookup date and recheck every quarter or whenever a new regulation is announced.

Rules change: how to keep tracking

Indonesia's import rules moved from 36/2023 through several amendments to nine new regulations in 2025 within three years, and the Ministry of Industry keeps updating mandatory SNI coverage. Importers should regularly follow the Ministry of Trade legal database (JDIH Kemendag), INSW notices, customs announcements, and new BSN and Ministry of Industry regulations, and can ask their PPJK to flag any change affecting their HS codes. This article reflects public information available in October 2026 and is not legal advice; confirm with your customs broker and legal adviser before making any import decision.

How to send an inquiry to HAO-GUO

If you are an importer or wholesaler in Indonesia looking for aftermarket door handles, hinges, door lock mechanisms or window regulators, please prepare: the OEM number, vehicle model and year, the quantity needed for each item, and your preferred packaging or labelling. You can look up part numbers at https://www.haoguo.tw/en/products and send your inquiry via https://www.haoguo.tw/en/contact. HAO-GUO is a B2B manufacturer-exporter and quotes on request; we can also provide material and basic specifications for each item to help you and your broker complete classification and compliance checks.