Updated 3 Nov 2026 · Based on Indonesian customs rules

Indonesia IMEI Tax Calculator 2026

Answer 4 questions. See the cheapest way to use a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM in your phone.

Indonesia's phone rule in 30 seconds

  • Every phone has an ID number called the IMEI. Local Indonesian SIM cards and eSIMs only work in a phone whose IMEI is registered in Indonesia. A phone bought outside Indonesia isn't registered yet.
  • Easiest: buy a local Indonesian eSIM or SIM card from Telkomsel, XLSmart or Indosat with your passport. Your phone's IMEI is then registered free for up to 90 days, 2 times per 12 months.
  • Need longer? Register your phone's IMEI at the airport when you land (tax only if your phone cost over US$500), or buy a phone in Indonesia.
  • You don't need to register your IMEI to use Wi-Fi, your home SIM card or a data-only travel eSIM (like Airalo or Holafly).
Where are you now?
How long is this trip?
Bought a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM in the last 12 months?

Counts: a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM (Telkomsel, XLSmart, Indosat). You bought it with your passport and got an Indonesian number.

Doesn't count: a data-only travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, Saily). No passport, no Indonesian number.

Each one uses 1 of your 2 free IMEI registrations.

What did your phone cost?

In US dollars. Paid in another currency? Convert it roughly. 2 phones? Add both prices.

Exchange rate: 1 USD = Rp 18,100 · November 2026

Updated every month. Customs decides the final rate.

Your answer

You only need 1 local Indonesian eSIM

It comes with an Indonesian number and registers your phone's IMEI for free, for 90 days. No IMEI tax.

What to do

    3 ways to use a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM

    Free with a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM

    Lasts up to 90 days

    • Buy it from Telkomsel, XLSmart or Indosat with your passport. The seller registers your phone's IMEI for free (Balitel does it for you).
    • Lasts as long as your plan, up to 90 days.
    • 2 times per 12 months, per phone and passport. Every local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM counts.
    • A top-up adds data, not days.

    Register your phone's IMEI at customs

    Works on every trip

    • At the airport, when you land: the first US$500 is tax-free. Above that, about 22% tax on the rest.
    • Later, at a customs office (within 60 days of arriving): no tax-free US$500. About 22% tax on the full price.
    • Example, US$1,099 phone: about US$132 at the airport, about US$243 at a customs office. So do it at the airport.
    • After 60 days: you can't register at customs until your next trip.

    Buy a phone in Indonesia

    Works on every trip

    • New phones with an official Indonesian warranty already work. No need to register the IMEI or pay IMEI tax.
    • Cheapest: Xiaomi Redmi A7 Pro, Rp 1,999,000 (about US$110).
    • Test it with a local Indonesian SIM card before you pay. Many cheap phones don't support eSIM.
    • You'll carry 2 phones.

    How we work out the tax

    1. Change your phone's price into rupiah (Rp), Indonesia's money.
    2. Take off the first US$500 (tax-free at the airport).
    3. Import duty: 10% of the rest.
    4. VAT (sales tax): 11% of the rest plus the import duty.
    5. Round each up to the next Rp 1,000.

    Older guides add 10–20% income tax. That ended in June 2025.

    Local Indonesian eSIM vs data-only travel eSIM

    Only need internet? A data-only travel eSIM (like Airalo or Holafly) also works. But it's a different product:

    Local Indonesian eSIM

    • Indonesian phone number for ride, food and shopping apps (Gojek, Grab, Shopee)
    • Passport needed
    • IMEI registration: free, we do it

    Data-only travel eSIM

    • No Indonesian phone number
    • No passport needed
    • No IMEI registration needed

    Questions people ask

    What is IMEI registration in Indonesia?

    Every phone has an ID number, the IMEI. Local Indonesian SIM cards and eSIMs only work in phones whose IMEI is registered. Wi-Fi, your home SIM card and data-only travel eSIMs (like Airalo or Holafly) work without registering it.

    How much is the IMEI tax in Indonesia in 2026?

    At the airport: nothing if your phone cost US$500 or less. Above that, about 22% of the part over US$500. Example: about Rp 2,397,000 (US$132) for a US$1,099 phone. Registering later at a customs office costs more.

    Is the IMEI tax the same at the airport and at a customs office?

    No. At the airport, when you land, the first US$500 of your phone's price is tax-free. At a customs office later (within 60 days of arriving), you pay tax on the full price. Example: for a US$1,099 phone, the tax is about US$132 at the airport but about US$243 at a customs office. So register at the airport when you land.

    Is IMEI registration at customs free?

    At the airport, yes, if your phone cost US$500 or less. Above that, you pay about 22% tax on the part over US$500. There's no other fee.

    Can I register my IMEI after I leave the airport?

    Yes, at a customs office within 60 days of arriving, but you pay tax on the full price. One exception: if you showed your phone at the airport and customs noted your passport and IMEI, finish within 5 days and you keep the tax-free US$500.

    Do tourists pay tax to use a local Indonesian SIM card or eSIM?

    Usually not. Buy a local eSIM or SIM card from Telkomsel, XLSmart or Indosat with your passport, and your phone's IMEI is registered free for up to 90 days, 2 times per 12 months.

    What happens after 60 days in Indonesia?

    After day 60 of your trip, customs won't register your phone's IMEI anymore. You still have 2 options: buy a local Indonesian eSIM or SIM card, which registers your IMEI for free if you've bought fewer than 2 in the last 12 months; or buy a phone in Indonesia. On your next trip, register your IMEI at the airport when you land.

    What happens after 90 days?

    Your free IMEI registration ends when your eSIM plan ends (a maximum of 90 days). After that, local Indonesian SIM cards and eSIMs stop working in your phone, and a top-up won't fix it. Staying longer? Buy a 2nd local Indonesian eSIM before your 1st one ends. This only works if you've bought fewer than 2 in the last 12 months, because you get 2 free IMEI registrations per 12 months. 2 eSIMs cover a maximum of 180 days. Already bought 2? Then plan ahead: register your IMEI at customs before day 60 of your trip, or buy a phone in Indonesia.

    Is a phone bought in Indonesia already registered?

    Yes, if it's new with an official Indonesian warranty. No need to register its IMEI or pay IMEI tax. Test it with a local Indonesian SIM card before you pay.

    Is it cheaper to buy a phone in Indonesia?

    Often, if your phone cost over about US$1,000. Then the airport tax is more than the cheapest new phone here: Xiaomi Redmi A7 Pro, Rp 1,999,000 (about US$110).