IMB stands for Izin Mendirikan Bangunan, in English a building construction permit. For decades it was the document every Indonesian building needed before it went up. Since 2021, under the Job Creation law and the Public Works ministry's implementing rules, the IMB is no longer issued: new buildings, renovations and changes of use get a PBG (Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung) instead, and a finished building in use gets an SLF (Sertifikat Laik Fungsi). An IMB that was already issued remains recognised for the building it covers.
Cost: an existing IMB costs nothing to keep. A new PBG carries the regency's retribution, and the SLF certificate is free by regulation. See PBG and SLF cost.
IMB vs PBG at a glance
| IMB (old) | PBG (current) | SLF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Permit to build | Approval of the technical plans | Certificate that the finished building is fit for use |
| When | Before building | Before building or changing | After construction |
| How filed | On paper at the local office | Online through SIMBG | Online through SIMBG, then inspection |
| Status | No longer issued | Required for new work | Required before use |
The shift matters in practice. Under the IMB, a permit was granted and the file often closed. Under the PBG, the plans are approved and the SLF later checks the building against them, so a villa built differently from its drawings is caught at the SLF stage.
What an old IMB still covers
If your Bali villa or house received an IMB, keep the original. It shows the building was approved as drawn. You can live in it and keep using it as before. The IMB does not cover:
- A renovation or extension. An extra floor, a new pool pavilion or more bedrooms need a PBG, with the IMB attached as the previous approval.
- A change of function. A family house turned into a rental villa, a café or a guesthouse needs a PBG for the new use.
- Rental or business use. A villa that earns income needs an SLF, and many older IMB villas never received one.
Buying or leasing a villa with an IMB
Compare the IMB drawings with the building in front of you. Bali villas are often extended over the years: a closed-in terrace, a second floor, a staff room. Anything outside the IMB is unpermitted, and you inherit the problem. Our villa due diligence does this comparison before you pay.
Searching for "IMB Bali"
People still say IMB in Bali, and so do some officials. When someone asks for "the IMB" today, they usually mean the building approval, so the current answer is a PBG. If you are planning a project now, go straight to the PBG page and the documents you need.
