Security
Are electronic signatures legal in Indonesia? UU ITE, PSrE and e-Meterai
Yes. Under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (Law No. 11 of 2008, amended in 2016 and 2024), an electronic signature has legal force if it meets the conditions in Article 11. Government Regulation 71 of 2019 splits signatures into certified ones, made with a certificate from an Indonesian PSrE, and uncertified ones; both are valid, but certified signatures are much stronger evidence and the 2024 amendment requires them for high-risk transactions. Notarial deeds and land deeds made by a PPAT still need the official in person.
Indonesian businesses sign contracts electronically every day, from fintech loan agreements to employment offers and supplier contracts. Yet the question "apakah tanda tangan elektronik sah?" keeps coming up, because Indonesian law distinguishes between two kinds of electronic signature, requires stamp duty on many documents, and keeps notarial and land deeds firmly in the hands of officials. This guide sets out what the law says and which KovaPDF tool fits which document.
The short answer
- Electronic signatures are legal in Indonesia under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, known as UU ITE (Law No. 11 of 2008, amended by Law No. 19 of 2016 and Law No. 1 of 2024).
- Government Regulation (PP) No. 71 of 2019 recognises two kinds: certified electronic signatures (tanda tangan elektronik tersertifikasi), made with a certificate from an Indonesian certification provider (PSrE), and uncertified ones. Both have legal force if they meet the law's conditions; certified signatures are far easier to prove.
- The 2024 amendment says high-risk electronic transactions must use an electronic signature secured with an electronic certificate.
- Notarial deeds and land deeds made by a PPAT (land deed official) still require appearing before the official. Stamp duty on electronic documents is paid with e-Meterai.
The law: UU ITE and PP 71 of 2019
Electronic documents are valid evidence
Article 5 of UU ITE says electronic information and documents, and their printouts, are valid legal evidence and an extension of the evidence recognised in Indonesian procedural law. The original 2008 text said this did not apply to documents that a law requires to be in written form, or to documents that must be made as notarial deeds or deeds by a deed-making official. The 2024 amendment rewrote that exception more generally, so that it applies wherever another law provides otherwise. Either way, the practical result is the same: where another statute requires a notarial deed or a PPAT deed, that statute still controls.
Article 11: when an electronic signature has legal force
Article 11 of UU ITE gives an electronic signature valid legal force and legal effect if:
- the signature creation data is linked only to the signer;
- at the time of signing, that data is under the signer's sole control;
- any change to the signature after signing can be detected;
- any change to the signed information after signing can be detected;
- there is a method to identify who the signer is; and
- there is a method to show that the signer consented to the information.
Conditions 3 and 4 are demanding. A signature image pasted on a PDF does not by itself make later changes detectable. That is why platforms add audit trails, and why cryptographic signatures are the natural fit.
Certified vs uncertified signatures (PP 71 of 2019)
PP 71 of 2019 on Electronic Systems and Transactions says electronic signatures authenticate the signer's identity and the integrity of the information, and divides them into two types:
| Certified (tersertifikasi) | Uncertified (tidak tersertifikasi) | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Issued by an Indonesian PSrE | None, or a certificate not from an Indonesian PSrE |
| Creation device | Must use a certified signature creation device | Any |
| Legal force | Yes, if Article 11 conditions are met | Yes, if Article 11 conditions are met |
| Evidence in a dispute | Strong; the PSrE can confirm the signer | Weaker; the signer's identity must be proved by other evidence |
| Typical use | Loans, banking, high-value contracts, government | Everyday agreements, internal approvals |
The 2024 amendment: high-risk transactions
Law No. 1 of 2024 added a rule that electronic transactions carrying high risk for the parties must use an electronic signature secured with an electronic certificate. The law leaves the details to implementing regulation, and sector regulators (such as the financial services authority for fintech lending) already expect certified signatures for many financial agreements. If your transaction involves money changing hands without the parties meeting, assume a certified signature is expected. The same amendment also added Article 13A, listing the trust services a PSrE may provide: electronic signatures, electronic seals, timestamps, registered electronic delivery, website authentication, preservation and digital identity.
Who licenses the certification providers
A PSrE (Penyelenggara Sertifikasi Elektronik) operating in Indonesia must be an Indonesian legal entity domiciled in Indonesia. PSrEs are recognised by and linked to the root authority of the ministry responsible for digital affairs, now the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), formerly Kominfo. They include the government's BSrE, run by the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) for government officials, and private providers such as Peruri, Privy, VIDA and Digisign. Check the ministry's current list before choosing, as providers change.
Documents you cannot sign electronically (or need a special signature)
| Document | What Indonesian law requires |
|---|---|
| Commercial contracts, NDAs, purchase orders | Any e-signature meeting Article 11; certified is safer for high value. |
| Loans and high-risk financial transactions | Certified electronic signature expected (2024 amendment, sector rules). |
| Notarial deeds (akta notaris), e.g. company deeds of establishment | Must be made before a notary under the Notary Law; the parties appear, the deed is read and signed. |
| Land transfers, mortgages over land (APHT) | Must be made as a PPAT deed; appearance before the PPAT is required. |
| Documents subject to stamp duty | Need a meterai; for electronic documents, an e-Meterai. |
Notarial deeds and the cyber notary debate
The Notary Law (Law No. 30 of 2004, amended by Law No. 2 of 2014) requires the parties to appear before the notary, the deed to be read out in front of witnesses, and signing then and there. Its elucidation mentions certifying transactions electronically (the so-called cyber notary) but the law does not set up a procedure for making full notarial deeds electronically. Legal scholars have debated this for years; no general electronic notarial deed exists yet. Company establishment and amendment deeds therefore still go through a notary, even though registration with the Ministry of Law is online.
Land deeds by PPAT
Transfers of land rights (sale, gift, mortgage) are recorded in a deed by a PPAT under the land registration rules, and that deed is the basis for registration at the land office (BPN). The land office has been moving to electronic land certificates, but the PPAT deed itself still requires the parties to appear. A preliminary sale agreement (PPJB) between buyer and seller is a private contract and can be signed electronically, though it is often made before a notary for certainty. See e-signing a property deed or sale contract.
Stamp duty and e-Meterai
Under the Stamp Duty Law (Law No. 10 of 2020), in force from 2021, stamp duty applies to electronic documents as well as paper ones, at a single rate of Rp10,000. It is due on documents such as agreements, notarial deeds, and documents stating an amount of money above Rp5,000,000. For electronic documents you pay with an e-Meterai, distributed through Peruri and its authorised resellers, which is placed onto the PDF. A missing meterai does not make a contract void, but the document cannot be used as evidence in court until the duty (and any penalty) is paid.
Employment contracts
The Manpower Law requires fixed-term employment agreements (PKWT) to be made in writing, in Indonesian (with a translation if in another language as well). Many employers now sign PKWT and permanent contracts electronically, often through a PSrE for a certified signature. Because a PKWT that fails the formal requirements can be treated as a permanent contract, a certified signature and a clear audit trail are worth the extra step. See can an employment contract be signed electronically.
Leases
A lease of a house or office is a private contract under the Civil Code and can be signed electronically. Add an e-Meterai where stamp duty applies. See can you e-sign a lease.
How to get a digital certificate in Indonesia
- Register with a PSrE (for example Privy, VIDA, Peruri or Digisign), usually through an app with e-KTP data and a selfie or face check.
- Civil servants get certificates from BSrE through their agency.
- Most PSrE certificates are used through the provider's own app or a remote signing service, and the private key stays with the provider, so it cannot be exported as a file.
KovaPDF's Digital Signature tool needs a .pfx or .p12 file and its password. PSrE signatures made in the provider's own app, tokens and remote signing services cannot be used on any website, including ours. Also note that PP 71 of 2019 requires a certified signature to be made with a certified signature creation device; a signature made in KovaPDF, even with a PSrE certificate file, may not meet that condition. When you need a certified signature, sign through your PSrE. See how to get a digital signature certificate.
Doing it with KovaPDF
- Everyday agreements, NDAs, internal approvals, simple leases: Request Signatures sends each signer a private link, supports signing order and access codes, and returns a PDF with a certificate of completion (fingerprint, names, emails, IP addresses, times) sealed with a trusted timestamp, so later changes are detectable. These are uncertified simple electronic signatures with an audit trail. They are valid where an uncertified signature is acceptable, but they are not tanda tangan elektronik tersertifikasi.
- Just you: Sign PDF places a signature image; it does not by itself make changes detectable, so use it only for low-stakes forms.
- Certificate signatures: if you hold a certificate as an exportable .pfx or .p12, Digital Signature produces a PAdES signature with a trusted timestamp.
- Checking a PSrE-signed PDF: Verify PDF Signature shows whether it is intact and who signed.
For loans, high-risk transactions, notarial deeds and PPAT deeds, use a PSrE, a notary or a PPAT; no general online tool can stand in for them. Background reading: digital vs electronic signature and what is a digital certificate.
Common questions
Apakah tanda tangan elektronik sah di Indonesia? (Are electronic signatures valid in Indonesia?)
Yes. Article 11 of UU ITE gives an electronic signature legal force if it is linked only to the signer, under their control when signing, makes later changes detectable, and identifies the signer and their consent. Both certified and uncertified signatures can meet this.
What is the difference between a certified and an uncertified electronic signature?
Under PP 71 of 2019, a certified signature uses a certificate from an Indonesian PSrE and a certified signature creation device; an uncertified one does not. Both are legally valid, but a certified signature is much stronger evidence because the PSrE has verified the signer's identity.
When is a certified electronic signature required?
The 2024 amendment to UU ITE requires high-risk electronic transactions to use a signature secured with an electronic certificate, and sector rules such as those for fintech lending expect certified signatures. For ordinary agreements an uncertified signature is still valid.
Which PSrE providers exist in Indonesia?
They include BSrE (run by BSSN for government officials) and private providers such as Peruri, Privy, VIDA and Digisign. All must be Indonesian legal entities recognised by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs; check the ministry's current list.
Does an electronic document need an e-Meterai?
If it is a document subject to stamp duty under Law No. 10 of 2020, such as an agreement or a document stating more than Rp5,000,000, yes: electronic documents are dutiable at Rp10,000 and the duty is paid with an e-Meterai. A missing meterai does not void the contract but must be paid before the document is used in court.
Can a notarial deed be signed electronically in Indonesia?
Not as a full electronic procedure. The Notary Law still requires the parties to appear before the notary and sign the deed after it is read. The 'cyber notary' concept is mentioned in the law but no general procedure for electronic notarial deeds exists.
Can I buy land in Indonesia with an e-signature?
A preliminary agreement (PPJB) can be signed electronically, but the transfer itself must be made as a PPAT deed with the parties appearing before the PPAT, and that deed is used to register the transfer at the land office.
Is a scanned or pasted signature valid in Indonesia?
It can be evidence of agreement, but on its own it struggles to meet Article 11 because it does not make later changes detectable. Use a platform with an audit trail and a tamper-evident seal, or a PSrE certified signature for important documents.