The short answer: to drive yourself legally in Indonesia — Flores included — you need your valid home country licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) covering the same vehicle class, and your passport for the hire agreement itself. As of 2026, the international driving permit rules for Indonesia and Flores apply the same way in Labuan Bajo as in Bali or Jakarta: the IDP is a translation document, never a standalone licence, so it is only valid when carried alongside the original licence it was issued against.
That is the paperwork side. The practical side is different, and it is worth saying plainly at the start: on Flores, almost nobody arriving on a UK, Australian or EU licence ends up driving themselves. Chauffeured vehicles are the norm here rather than a luxury add-on, and most visitors sidestep the licence question entirely by booking a vehicle with a driver. This article explains both routes so you can choose knowingly.
Do you need an International Driving Permit in Indonesia and on Flores?
Yes, if you intend to be the one behind the wheel. Indonesian traffic law recognises foreign licences when they are accompanied by a valid IDP, and this is the standard requirement quoted by hire operators nationwide. Flores is not a special case with looser rules; it is the same national framework, applied on roads where enforcement is more visible than many visitors expect.
Three documents travel together: your home licence, the IDP, and your passport. A photocopy of the passport is often acceptable for checks, but the hire agreement itself will normally require sight of the original plus the entry stamp or e-visa record. Carry the vehicle’s registration document — the STNK — in the car as well; a reputable operator supplies it, and its absence is a red flag about the vehicle’s status.
Which IDP version applies to Indonesia
IDPs are issued under United Nations road traffic conventions, and different countries issue different editions. Indonesia is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which is the edition most commonly cited as relevant for travel here. Some European countries issue the 1968 Vienna Convention permit by default and the 1949 version only on request. If your national issuing body offers a choice, ask specifically which edition is appropriate for Indonesia before you pay — swapping it once you have landed at Komodo Airport is not realistic.
Where UK, Australian and EU holders obtain one
In the United Kingdom, IDPs are issued over the counter at selected Post Office branches on production of a valid GB licence, a passport-standard photo and identification. In Australia, they are issued by the state and territory motoring clubs affiliated with the national automobile association, either in branch or by post. Across the EU, issuance sits with the national automobile club or the licensing authority depending on the country. In all three cases, an IDP is issued against a licence that is already valid — it cannot upgrade, extend or replace a licence that has expired, and it typically carries a validity of twelve months from issue.
Requirements and issuing arrangements can change. Treat this page as practical travel information rather than legal advice, and confirm the current position with your own licensing authority and with the Indonesian embassy or consulate in your country before you travel.
What documents does a hire agreement on Flores ask for?
Any operator running a legitimate vehicle will ask for identification before releasing a car. Expect the following:
- Passport — the primary ID for the agreement, with a valid entry record.
- Home driving licence — the original, not a photograph on your phone.
- International Driving Permit — required for any self-drive arrangement in Indonesia; Flores operators apply this consistently.
- A security deposit or card imprint — the amount and method vary; confirm it in writing before arrival.
- Contact details in Indonesia — accommodation name and a reachable phone number.
If a supplier waves the licence question away and simply hands over keys, that tells you something about how the rest of the arrangement — insurance, registration, roadside support — is likely to be managed.
What happens at police checkpoints on Flores roads?
Roadside checks are a normal part of driving in Indonesia and you should plan for them rather than be surprised by them. Officers may stop traffic at fixed points on the Trans-Flores route, near town approaches, and around Labuan Bajo itself, particularly during organised traffic operations. The standard request is simple: driving licence and vehicle registration.
For a foreign driver that means producing the IDP and the home licence together. Presenting only one of the two is the most common failure point, because the permit on its own carries no authority. Being stopped is not an accusation of wrongdoing — it is routine — and calm, straightforward document handling usually ends the encounter in a couple of minutes. Where documents are incomplete, an on-the-spot ticket may be issued; amounts and procedures vary and we do not quote figures we cannot stand behind.
Why do most visitors hire with a driver instead?
Because the paperwork is only the first hurdle. The Trans-Flores road is narrow, steep and heavily cambered for long stretches, shared with trucks, motorbikes, market traffic and livestock. Sections between Labuan Bajo, Ruteng and Bajawa involve continuous switchbacks where average speeds are far lower than the map distance suggests. Add left-hand driving, unfamiliar right-of-way conventions and limited lighting after dark, and a self-drive day that looked efficient on paper becomes tiring and slow.
There is also a supply reality. Self-drive vehicles are genuinely scarce on Flores; the local fleet is built around chauffeured cars, overland SUVs and HiAce-class minibuses, and drivers here know the road surface, the fuel stops, the weather patterns and the villages where a call ahead saves an hour. That is why our own vehicles run with a driver as standard. If you are weighing the two approaches, our comparison of self-drive versus chauffeur hire sets out the trade-offs in detail, and car hire with driver covers how a chauffeured day is structured on Flores.
Does an IDP cover scooters and motorbikes?
Only if the motorcycle category is endorsed on it, and that endorsement can only be granted where your home licence already carries motorcycle entitlement. A car licence with an IDP does not authorise you to ride a scooter in Indonesia. This matters beyond enforcement: travel insurance policies routinely exclude claims arising from riding a vehicle you were not licensed to operate, and medical evacuation from eastern Flores is not a cost anyone wants to discover uninsured. Helmets are mandatory. Read your policy wording before you assume you are covered.
How does insurance read the paperwork?
Vehicle insurance and personal travel insurance both tend to hinge on the same clause: the driver must have been legally entitled to drive at the time of the incident. Without a valid IDP alongside a valid home licence, that entitlement is arguable, and an arguable claim is a slow claim. With a chauffeured vehicle, the driver is a licensed local professional and the question does not arise for you at all. That is not a sales point so much as the reason the chauffeur model became standard across eastern Indonesia.
Planning notes for the 2026 season
Flores fleet availability tightens sharply from June through September, when Komodo Airport arrivals peak and vehicles get committed to multi-day overland itineraries weeks in advance. If you want a specific vehicle class — a high-clearance SUV for the Wae Rebo or Kelimutu legs, or a HiAce for a group with dive gear — book early rather than on arrival.
Our rates are quoted in USD per vehicle per day and confirmed in writing before departure. They vary by vehicle class, route, duration and season, so any figure quoted without those details is indicative only. Airport meet-on-arrival at Labuan Bajo can be arranged with the booking.
Quick checklist before you drive on Flores
- Valid home licence, unexpired, in your possession — not left in a hotel safe.
- An IDP issued against that licence, covering the correct vehicle category.
- Passport with valid entry record for the hire agreement.
- Vehicle registration (STNK) present in the car.
- Insurance wording read, including any exclusion for unlicensed operation.
- An honest assessment of the Trans-Flores road, at night, in rain, on your first day.
If that last item gives you pause, you are in the majority — and hiring with a driver is not a compromise here, it is the local standard.
Talk to us before you book
Tell us your dates, group size and the Flores route you have in mind, and we will confirm vehicle availability and a written USD quotation. Message us on WhatsApp at +62 811-3810-5742 or email sales@komodoluxury.com. Labuan Bajo Car Hire is operated under Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group — operating from Bali across Indonesia since 2015.
This article is practical travel information, not legal advice. Licensing rules and enforcement practice can change; verify current requirements with your issuing authority and the relevant Indonesian mission before travelling.