Indonesia's Trade Ministry orders e‑commerce platforms to block unlicensed sellers

Indonesia's Ministry of Trade has issued Regulation No. 19 of 2026, effective 8 June 2026, requiring every merchant selling on e‑commerce platforms to hold a Nomor Induk Berusaha (NIB). The ministry instructed platforms to reject the registration of sellers who do not possess this licence.

A transition period of 18 months is granted to merchants already operating on platforms, and a six‑month period for new entrants. The NIB can be obtained free of charge through the online Single Submission (OSS) system. Minister Budi Santoso said, “E‑commerce wajib menolak pendaftaran pedagang yang belum memiliki perizinan berusaha sesuai ketentuan peraturan perundang‑undangan,” and added that having an NIB “menegakkan regulasi sekaligus membuka kesempatan akses yang lebih luas terhadap pembiayaan hingga program pembinaan dan kemitraan di pasar digital.”

The regulation aims to improve legal compliance, consumer trust, and enable merchants to access financing, government assistance, training, and partnership opportunities.