Carmall.com - One says that a car is rightfully yours, while the other tells its eligibility by law for road use, those may summarise the BPKB (Buku Pemilik Kendaraan Bermotor) and the STNK (Surat Tanda Nomor Kendaraan), respectively. This article is a part of a series of articles that particularly explain the guide to car documents. The series itself will lay out basic descriptions, some practical knowledge, as well as several unfortunate experiences of car owners that can help you anticipate similar situations from happening to you.

But first, the place to go. Any arrangements of either will require you to make a visit to the SAMSAT (Sistem Administrasi Manunggal Satu Atap). SAMSAT is a one roof administration system for motorised vehicles. It's usually found as part of city/regional-level police stations.

Basic Description

BPKB represents proof of ownership of a vehicle (certificate of ownership) and is issued by the National Police via the SAMSAT where the vehicle is registered. It comes as a book, handed down through the owners, and records the ownership history of a car - provided that a process called Mutasi/Balik Nama BPKB had been conducted by a particular owner along the line - coming down to the present owner. As with other proof of ownerships, it essentially gives you the peace of mind of knowing that you can prove your rights over the car should any problems arise, as well as allows you to perform any rightful activities deriving from an ownership, such as selling, leasing, using it as collateral, as well as any other form of business and/or personal arrangements that involves the car.


This particular document should be kept at a private, safe and/or trusted place, such as a bank's safe deposit box, or a personal safe or storage for valuables at your home or office. And we simply can't stress that last sentence enough, as the process to undergo in obtaining a new one in case of a lost or stolen BPKB will involve paper and radio-advertising, and the ever-present blasted form-filling routine, on top of the usual multiple visits, patience-testing bureaucracy and the heap load of fringe requirements to prepare (statements, letters, proof of this and that, and of course copies, etc.). Wouldn't you just want to avoid that?

STNK means that the vehicle has been duly registered, its tax has been duly paid, thus issued. Among others, it will contain a set of letters and numbers that is the vehicle's registration number, as well as an expiration date, both of which will constitute a car's license plate. STNK comes as a pair with the BPKB, has an annual levied tax and a 5-year expiration period.