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Most of the products can be imported to Indonesia using a general import license. Some products, however, also need additional licenses. In this article, we shed light on SNI license in Indonesia – what it is, which products are required to have one and how to acquire it.
What is an SNI license in Indonesia
In general, Indonesia allows importing the majority of products using a single import license, API Umum (API-U). API-U is granted to trade companies for importing goods with the intention of trading within Indonesia.
However, some of the products are further regulated based on the Restricted and Banned Goods list, also known as the LARTAS list. Several ministries related to products administer the LARTAS list, including:
- Ministry of Industry
- Ministry of Trade
- National Agency of Food and Drug Control (BPOM)
- Ministry of Communication and Informatics
This article looks into restrictions on import regulated by the Ministry of Industry in particular.
The Ministry of Industry requires certain products to have a National Standardization (Standar Nasional Indonesia/SNI) license before you can import and sell those products in Indonesia.
The National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (Badan Standardisasi Nasional/BSN) determines which products need an SNI license. There are two types of SNI licenses in Indonesia:
- Required
- Optional
SNI product list
In short, the purpose of the SNI certificate is to protect the consumers from poor product quality under the national safety standards.
For example, if you want to import bicycles, food and beverages, or medical equipment to Indonesia, your products need to comply with Indonesian safety standards. The same applies when you want to import toys because toys could be harmful to children’s health if they are of poor quality.
Some other products also required to have an SNI license are:
- Fans and air conditioners
- Mineral and bottled water
- Refrigerators, washing machines
- Cacao powder, instant coffee
- Helmets, tires
- Glass for building, ceramic, steel, cement
- Sugar, biscuits, palm oil
- Lamps, cables
- Toilets, water pumps
- Batteries, lighters, mirrors
- Fertilizers
If you are not sure whether your products need an SNI license or not, contact Emerhub via [email protected] for the complete SNI product list.
How to apply for an SNI license in Indonesia
The most crucial part of the process of acquiring an SNI license is the certification. Depending on the type of the product, there are several schemes for issuing the license.
For example:
|
Products |
Certification Scheme |
|
Toys (baby walkers, dolls, stuffed animals, puzzle, balloons) |
Using Scheme 1b:
|
|
Lighters and lamps |
Using Scheme 5:
|
How to import products requiring an SNI certificate to Indonesia
There are three options how you could start importing your products that require an SNI license to Indonesia.
#1 Start a company in Indonesia
Above all, only limited liability companies that are registered under the Indonesian Law can apply for SNI licenses.
The total time of setting up a company in Indonesia is roughly 6 weeks. However, if you also need additional licenses, the process of company registration can take a little longer.
As an alternative to incorporation, you can also buy a ready-made shelf company. Our previous article explains what it is and how you could also buy a shelf company in Indonesia.
Nevertheless, if you decide to start your own company, be sure to take a look at our simple guide to foreign-owned company registration to learn more about the requirements and company registration process in Indonesia.
#2 Appoint a nominee product holder
If you do not wish to set up a company in Indonesia, you can also appoint us as a nominee product holder. In other words, we will register the products for SNI using our company documents and act as your proxy. This way you do not need to set up your own legal entity or have overhead expenses that occur with running your own company.
As soon as your products are SNI registered, we can assist you with importing them by using our licenses. We will also make sure they are all customs cleared and you are able to sell them to your appointed distributors, agents or even individual customers.
#3 Importing before obtaining an SNI license in Indonesia
Emerhub can also help you import products that do not hold a valid SNI license in Indonesia yet.
However, please be advised that you cannot sell or distribute these products without an SNI label. This option works best if you want to send samples or run market testing on the products in Indonesia.
Emerhub can enable you to focus on your core business by handling the process of applying for an SNI license on your behalf. Contact us via the form below for further information about specific products or you can also proceed straight to company registration.
