As 2026 begins, Indonesia's trade regulations are undergoing historic tightening. According to the latest Regulation No. 92 of 2025 issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, starting March 31, 2026, imported goods remaining in port for over 30 days without completing customs clearance will be forcibly transferred to customs-supervised warehouses. Goods still unprocessed after 90 days will face final disposal through auction, destruction, or nationalization. This regulation aims to eradicate the persistent problem of port congestion. For exporters, cross-border e-commerce operators, and logistics service providers, a rigorous test of timeliness and compliance has commenced.
I. Core Tightening: 30-Day Deadline and Tiered Disposal
The most significant change in this regulation is the drastic reduction of the buffer period for imported goods at ports. The regulations explicitly state that all imported goods remaining in temporary port storage areas beyond 30 days—whether due to missing declaration documents, lack of customs clearance approval, or violations of import/export restrictions (e.g., missing SNI certification or import licenses)—will be forcibly designated as “non-controlled goods” by customs.
Once labeled as such, the goods face an extremely passive disposal process:
Mandatory Transfer and Billing: Goods will first be forcibly transferred from temporary storage to customs-supervised warehouses. Storage fees will accrue daily starting from the transfer date.
60-Day Remediation Period: After transfer to supervised warehouses, customs grants owners a final 60-day remediation period to submit all missing documents, pay all outstanding duties and penalties, or resolve any compliance issues.
Final Disposition: If clearance remains incomplete after 60 days, prohibited goods are confiscated by the state. Non-prohibited goods with economic value are publicly auctioned by customs, with owners forfeiting rights to reclaim goods or auction proceeds. Goods lacking economic value or spoiled goods are directly destroyed.
Notably, even goods rejected by buyers or unable to be returned will be subject to the above provisions if they remain unprocessed at the port for over 30 days.
II. Regulatory Storm: Doubled Inspection Intensity and Internal Overhaul
The new regulations are not isolated policies but part of the Indonesian government's systematic “combination of measures” to boost fiscal revenue and protect the domestic market. Indonesia's customs oversight environment is currently undergoing an unprecedented storm.
Inspection intensity has been comprehensively upgraded. To support the new regulations, core ports such as Tanjung Priok in Jakarta and Tanjung Perak in Surabaya have implemented near-100% container inspections for high-risk categories including textiles, electronics, cosmetics, ceramics, and children's toys. Simultaneously, customs authorities have activated a dual-intelligence inspection system combining X-ray scanning with AI analysis. Container scan images are uploaded in real time to a central data center for analysis, significantly reducing opportunities for human intervention.
Internal restructuring efforts are unprecedented. Reports indicate approximately 16,000 customs personnel face suspension risks, with large-scale replacements already occurring at ports like Semarang. This internal turmoil has directly led to increasingly stringent enforcement at the front lines, making the severity of the current customs clearance “red light period” far greater than in previous years.
III. Emergency Response Guide for Enterprises
Facing the critical effective date of March 31, we issue an urgent alert to all enterprises engaged in Indonesia trade and propose the following four response recommendations:
Strictly adhere to the 30-day customs clearance deadline: Completely abandon the gamble of “shipping goods first and waiting for certificates later.” Set 30-day clearance as a mandatory target and establish a countdown tracking mechanism for goods arriving at port.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
