Building permits: IMB and PBG explained
What the building permit is, what replaced IMB, and how to check a permit matches the building.
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What the permit is for
A building permit records that the authorities approved a specific structure, on a specific plot, to a specific set of drawings. It is the document that connects what is standing on the land to what was allowed to be built there.
IMB and PBG
IMB (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan) was the long-standing building permit. It has been replaced by PBG (Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung) under newer building regulations, with SLF (a certificate of functional worthiness) covering the completed structure. Older properties will still show an IMB; newer ones a PBG.
Check the drawings against the building
The single most useful check is comparing the permit drawings with what actually exists. Extensions, extra floors and converted staff quarters frequently never made it into the paperwork.
- Footprint and number of floors.
- Setbacks from the road and from neighbouring boundaries.
- Pool and any secondary structures.
- Declared use — a permit for a dwelling does not by itself cover commercial operation.
When something does not match
A mismatch is common and is not always fatal, but it is a price and a risk item. Regularising an unpermitted extension takes time and money, and until it is done the discrepancy sits with whoever owns the building.
Before you rely on any of this
Permit rules and transitional arrangements have changed repeatedly. Have a licensed notary/PPAT or a local architect confirm the current status of the specific property. This article is informational only.