One certificate doesn’t always fit one plan. Parents want to divide their land among three children. A landowner wants to sell half the plot. Someone else wants to sell a large piece of land as a set of small building plots (kavling).

In each case, the original certificate needs to be split into several new ones at the Kantor Pertanahan (the district land office).

This guide is for owners planning a split, heirs who want to divide family land, and buyers interested in part of someone else’s plot. It covers the steps, the documents, the extra permits for kavling, and the things that most often hold the process up.

When a certificate needs splitting

You usually need a split when you want to:

  • Sell part of the land. The buyer is only buying part of the parcel, so that part needs its own certificate before it can be transferred.
  • Divide an inheritance. The heirs agree that each will get a separate plot instead of co-owning one parcel.
  • Create plots for sale. A large piece of land is divided into several plots with roads between them.
  • Separate parts with different uses, for example one part for a house and one for a shophouse (ruko).

Pemecahan and pemisahan: the difference

The land office uses two similar terms.

Pemecahan (splitting) means one parcel is divided into several new parcels. The original certificate is closed, and each new parcel gets its own certificate.

Pemisahan (separation) means part of the land is separated from the original parcel. The separated part gets a new certificate, while the original certificate continues with a smaller area.

You don’t need to memorise the terms. Explain your plan to the staff or a PPAT (Pejabat Pembuat Akta Tanah, the official who draws up land deeds), and they’ll suggest the right route.

The process at the land office

In general, the order is:

  1. Plan the division. Draw a simple sketch: how many plots, the size of each, and how each plot reaches a road.
  2. Apply. The right holder named on the certificate applies at the Kantor Pertanahan counter, in person or through a representative.
  3. Measurement. A surveyor from the land office visits the site. The owner is usually asked to set boundary markers (patok) at every corner of the new plots, and the neighbours on each side should be there too.
  4. New parcel data. The survey results become a parcel map and a measurement document (surat ukur) for each plot.
  5. New certificates. Each plot receives its own certificate, and the original is closed or reduced in area.

In offices that have started electronic services, the new certificates can be issued as electronic certificates.

A few small things help the measurement go smoothly. Clear the boundaries of brush, make sure the markers are easy to find, and tell the neighbours the date well ahead. Keep the receipt and file number so you can follow up.

Documents to prepare

Exact requirements vary between offices, but usually include:

  • The original certificate to be split.
  • ID cards (KTP) and family cards (Kartu Keluarga) of every right holder. If the certificate is in several names, all of them sign the application.
  • The latest PBB bill (SPPT) and payment receipt for the annual land and building tax.
  • A sketch of the planned split showing the size of each plot.
  • A power of attorney, if someone applies on your behalf.
  • The bank’s consent, if the certificate is still collateral for a loan.

Inheritance takes more steps. A certificate still in the name of a parent who has died is generally transferred first to all the heirs jointly. Then the land is split and allocated to each heir, usually with a deed of division of joint rights (akta pembagian hak bersama) made by a PPAT.

The PPAT and the land office decide the exact order. The inheritance transfer itself is explained in our guide on transferring an inherited certificate.

Splitting into many plots for sale

Splitting one parcel in two for family members is different from dividing a large stretch of land into dozens of plots for sale. For the second, many land offices ask for extra documents before they process the split, for example:

  • KKPR (Kesesuaian Kegiatan Pemanfaatan Ruang), a confirmation that the planned activity fits the spatial plan for that location.
  • A site plan approved by the local government, showing the plots, roads, drains and public facilities.
  • Land set aside for roads and public facilities as separate parcels. In some regions these are later handed over to the local government.

The rules differ between kabupaten and kota (regencies and cities). Ask the land office and the local spatial planning office before you draw up a plot layout or start offering plots.

If you’re buying plots as an investment, our guide to the gains and risks of investing in land plots covers the other side of the numbers.

Whenever you look at a plot, ask whether it already has its own certificate or is still part of the original one. The answer decides whether you can go straight to the deed of sale or need a conditional agreement first.

Costs and common hold-ups

The official fees at the land office are PNBP (Penerimaan Negara Bukan Pajak, non-tax state revenue). The government sets the tariff, and it depends partly on the land area and the type of service, such as measurement and registration. Ask the counter for a written breakdown.

If you use a PPAT or someone else to handle the paperwork, their fee is separate. Agree on it in writing at the start.

The most common hold-ups:

  • Plots with no road access. Every new plot must be reachable from a road. A plot at the back with no road will be hard to sell and hard to get a building permit for. The risks are covered in our guide to landlocked plots.
  • Plots below the minimum size. Many regions set a minimum plot area or width in a local regulation or spatial plan.
  • Boundary disputes with neighbours. Measurement can stall if a neighbour disagrees with where the markers go.
  • Protected rice fields. Rice fields designated as LP2B (Lahan Pertanian Pangan Berkelanjutan, protected food farmland) can’t simply be split into housing plots.
  • Certificate data that doesn’t match the ground, for example a different area or shape.

Buying part of a plot before the split

This happens often: you like half of someone’s land, but it’s still on one certificate. The AJB (Akta Jual Beli, the deed of sale) for that part is usually only made once the part has its own certificate. Ask the PPAT for the safest order in your case.

While you wait, protect yourself with a PPJB (Perjanjian Pengikatan Jual Beli, a conditional sale agreement) made before a notary. Make sure it states:

  • The location and size of the part you’re buying, with a sketch signed by both sides.
  • Who arranges and pays for the split.
  • A payment schedule tied to milestones, for example part after the measurement and the balance at the AJB.
  • A deadline and what happens if it’s missed, including a refund if the split can’t be done.

Don’t pay in full on a receipt before the certificate for your part is issued. The difference between the two documents is explained in our guide on AJB and PPJB.

If you’re looking for a plot, browse the land plots for sale on Vorneo and ask about the certificate status of each plot before you make an offer.