Notaris
Also called PPAT, Indonesian notary
A notaris is an Indonesian public notary authorised to draft and register binding property deeds, and in a land transaction they carry out the legal checks and formalise the transfer or lease.
In Indonesia the notaris is central to a property transaction rather than administrative. They verify the title, check for competing claims and encumbrances, draft the deed and handle registration. A land transaction that has not gone through a notaris properly has not really happened in any way you can rely on.
The role often overlaps with PPAT, the official specifically authorised for land deeds. In practice many practitioners hold both roles, and for a land transaction you want someone who can act as PPAT.
The most important practical point is independence. If the seller or the agent recommends a notaris, that person is not working for you. Instructing your own is one of the cheapest pieces of protection available in the whole process.
Where people get caught
Using the seller's notaris to save a little money or time. Their duty runs to whoever instructed them. On the largest purchase you may ever make outside your home country, that is the wrong place to economise.
Where this comes up
This is general information, not legal advice. Indonesian property law changes, and how it applies depends on your situation, your visa status and the specific plot. Always take advice from a qualified notaris before you commit money. Last checked 2026-07-30.