Indonesia Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in indonesia, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Standards for Trade
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Indonesia’s rapid expansion in international trade has driven the evolution and enforcement of standards across nearly all industrial sectors. While some standards remain voluntary, serving as market differentiators for safety, quality, or performance, an increasing number have become mandatory, cited in technical regulations as minimum requirements for market access.

The National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (Badan Standardisasi Nasional or BSN) is the primary government body responsible for setting and managing national standards, conformity assessment, and metrology activities. Established by Presidential Decree No. 13/1997 and strengthened through Presidential Decree No. 166/2000, BSN oversees the formulation of all Indonesian National Standards (SNI), the country’s only officially recognized national standards. As of 2024, BSN has developed over 5,300 SNIs, with 130 designated as mandatory, particularly for products impacting safety, health, and the environment. 

SNI standards are developed through a national consensus process and aligned with international or regional standards when feasible. While many SNIs are voluntary, a growing number have been incorporated into mandatory technical regulations, especially in sectors involving consumer safety, building materials, electronics, automotive parts, and food and beverages. For instance, new regulations for metal cookware and portable fire extinguishers have been implemented, requiring compliance with specific SNI standards and certification schemes. 

To obtain SNI certification for regulated products, companies must submit a comprehensive application that typically includes documentation of an importer or local business partner in Indonesia, trademark certification, product catalogues and technical specifications, production and quality control processes, a quality manual (translated into Bahasa Indonesia), a valid ISO 9001 certificate or equivalent, and a legal company registration (with translation). Products are subject to laboratory testing based on factory or Indonesian market samples.

Indonesia employs several conformity assessment schemes for product certification. For example:

  • Scheme Type 1b requires shipment-specific testing and product sampling at the manufacturer’s premises. Laboratory testing is performed by a designated lab approved by the Ministry of Industry.

  • Scheme Type 5 adds a mandatory factory audit to assess production process compliance, facilities, and quality management systems. If issues are identified, manufacturers must implement corrective actions before certification proceeds.

Indonesia may allow product testing to be conducted in U.S.-based laboratories, provided that:

  • The laboratory is accredited by a U.S. accreditation body that is a signatory to a multilateral recognition arrangement (MLA) with Indonesia’s accreditation body, KAN.

  • A bilateral or multilateral agreement exists between the U.S. and Indonesia in the relevant technical regulation area, and

  • The Ministry of Industry officially designates the U.S. lab.

However, Indonesia does not always accept foreign test results, which many U.S. companies find burdensome due to the cost, time, and logistics associated with duplicative testing and certification.

Once testing and, where applicable, facility audits are completed, BSN reviews the results and determines whether to issue the SNI certificate. Certification enables companies to place the SNI logo on their packaging and marketing materials. The duration of certification validity depends on the product type and certification scheme used.

Indonesia requires additional certifications for information and telecommunications technology (ICT) products. Under Law No. 36/1999, importers of ICT equipment must obtain a Certificate of Approval from the Directorate General of Digital Infrastructure (DJID), formerly known as Directorate General of Post and Information Technology Resources (SDPPI). All telecommunications and radio frequency devices must undergo local testing at a DJID-accredited laboratory. 

Since issuing SDPPI Decision No. 36/2020, Indonesia has made significant strides in updating its certification framework for Information and Telecommunications Technology (ICT) products. These reforms reshape how foreign test reports are handled, establish more precise local testing requirements, and revise technical standards. Beginning January 1, 2025, DJID, formerly known as SDPPI will no longer recognize foreign laboratory test reports for telecommunications equipment unless those labs are re-accredited under new regulations. This change comes with the expiration of Decree No. 109/2024, which had previously authorized select foreign labs for certification use. 

The implications are twofold:

  • Test reports issued on or after January 1, 2025, by foreign labs will not be accepted until re-accreditation is granted.

  • Reports issued before that date remain valid during a six-month grace period, until June 30, 2025.

As of May 2025, DJID has not yet released the updated regulations for foreign lab re-accreditation. Companies are encouraged to stay alert for announcements on this matter through DJID’s official communication channels.

These regulatory updates reflect DJID’s commitment to strengthening national certification processes, ensuring product safety, and aligning with international best practices. ICT manufacturing, importing, or distribution businesses in Indonesia should proactively adapt to these evolving requirements to maintain compliance and avoid disruptions.

Indonesia’s national accreditation body, the National Accreditation Committee (KAN), is critical in maintaining technical integrity across conformity assessments. KAN accredits laboratories and certification bodies under ISO 9000, ISO 14000, HACCP, and other frameworks. It is a member of multiple international mutual recognition arrangements through ILAC, APLAC, and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). Despite these memberships, some Indonesian ministries impose additional national requirements beyond those accepted under global MLAs, leading to barriers for foreign certification recognition.

To ensure transparency, BSN publishes technical regulations and updates to SNIs on its website and in the BSN Library. U.S. exporters are encouraged to monitor these regulations, especially for sectors affected by new mandatory standards. 

As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Indonesia is obligated under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) to notify proposed regulations that may affect international trade. U.S. exporters can monitor such notifications through the ePing SPS&TBT platform (https://epingalert.org/), a free service providing access to notifications made by WTO Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Users can subscribe to receive email alerts about new draft regulations from Indonesia and other countries and may request the full text of any notified regulation for review and comment.

Contact for Assistance

For more information, U.S. companies may contact: Pepsi Maryarini. Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service Jakarta at email:Pepsi.Maryarini@trade.gov 

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