Indonesian Police Affirms No Lifetime Driver's License Policy, Valid for 5 Years

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Head of the Traffic Corps of the Indonesian National Police, Brigadier General Aries Syahbudin, emphasized that there is currently no policy that allows for a lifetime driver's license (SIM).

"The regulation is not in place yet, so we are still following the current rules," Aries stated during a visit to the NTMC Polri in Cikoko, Pencoran, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (10/11/2026).

He noted that the existing regulation still mandates that a driver's license is valid for five years.

Applicants are also required to pay the non-tax state revenue (PNBP) fees as per the regulations.

Nevertheless, the Traffic Corps is planning to implement a traffic attitude record system to monitor driver behavior on the road.

This system will establish a reward and punishment mechanism based on a merit point system.

"This has already been implemented in several developed countries where there will be rewards for citizens who comply with traffic laws, up to the point where they can automatically renew their licenses later," he explained.

If penalty points reach a certain limit, drivers may be required to retake tests to obtain their licenses.

"In certain cases, their licenses could even be revoked," he added.

Aries cited that revocation could occur for drivers involved in hit-and-run incidents who flee, provided that their actions are adjudicated by the court.

"So, I want to convey that the current regulations in accordance with the law state that a driver's license is not valid for a lifetime," he concluded.