What is the building height limit in Bali?
Fifteen meters above ground. Article 100(2) of Bali's provincial spatial plan, Regulation 2/2023 for 2023–2043, says building height is generally limited to 15 meters above the ground surface where the building stands. It applies to villas, apartments and hotels alike.
You'll still see older articles quote Article 95 of Perda 16/2009. That was the predecessor plan, and Perda 2/2023 replaced it. The number didn't change, but the article number did, so cite the current one in any contract. Our zoning guide shows where the limit sits among Bali's other caps.
Source: Perda Bali 2/2023, Article 100, via Tarubali (Bali provincial spatial planning portal), January 17, 2024; IDN Times Bali, July 13, 2026; detikProperti
How is the 15 meters measured?
From the ground to the point where the vertical wall plane meets the sloping roof plane. That is Article 100(3), and the Tarubali portal describes it as room for traditional Balinese roof forms. Read literally, it is the eave line, not the ridge. Confirm how the permit office reads it for your roof before you design around it.
The ground level can move too. The text says the ground surface at the building's site, so ask whether the plans measure from natural grade or from fill. Under PP 16/2021, Articles 19 and 22, building height is one of five intensity limits, alongside coverage, floor area, green area and basement coverage, all listed in the plot's city-plan information (KRK).
Source: Perda Bali 2/2023, Article 100(3); PP 16/2021, Articles 19 and 22; Tarubali, January 17, 2024
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How many floors does 15 meters allow?
Four or five. At a floor-to-floor height of 3 meters, five levels fit with nothing left for a pitched roof. With a raised plinth and roof structure, four is more common. Detik puts it at about four storeys.
Bisnis reported in 2020 that Bali hotels and condotels averaged no more than five floors. The floor count follows the height rule, and the zoning ratios on top, which we cover under building ratios, usually cut it further.
| Floor-to-floor height | Levels within 15 m |
|---|---|
| 3.0 m | 5 |
| 3.5 m | 4 |
| 4.0 m | 3 |
Source: detikProperti; Bisnis.com, May 12, 2020; Rise Real Bali arithmetic
Who can build above 15 meters in Bali?
A short list of public-purpose buildings. Article 100 exempts airport and navigation facilities, religious buildings, defense and security structures, disaster mitigation and monitoring, telecommunications and ship-safety towers, and power generation and transmission. Hospitals may rise too, up to five floors. Governor's regulations may add further special buildings in designated zones.
Homes and hotels aren't on the list. A telecom mast can stand well past the limit, and one reported example is the 115 meter Turyapada Tower. A villa or apartment block can't. If a render shows a tower, or a rooftop floor above the fifth level, ask which approval allows it before you pay.
Source: Perda Bali 2/2023, Article 100, via Tarubali and IDN Times Bali, July 13, 2026; detikProperti
Why does Bali cap building height?
The regulation gives its own reasons: harmony of airspace and aviation safety, the sanctity of holy places, community comfort and Bali's natural landscape. Behind them sits Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese idea of balance between people, nature and the spiritual world. The coconut palm is the cultural yardstick, and 15 meters is roughly one.
The cap has a cost. Developers who can't build up build out, and REI Bali, the real estate association, warned in 2020 that sprawl eats farmland. It had spent six years lobbying for a revision without agreement. Our market report tracks how zoning pressure shows up in prices.
Source: Perda Bali 2/2023, Article 100; detikProperti; Bisnis.com, May 12, 2020
What does the limit protect for a buyer, and what doesn't it?
It keeps towers out. No high-rise will go up on the next plot, so a low-rise skyline is the long-term default. That supports the character most owners paid for.
It doesn't protect your view. A neighbor can still build four or five levels, within the plot's setbacks and ratios. If the view is in the price, check what the plots in front of you may legally hold. The detailed plan is free to read on the GISTARU map. Then write the plot position and the setbacks into the contract.
Source: Rise Real Bali due diligence practice
Could the limit rise to 45 meters?
Parliament floated it. Nobody has decided. In May 2026 the provincial parliament's special committee on spatial planning, assets and licensing proposed height zoning that allows up to 45 meters in parts of the coast. Reports name the Tabanan and Gianyar coasts, parts of Sanur, Nusa Dua and south Kuta. The stated purpose was tall buildings that could double as tsunami shelters, and buildings above five floors would pay compensation to local government.
The committee itself called it only an idea. Bali's Hindu council called a jump from 15 to 45 meters dramatic and asked for scientific study first. Loosening isn't new: in 2018 the parliament planned an exemption limited to hospitals, educational buildings and government offices. The 15 meter limit stands, and a change would take a new regulation. Look at Sanur and Nusa Dua if you want to watch the debate.
Source: WhatsNewIndonesia, May 7, 2026; IDN Times Bali, June 3, 2026; IDN Times Bali, December 13, 2018
What happens to a building that exceeds the limit?
A villa taller than its PBG departs from its permit. The penalties for building against the plan run from warnings to demolition, and our zoning guide sets out the ladder. The certificate of occupancy (SLF) follows an inspection that compares the finished building with its approval.
For a buyer, the point is simple. If a seller hands you a building taller than its approved drawings, you inherit that problem along with the keys. Ask for the SLF, check the floor count against the PBG drawings and put any gap to the seller in writing before you pay.
Source: PP 16/2021; Rise Real Bali zoning and PBG guides
How do you check a villa's height before you pay?
Ask for the building approval (PBG) and the elevation drawings. Find the height marks and the floor count. Ask which ground level they start from, and compare the total with 15 meters. For an off-plan project, repeat the check at handover with a tape. Our handover checklist shows where it fits.
A difference between the drawings and the building is a question for the developer, in writing. The PBG and SLF guide explains the papers. To compare finished and off-plan options, see our property listings.
Source: PP 16/2021, Articles 19 and 22; Rise Real Bali practice
What this means for buyers
- The limit is 15 meters above ground under Article 100 of Perda 2/2023. It covers villas, apartments and hotels.
- Height runs to where the wall meets the sloping roof. That fits about four or five floors.
- Towers, temples, hospitals and a few public-purpose buildings are exempt. Homes and hotels are not.
- A 45 meter idea for some coastal zones has no decision. The limit won't guard your view, so check the plots around you.
FAQ
Why can't buildings in Bali rise higher than a coconut tree, and is that the actual law?
The regulation cites airspace safety, the sanctity of holy places, community comfort and Bali's landscape, all tied to Tri Hita Karana. The coconut palm is a cultural yardstick: 15 meters is roughly one. The law itself states the number, not the tree, so the legal limit is 15 meters above ground.
How many floors can you build in Bali?
The law caps height, not floors. At a floor-to-floor height of 3 meters, 15 meters holds five levels with no pitched roof, and four is more common once a plinth and roof structure are added. Hospitals are the exception, allowed up to five floors above the limit.
Can hotels and apartments exceed 15 meters in Bali?
No. Article 100 of Perda 2/2023 exempts only public-purpose buildings such as airport facilities, religious buildings, defense structures, disaster monitoring, telecom towers, power facilities and hospitals up to five floors. Hotels and apartments follow the general 15 meter cap, so a render with a tall tower deserves questions.
Is the Bali height limit going up to 45 meters?
Not yet. In 2026 a parliamentary special committee floated up to 45 meters in parts of the coast, including Tabanan, Gianyar, Sanur, Nusa Dua and south Kuta. Its chair called it an idea, and Bali's Hindu council asked for scientific study first. The 15 meter limit remains the law.
Does the 15 meter rule protect my ocean view?
Only partly. It stops towers, but a neighbor can still build four or five levels within the plot's setbacks and ratios. Check what the plots in front of you may hold on the GISTARU zoning map, then write the plot position and the setbacks into your contract.
How we know this
The 15 meter limit, its measuring rule and the exemptions come from Article 100 of Provincial Regulation 2/2023, as quoted by the Bali provincial spatial planning portal (Tarubali, January 2024) and by IDN Times Bali (July 2026). Older sources, including some we first consulted, cite Article 95 of Perda 16/2009, the superseded plan. The eave-line reading of the measuring rule and the floor counts are our own interpretation and arithmetic, and the permit office's reading governs. The 45 meter proposal comes from two press reports that differ slightly on the zones and on the date, May 7 against June 3, 2026. Bisnis's figures date from 2020. We didn't check the 115 meter tower figure beyond one report. This isn't legal advice.
- Perda Bali 2/2023 on the Bali spatial plan 2023–2043, Article 100, via Tarubali, January 17, 2024
- IDN Times Bali, on the 15 meter rule and its exemptions, July 13, 2026
- PP 16/2021 on building implementation, Articles 19 and 22, intensity limits and KRK
- WhatsNewIndonesia, Bali discusses new building height policy, May 7, 2026; IDN Times Bali, June 3, 2026
- Bisnis.com, why apartments are hard to build in Bali, May 12, 2020; detikProperti on the coconut tree rule
By Dmitrii Rogov, Rise Real Bali.
Rise Real Bali is a real estate agency in Bali. We write from the deals we handle and from public data, and we name our sources.
This report is published under the CC BY 4.0 license. You may quote, republish and use the figures and text commercially if you credit "Rise Real Bali", name the license and link to this page. Photos and renderings are not covered by the license: their rights belong to the developers and other rights holders.
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