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Indonesia customs declaration (e-CD)

How to file Indonesia's online customs declaration before arrival, what to declare, and what's prohibited or restricted.

3 min read

Indonesia requires every international arrival to complete a customs declaration (e-CD). Doing it online before arrival skips a paper-form queue and gets you straight through customs. The form takes 5 minutes.

How to file e-CD

  1. Go to ecd.beacukai.go.id within 3 days of your arrival
  2. Complete the form — personal details, arrival date, declaration items
  3. Submit
  4. Save the QR code that's generated — present at customs on arrival
  5. The QR is valid for one arrival

What you must declare

  • More than IDR 100,000,000 (~USD 6,500) in cash
  • More than 200 cigarettes per adult
  • More than 25 cigars or 100g tobacco
  • More than 1 litre of alcohol per adult
  • Goods worth more than USD 500 per adult (USD 1,500 per family)
  • Commercial-quantity merchandise
  • Pharmaceutical drugs in original prescription packaging (carry doctor's letter)
  • Animals or animal products
  • Plants or seeds
  • Sensitive cultural items

What's prohibited

  • Drugs of any kind (cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, kratom, magic mushrooms, ketamine)
  • Weapons including knives over a certain blade length
  • Pornography
  • Counterfeit currency
  • Wildlife products from endangered species (turtle shell, ivory, certain woods)

Prescription medications

  • Bring original packaging
  • Bring a doctor's letter (English + ideally Bahasa Indonesia translation)
  • Controlled substances (opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants for ADHD) may be confiscated even with prescription. Confirm with the embassy before travel.
  • For long stays, ask your doctor about Indonesian equivalents available locally

Customs allowances (duty-free)

  • 1 litre alcohol per adult
  • 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 100g tobacco per adult
  • USD 500 personal goods per adult / USD 1,500 per family

Above these limits — import duties + VAT + luxury goods tax apply.

At customs

  • Show e-CD QR code at the customs gate
  • Walk through unless selected for inspection
  • Random checks happen — be polite, open bags if asked
  • Penalties for false declaration are real (confiscation, fines, in serious cases criminal charges)

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting to file e-CD and queuing for paper form
  • Bringing 2 cartons of cigarettes (over the limit) thinking it's fine
  • Carrying prescription benzos without a letter and having them confiscated
  • Bringing a drone without registration paperwork
  • Declaring "nothing" when you have laptop + camera + 2 phones (under personal goods, fine; over USD 500 commercial inventory, declare)
  • Importing dive gear assuming it's exempt — it's personal goods, fine under USD 500

Special situations

Bringing in dive gear / surfboards

Personal sporting equipment is generally fine under the USD 500 personal allowance. Bring receipts to prove personal-use value.

Bringing in drones

Drones are restricted. Personal drones (DJI Mini etc) generally pass customs but require Kementerian Komunikasi registration for use. Commercial drone operations need a permit. Check current rules.

Cigarettes and vapes

  • Tobacco cigarettes: 200 per adult duty-free
  • Vape pens / e-cigarettes: legal but customs may scrutinise. Vape liquid containing THC is illegal.
  • Pre-filled THC carts: prohibited (treated as cannabis under drug laws)

Bringing in laptops + work gear

  • Personal use: fine
  • Commercial inventory (e.g. 10 sealed iPhones for resale): declare; commercial duty applies

Verify before acting

Customs rules and allowances change. Confirm at beacukai.go.id before flying. See disclaimer.

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