Short answer: Indonesia's national Criminal Code is Law No. 1 of 2023. It took effect on 2 January 2026, but the 2023 text must be checked against Law No. 1 of 2026, Constitutional Court decisions, and applicable implementing regulations.
Official Indonesian text and free English reference
Both files are available directly. The unofficial English reference opens without a password, and you do not have to provide an email address. If you want notice of a substantive update, you can use the separate optional email form.
Download official Indonesian PDF
Download the free English reference
No email or opening password is required. The PDF is an unofficial, non-consolidated reference; the official Indonesian text prevails. Copying and editing are restricted, while printing is allowed.
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Why I prepared this reference
I repeatedly encounter matters involving foreign nationals where Indonesian criminal-law concepts must be explained to a client, foreign counsel, or an overseas office. Lawyers also need defensible English terminology for legal opinions, cross-border correspondence, and case summaries.
The problem I encounter is not simply one of language. KUHP is still confused with KUHAP, and some English sources do not state the effective date, later changes, or what the translation leaves out. I use this page as an entry point to the sources, not as a substitute for legal research.
— Moch Hikmat Gumilar
Legal translator, LegalTrans.id
+62 811 174 361 · hikmat@legaltrans.id
What is current—and what the PDF does not include
Law No. 1 of 2023 was promulgated on 2 January 2023 and took effect three years later. For a current legal position, do not stop at that file.
- Law No. 1 of 2023—the principal Criminal Code
- Law No. 1 of 2026—criminal-law adjustments
- Government Regulation No. 55 of 2025—living law criteria
- Constitutional Court Decision No. 275/PUU-XXIII/2025—an example affecting Article 220(1)
The English PDF translates the 2023 text as promulgated. It is not consolidated with Law No. 1 of 2026 or later court decisions.
KUHP and KUHAP are different laws
| Point | KUHP | KUHAP |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Offences, responsibility, and sentencing | Investigation, prosecution, trial, and remedies |
| Current principal law | Law 1/2023, read with later changes | Law 20/2025 |
| Common mistake | Using the former code or unamended wording | Still treating Law 8/1981 as current |
What I actually checked in the English file
I worked from the existing English DOCX and checked problem passages against the official Indonesian text. On 1 October 2026, I recorded 56 corrections that needed manual intervention: truncated sentences, incorrect article references, figures that did not match the words in brackets, and wording that could shift the meaning.
The rest was mainly document repair. I corrected grammar, spacing, punctuation, and recurring wording in 1,017 paragraphs. I replaced 574 variants of Clear enough, Clear, and Sufficiently clear with Self-explanatory. I also removed 255 old decorative objects that contained no legal text but left lines or other artefacts when the document was rendered.
After producing the PDF, I reviewed all 262 pages in 14 contact sheets and opened anything that looked odd at full size. I looked for blank pages, clipped text, text hidden by graphics, and remnants of the old maroon lines. This was not an article-by-article legal-equivalence review by two independent legal-language reviewers. Terms such as criminal offense and crime, punishment and penalty, and official and officer still need to be chosen for the provision and the intended use.
When a purpose-specific legal translation is needed
The free file is suitable for orientation, preliminary research, and internal communication. A provision intended for an opinion, pleading, police examination, evidence, transaction, or rights-affecting decision should be checked against the current Indonesian text and translated for that purpose.
Not every legal document requires a sworn translation. The recipient, forum, evidentiary rules, and intended use determine the requirement. Oral communication in police, court, or arbitration proceedings may require a competent interpreter rather than a written sworn translation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Indonesia's 2023 Criminal Code now in force?
Yes. Law No. 1 of 2023 took effect on 2 January 2026. For current use, read it with Law No. 1 of 2026, relevant Constitutional Court decisions, and implementing regulations.
Is this English translation official?
No. It is an unofficial, non-consolidated reference translation. The official Indonesian text prevails.
Does the PDF incorporate Law No. 1 of 2026?
No. It translates Law No. 1 of 2023 as promulgated and must be checked against later amendments and decisions.
What is the difference between KUHP and KUHAP?
KUHP governs offences, criminal responsibility, and sentencing. KUHAP governs investigation, prosecution, trial, remedies, and other criminal procedure.
Must every KUHP quotation be translated by a sworn translator?
Not necessarily. The requirement depends on the recipient, forum, intended use, and evidentiary rules. Internal research may use a reviewed working translation; an official filing may require a sworn translation.
How can I request verification of a particular article?
Send the article number, intended use, recipient, target language, and deadline to hikmat@legaltrans.id so the scope can be assessed.
LegalTrans · Indonesia–English
Need a current, purpose-specific KUHP translation?
Send the provisions, intended reader, forum, and deadline. We will clarify whether you need a reviewed working translation or a sworn translation.
Discuss the scopeDisclaimer: General information only, not legal advice. Check official sources and current law for a specific matter.