---
title: "Powers of Attorney in Indonesian Property Deals: When They Work and When to Worry"
description: "A seller can be represented by power of attorney, but not every one is accepted by the PPAT. Notarial powers, the absolute power ban, and how to check."
url: "https://vorneo.id/en/artikel/surat-kuasa-jual-beli-properti/"
lang: "en"
image: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1759429255330-51145b170dad?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1280&q=70"
---

# Powers of Attorney in Indonesian Property Deals: When They Work and When to Worry

Vorneo Property · [Legal & Documents](https://vorneo.id/en/artikel/topik/legalitas/) · 2026-10-25

The owner lives in Jakarta, works overseas, or is elderly and can't easily travel. The person you actually meet is a brother, a son or a trusted friend, holding a power of attorney.

This happens a lot, in Banjarmasin and Banjarbaru too, because many people who own land and houses in South Kalimantan now live somewhere else. A power of attorney (surat kuasa) is a legitimate way to represent a seller. It is also one of the most common routes into property fraud.

This guide covers when a power of attorney can be used, which forms are accepted, which kind is banned, and how you as the buyer can check it.

## The legal basis

Powers of attorney are governed by the Indonesian Civil Code (KUHPerdata). There are two kinds to tell apart.

A general power lets someone manage the grantor's affairs in general, such as paperwork. It is not enough to sell land or a house.

A special power covers specific acts. To transfer property, the Civil Code requires a power granted in express terms. In plain words, the document has to say clearly that the attorney may sell this particular property, and identify it: certificate number, location and area.

A power of attorney also ends in certain situations, including when the grantor revokes it or dies. That last one matters a lot, and we'll come back to it under risks.

## Private or notarial

A private power (kuasa di bawah tangan) is a document the parties write and sign themselves, sometimes over a duty stamp. A notarial power (kuasa notariil) is a deed made before a notary.

To sign the deed of sale, the AJB (Akta Jual Beli), the PPAT (Pejabat Pembuat Akta Tanah, the official who draws up land deeds) will in practice usually ask for a notarial power to sell. The notary has checked the grantor's identity and witnessed the signing, which gives the PPAT something solid to rely on. Private powers, especially unlegalised ones, are often turned down.

If the grantor lives abroad, ask the PPAT early which forms they accept, for example a deed made at an Indonesian mission or a document authenticated another way. The requirements can change, so don't guess.

One more point. If the house or land is marital property, the owner's spouse has to consent as well. A power from the husband alone isn't enough when the property was acquired during the marriage. See our guide on [property as joint marital assets](/en/artikel/properti-harta-bersama/).

## Absolute powers of attorney are banned

An absolute power of attorney (kuasa mutlak) is one the grantor can't take back, and which doesn't end even if the grantor dies. It often gives the attorney full authority to sell, rent out, pledge and enjoy the land, including for the attorney's own benefit.

Land law treats this as a disguised transfer. The land has effectively changed hands, but no sale has been registered and no tax has been paid. Using an absolute power to transfer land rights has been banned for decades, and the government regulation on land registration requires a PPAT to refuse a deed when one of the parties acts under such a power.

Absolute powers tend to turn up in informal sales and in loans secured on land. If someone offers you land on the strength of one, treat it as a red flag. The wider risks of selling without a PPAT deed are covered in our guide to [informal land sales](/en/artikel/jual-beli-tanah-bawah-tangan/).

A power to sell attached to a fully paid conditional sale agreement, the PPJB (Perjanjian Pengikatan Jual Beli), is a different situation. It sits on top of a valid main agreement, and the PPAT will assess it together with the PPJB.

## The problems that come up most

Patterns worth knowing:

- Forged powers. The owner's signature is faked, or the document copies a notary's letterhead and stamp.
- Revoked powers. The owner fell out with the attorney and revoked it, but the old document is still in circulation.
- The grantor has died. The power ended automatically, and the heirs are now the ones entitled.
- The wrong property. The certificate number or area in the power doesn't match what is on offer.
- Money that never reaches the owner. Payment goes to the attorney's account, and the owner later says they were never paid.

Other common scams are covered in our guide on [avoiding property fraud](/en/artikel/menghindari-penipuan-properti/).

## How to check a power of attorney before you pay

1. Ask for a full copy of the deed early, not just a photo of the first page.
2. Match the property details in the power against the certificate: number, holder's name, location and area.
3. Contact the notary named in the deed and ask whether a deed with that number and date was really made in their office.
4. Talk to the owner directly. A video call with their ID card in view is far better than forwarded text messages.
5. Have the PPAT check the certificate with the land office before you pay any booking money.
6. Close to the AJB date, confirm the owner is alive and the power hasn't been revoked. A long gap between the power and the AJB deserves a question.
7. Pay into an account in the name of the owner on the certificate. If it has to go elsewhere, ask for a power that expressly authorises receiving payment, and confirm with the owner directly.

If any of these steps is refused without a sensible reason, for example the owner can't be reached at all, it's better to pause the deal.

## If you're the seller granting the power

Make the power before a notary, describe the property in detail, and limit the authority: the attorney may sign the AJB for this property, at no less than a set price, with payment into your account. Keep a copy and let the PPAT know. If your plans change, revoke the power in writing and tell the notary and anyone else who needs to know.

## Wrapping up

A power of attorney is legal and often makes life easier, especially for owners who live far from South Kalimantan. What matters is that it is specific, notarial, not an absolute power, and that you've checked it with both the notary and the owner. Bring the PPAT in early, since they decide whether the power can be used for the AJB. Their role is explained in our guide on [notaries and PPATs](/en/artikel/peran-notaris-ppat/).

If you're looking at a house or land being sold through an attorney, the Vorneo Property team can help you work through the checks.

## Common Questions

### Can a house sale in Indonesia be signed by someone holding a power of attorney?

Yes, as long as the power is specific to selling that property, says so in express terms, and takes a form the PPAT accepts. In practice, PPATs usually ask for a power to sell made before a notary, not one the parties wrote themselves.

### What is an absolute power of attorney and why is it banned?

An absolute power of attorney (kuasa mutlak) can't be revoked and doesn't end when the grantor dies, so in effect it transfers the land without a real, registered sale. It is banned for transferring land rights, and a PPAT must refuse to draw up a deed based on one.

### How do I check that a seller's power of attorney is genuine and still valid?

Get a copy of the full deed, call the notary who made it to confirm it, and speak to the owner directly, at least by video call. Close to the AJB date, make sure the owner is still alive and hasn't revoked the power.

## Related Articles

- [AJB Costs and PPAT Fees: The Breakdown and Who Pays](https://vorneo.id/en/artikel/biaya-ppat-dan-akta-jual-beli/)
- [KDB, KLB and GSB Explained: How Much Can You Build on Your Land](https://vorneo.id/en/artikel/kdb-klb-dan-gsb/)
- [NJOP, Market Price and Bank Appraisal: The Difference and When Each Is Used](https://vorneo.id/en/artikel/njop-harga-pasar-dan-appraisal/)

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