Bali Helmet & Passenger Rules Every Rider Should Know

A handful of rules account for most of the traffic fines issued to scooter riders in Bali, and all of them are easy to avoid once you know them. Helmets are mandatory for both the rider and any passenger, full stop. Riding without one, or carrying a passenger without one, typically carries a fine of around IDR 250,000 per unhelmeted person. Every KanggiGo Rental booking includes a helmet for each rider — bring it along even for a five-minute trip to the shop. Only one passenger is permitted on a standard scooter. Three-up riding, common as it looks in photos of local families, is against the law for anyone renting a bike, tourist or otherwise. Using a mobile phone while riding — even briefly, at a red light — carries one of the steeper fines, around IDR 750,000, and can carry a custodial penalty in more serious cases. If you need to check a map, pull over safely first, or use a phone mount that doesn't require you to hold the device. Running a red light or ignoring road markings is fined at roughly IDR 500,000. Bali's intersections can be chaotic and rules of right-of-way aren't always obvious to visitors, so when in doubt, slow down and give way rather than push through a gap. None of these rules are unusual by international standards — they're broadly the same expectations you'd find riding a scooter anywhere else. The main difference in Bali is the volume of checkpoints, which makes consistent habits worth building from day one.