Buying
Due diligence: what to check before any money moves
The checks a notary runs, the ones they do not, and the order to do them in.
Updated 21 September 2026 · 2 min read
The order that matters
Most failed purchases in Bali fail on something knowable. The sequence below is ordered by how expensive the surprise is, not by how easy the check is.
- Certificate authenticity and the registered owner's identity, verified at the land office.
- Zoning: green belt, residential, tourism. Green belt land cannot lawfully carry a commercial villa.
- Encumbrances: is the certificate pledged against a loan?
- Legal access: a right of way in the title, with a usable width.
- Boundaries: a fresh survey, not the fence line. Fences move.
- Water: source, yield, and whether a well is permitted.
- For anything built: the building permit, and that what stands matches what was approved.
What a notary does not do unless asked
A PPAT verifies title and executes the deed. They are not obliged to tell you the road is too narrow for a cement truck, that the neighbouring plot is zoned for a nightclub, or that the well runs dry in August. Those are your questions, and they are worth asking before the deed, not after.
Common questions
How long does due diligence take in Bali?
Two to four weeks is normal for a clean title. Longer if the certificate is inherited, subdivided, or pledged. Any seller who will not wait that long is telling you something.
Can I do due diligence myself?
You can do the zoning and access questions yourself. Title verification must go through a licensed notary with land office access.
General information, not legal advice.