Secretary General of the Ministry of Agrarian & Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Himawan Arief Sugoto has said that there were 126 million plots of land in Indonesia in 2021. However, the latest data from the Ministry shows that the number of land that has been certified is 72.2 million plots of land with a total area of 29,688,791 hectares. Around 54 million other plots of land are not yet certified.

These uncertified lands are generally located in rural areas. This condition has contributed to the increasing cases of land disputes, conflicts and litigation. Therefore, the central government has been encouraging Indonesian citizens to be more active in registering their land.

One of the requirements to register a land to secure its certificate is a letter called Surat Keterangan Tanah (SKT), which is a letter explaining the ownership of land. This letter is considered one form of physical evidence of a plot of land for the land registration process.

Indonesian villagers can obtain SKT through village head who oversees the village where the land is located. Government Regulation No. 24/1997 on Land Registration grants village heads the authority to issue SKT. To obtain SKT, the land owner needs to prepare several documents in advance. SKT must be applied directly by the land owner or through a representative of a family member whose name is listed on the same Kartu Keluarga, or a household membership card better knownn as KK, as the land owner.

Land Certificate Registration Requirements

Documents to apply for SKT are:

A photocopy of the valid identity card of the applicant (land owner)
Filled in form to declare the land ownership or that the land is not in dispute
Filled in a form of land plan or map showing the location of the land
Other supporting documents confirming the status of the land, such as a Land Clearing Permit or a statement of inheritance
2 duty stamps
Proof of payment of Land and Building Tax (PBB)
Cover letter from Rukun Tetangga and Rukun Warga, two neighbourhood units under the Village

After the submission of the application forms and the supporting documents, the officer will proceed with a verification process and validate the administrative requirements. If the application is considered valid, complete and with no problems, the village head will issue the SKT The applicant will need to sign, stamp and copy the SKT before obtaining it. There is no charge for the SKT application.

It should be noted that the legal power of SKT is below the land certificate (Sertifikat Tanah) in Indonesia. Land certificate is strong evidence showing a person’s ownership of land. Therefore, it is important to register and own both in order to prevent possible conflicts and land disputes.

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Procedure for the Issuance of Land Certificate from a Village Head