KBLI Codes in English: A Practical Guide for Foreign Investors in Indonesia (2026)

Foreign investors researching business registration in Indonesia consistently encounter one question that the official documentation does not answer clearly: where can I find KBLI codes in English, and how do I read them?

The Indonesian Standard Industrial Classification (Klasifikasi Baku Lapangan Usaha Indonesia or KBLI) is the foundational classification system that determines how every registered business in Indonesia is legally defined, licensed, and monitored. For foreign investors establishing a Foreign Investment Company (Perseroan Terbatas Penanaman Modal Asing or PT PMA), selecting the correct KBLI code is not an administrative step that can be revisited later. It is a decision that shapes the company’s licensing pathway, foreign ownership eligibility, minimum investment obligations, and post-incorporation compliance requirements from the moment incorporation begins.

This guide explains what KBLI codes are in plain English, how the classification system is structured, where to access KBLI information in English, which codes are most relevant for foreign investors in commonly entered sectors, and what changed under the latest update that every company operating in Indonesia must address before June 18, 2026.

What KBLI Is and Why It Matters for Foreign Investors

KBLI is Indonesia’s official system for classifying all economic activities into standardized five-digit codes. It is developed and maintained by Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik or BPS) and serves as the primary reference for business licensing across all government systems in Indonesia.

For foreign investors, KBLI is not merely a statistical instrument. Within the Online Single Submission Risk Based Approach (OSS-RBA) system, the KBLI code your company registers under determines three things that directly affect your investment:

• Risk level classification: Each KBLI code is assigned one of four risk levels: low, medium-low, medium-high, or high. This classification determines whether your company needs only a Business Identification Number (Nomor Induk Berusaha or NIB) to operate or whether it must also obtain standard certifications, operational permits, and in some cases prior approval from technical ministries.
• Foreign ownership eligibility: The Positive Investment List (Daftar Positif Investasi) maps foreign ownership permissions to KBLI codes. An incorrectly selected code can inadvertently place your business in a restricted or partnership-required category even when your intended activity is fully open to 100 percent foreign ownership.
• Minimum investment calculation: Under Investment Coordinating Board Regulation (Peraturan Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal or BKPM) Number 5 of 2025, the total investment obligation of more than IDR 10 billion applies per KBLI code per project location. The number of codes your company registers therefore has a direct impact on your capital commitment structure.

For a broader overview of how KBLI functions within Indonesia’s regulatory framework, XPND’s guide on what KBLI Indonesia is provides a comprehensive foundation. For guidance on how to select the correct code for your specific business activity, the dedicated guide on how to choose KBLI 2025 correctly covers the selection methodology in detail.

The Structure of KBLI Codes in English

Understanding how KBLI codes are structured helps foreign investors read and interpret them accurately. The system follows a five-tier hierarchy, aligned with the United Nations’ International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), which means that investors familiar with ISIC will recognize the underlying logic.

The five tiers from broadest to most specific are as follows:

• Category (Kategori): The broadest level, represented by a single letter from A to V under KBLI 2025. For example, Category C covers Manufacturing, Category G covers Wholesale and Retail Trade, and Category I covers Accommodation and Food Service Activities.
• Primary Group (Golongan Pokok): Represented by two digits. For example, 56 within Category I covers Food and Beverage Service Activities.
• Group (Golongan): Represented by three digits. For example, 561 covers Restaurants and Mobile Food Service Activities.
• Sub-group (Sub-golongan): Represented by four digits. For example, 5610 covers Restaurant and Mobile Food Service Activities at the sub-group level.
• Business Group (Kelompok): The five-digit code used in all OSS-RBA registrations, licensing determinations, and compliance filings. For example, 56101 covers Restaurants, which is the code applicable to foreign-owned F&B businesses in Indonesia.

The five-digit code is the unit that matters for every regulatory and commercial purpose. When investors, notaries, and government systems refer to a KBLI code, they are always referring to this five-digit business group level.

KBLI 2025: What Changed and Why It Affects Foreign Investors Right Now

On December 18, 2025, Statistics Indonesia issued BPS Regulation Number 7 of 2025, which replaced KBLI 2020 and introduced the updated KBLI 2025 framework. The regulation took effect immediately upon promulgation.

Under Article 5 of BPS Regulation Number 7 of 2025, all existing companies are required to align their registered KBLI classifications with the new framework within six months of the regulation’s promulgation date. This sets a mandatory compliance deadline of June 18, 2026 for all companies currently operating under KBLI 2020 codes.

The structural changes introduced by KBLI 2025 include:

• The total number of categories increased from 21 to 22. Category J, which previously covered all Information and Communication activities, has been split into two separate categories to reflect the distinction between publishing and broadcasting activities on one side and telecommunications and IT services on the other.
• Several codes have been consolidated under a “many-to-one” approach, meaning multiple KBLI 2020 codes now fall under a single KBLI 2025 code. For companies whose codes were consolidated, this can reduce LKPM reporting obligations since Investment Activity Reports (Laporan Kegiatan Penanaman Modal or LKPM) are submitted per KBLI code.
• Several other codes have been split under a “one-to-many” approach, meaning a single KBLI 2020 code now requires registration under multiple KBLI 2025 codes. For companies whose codes were split, this increases the number of licenses, investment commitments, and reporting obligations.
• New codes have been introduced to formally recognize emerging economic activities including carbon capture and storage, digital platform services, and green economy activities that were not captured under KBLI 2020.

For newly incorporated companies, including all PT PMA entities established after December 18, 2025, there is no transitional period. All notarial deeds, OSS-RBA submissions, and NIB applications must already reflect KBLI 2025 codes from the outset.

Companies that do not complete their KBLI alignment by June 18, 2026 face the risk of OSS-RBA data discrepancies, blocked license renewals and permit amendments, and complications during regulatory inspections or audits.

Where to Find KBLI Codes in English

The official KBLI documentation published by BPS is in Indonesian. There is no fully translated official English version of the complete KBLI code list. However, several reliable resources provide English-language access to KBLI information:

OSS-RBA Portal (oss.go.id). The official OSS-RBA system provides a searchable KBLI database at oss.go.id/en/kbli. The search interface is available in English and allows investors to search by keyword, sector, or code number. This is the most authoritative source for confirming which KBLI codes are currently active in the licensing system.

BPS Official Publication (s.bps.go.id/perbanKBLI2025). BPS has made the KBLI 2025 comparative table available for download at the official BPS portal. While the primary document is in Indonesian, the comparative table showing KBLI 2020 to KBLI 2025 mappings allows investors to cross-reference existing codes against the new framework.

Ministry of Investment (BKPM) Sector-Specific Guidance. For regulated sectors, the Ministry of Investment publishes sector-specific licensing guidance that references KBLI codes alongside English-language descriptions of permitted activities. This is particularly useful for investors in manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and financial services.

Practical recommendation for foreign investors. Rather than relying solely on translated code lists, the most reliable approach is to describe your intended business activities in plain English to a qualified Indonesian legal advisor, who can then map those activities to the correct five-digit KBLI codes within the current KBLI 2025 framework. Code selection errors at the incorporation stage require formal deed amendments to correct, which involve additional notarial fees and government processing time.

KBLI Codes in English: Commonly Used Sectors for Foreign Investors

The following table lists commonly selected KBLI codes for foreign investors across sectors frequently entered through PT PMA structures, with English-language descriptions based on the KBLI 2025 framework. This table is provided for illustrative purposes only. KBLI codes, descriptions, and foreign ownership eligibility are subject to change following regulatory updates. Investors should verify the correct five-digit code for their specific business activities with a qualified Indonesian legal advisor before proceeding with incorporation.

Foreign ownership percentages are subject to the Positive Investment List and may vary based on project location, investment scale, and applicable sectoral regulations. Investors should verify ownership eligibility for their specific KBLI code prior to incorporation.

For detailed KBLI requirements specific to the restaurant and F&B sector, XPND’s guide on PT PMA restaurant requirements covers licensing, capital, and operational obligations in full. For the manufacturing sector, the dedicated guide on establishing a PMA manufacturing facility provides sector-specific KBLI and licensing context.

How KBLI Selection Affects PT PMA Incorporation

For foreign investors planning a PT PMA setup in Indonesia, KBLI code selection is required before the notary can prepare the Deed of Establishment. The codes selected at this stage are embedded in the company’s articles of association and must exactly match what is subsequently registered in OSS-RBA.

Three practical implications follow from this:

Capital structure. Under BKPM Regulation Number 5 of 2025, the total investment plan of more than IDR 10 billion applies per KBLI code per project location. A company registering three KBLI codes in two locations is therefore committing to a total investment plan of more than IDR 60 billion across those registrations. Understanding this before selecting codes prevents capital planning errors that are difficult to unwind after incorporation. The full cost structure for PT PMA establishment is covered in XPND’s dedicated article on PT PMA establishment costs in 2026.

Document requirements. The KBLI code determines which sector-specific documents and permits are required before the NIB becomes fully active for commercial operations. Companies in medium-high and high-risk categories face additional pre-operational requirements that must be identified and prepared before incorporation is complete. A full breakdown of required documents for PT PMA incorporation organized by category is available separately.

Post-incorporation compliance. LKPM quarterly reporting is submitted per KBLI code. Companies with multiple codes file separate investment realization data for each. KBLI code changes after incorporation require formal amendments to the articles of association under the tightened procedures introduced by Permenkum Number 49 of 2025, making pre-incorporation code selection more consequential than it was under the previous regulatory framework.

KBLI 2025 Compliance Deadline: What Companies Must Do Before June 18, 2026

For companies already operating in Indonesia under KBLI 2020 codes, the compliance steps required before the June 18, 2026 deadline are as follows:

• Audit existing KBLI 2020 codes against the KBLI 2025 comparative table to identify whether your codes have been renumbered, consolidated, split, or removed.
• Assess the licensing and investment implications of any code changes, particularly where a split increases the number of required codes or where a consolidation reduces reporting obligations.
• Where articles of association reference KBLI codes that have changed, file a formal amendment through the notary and obtain Ministry of Law approval under Permenkum 49/2025 procedures.
• Update OSS-RBA company data to reflect KBLI 2025 codes once the Ministry of Investment completes the integration of KBLI 2025 into the OSS system.
• Ensure LKPM reporting for Q1 and Q2 2026 reflects the updated KBLI structure where applicable.

For newly incorporated companies, none of the above transitional steps apply. All incorporation documents must already reflect KBLI 2025 from the outset.

How XPND Supports KBLI Code Selection and Compliance

Selecting the correct KBLI codes in English-language terms and mapping those to the appropriate five-digit KBLI 2025 classifications requires both a precise understanding of your business activities and detailed knowledge of how the OSS-RBA system interprets each code.

XPND’s PT PMA incorporation team and business licensing team provide end-to-end support for KBLI code selection, covering:

• Mapping intended business activities described in English to the correct KBLI 2025 five-digit codes
• Verifying foreign ownership eligibility under the Positive Investment List for selected codes
• Confirming risk level classifications and identifying pre-operational permit requirements
• Preparing OSS-RBA submissions with correctly structured KBLI declarations
• Supporting existing companies through KBLI 2025 alignment before the June 18, 2026 deadline

For foreign investors at any stage of the incorporation process, a KBLI code review with XPND’s team is the most efficient way to confirm that your business activities are correctly classified before documents are filed.

Request a KBLI code review with XPND