The SIM C practical test in force today has five stages according to Korlantas, Indonesia's national traffic police: a vehicle check, braking, a U-turn, a combined bend known as the S-track, and reaction braking with an avoidance swerve. The licensing regulation passes an applicant only with zero mistakes on every section, so one foot on the tarmac or one clipped marker means a retake.
- The course layout changed on 4 August 2023: the figure-eight became an S-shaped track, the slalom was dropped for SIM C, and lanes widened to 2.5 times the width of the motorcycle.
- Before the scored test, Police Regulation 5/2021 gives you an explanation of the procedure and scoring plus up to two trial runs on the test ground.
- The mistakes that most often end a test are small ones: a foot coming down too early, a wheel crossing the line, or a marker knocked over.
- Every section can be rebuilt on an empty, closed lot using cones or water bottles, chalk and a tape measure, well away from public traffic.
Four numbers that shape your SIM C practical test
Section by section: what is scored, what fails you, how to practise
| Test section | What the examiner watches | Mistakes that fail you | Empty-lot drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle check | Engine oil, brake fluid, indicators, headlight, tail light, tyre pressure and mirror position. An SNI-certified helmet with the strap fastened is part of your preparation. | A bike with a faulty light or weak brakes costs you time and focus before the course even starts. | Run through the same seven points in the same order before every practice until you can do it without a note. |
| Braking | Front and rear brakes applied together and smoothly, bringing the bike to a stop in the marked box after the REM sign. | A foot touching the ground before the bike is fully still, or the front wheel rolling past the STOP line. | Chalk a straight lane of about 20 metres with a REM mark and a STOP line, then stop on the same spot again and again. |
| U-turn | Eyes on the exit of the turn, with light throttle and the rear brake keeping the bike slow and upright. | A reflex foot-down as the bike slows, or a tyre drifting over the boundary of the turn. | Cone off a tight turning space of roughly 10 metres. Start wider than that and narrow it step by step. |
| Combined bend (S-track) | Steady low-speed throttle, the rear brake as a stabiliser, and clean changes of direction through three curves. | Clipping a marker or cone, leaving the lane, or putting a foot down when the bike wobbles mid-curve. | Lay out three S-shaped curves over about 35 metres with water bottles as markers and ride them in both directions. |
| Reaction and avoidance braking | Reflexes and focus when an officer suddenly signals left or right with a light or a flag. | Turning the wrong way, putting a foot down, or hitting a marker in a moment of panic at the fork. | Have a friend stand where the lane ends and raise a left or right hand at random just before you arrive. |
| Riding habits throughout | Looking right and left before moving off, indicators used at each stage, and balance held from start to finish. | Official guidance lists head checks and indicators as things you must do. Treat both as part of the score. | Make the head check and indicator part of every practice lap so your body does them without a reminder. |
The stage order follows the Korlantas guide of 8 November 2026. Course lengths come from the layout detikOto reported when the new format launched in August 2023, and individual licensing offices may differ. Use the figures as practice targets and check them against the real course during your trial runs.
The two practical stages and the rules behind them
The SIM C practical test is governed by Police Regulation No. 5 of 2021 on the issuance and marking of driving licences. A first-time applicant must pass a theory test, a skills test on a simulator where one is available, and the practical test. The theory part is taken on a computer with a minimum pass mark of 70. The practical part takes place on a test ground or on a designated stretch of road, scored manually, electronically or both. Police Regulation No. 2 of 2023 later split the practical test in two. Practical test 1 happens on the test ground at the licensing office (Satpas), and that is where the five stages in the table above are assessed. Practical test 2 takes place on a public road. In January 2025 the head of the SIM sub-directorate at Korlantas, Kombes Heru Sutopo, said the on-road test was already in force nationwide. We have not found a detailed public description of how practical test 2 is scored, so this guide does not guess. What the regulation does guarantee is that officers explain the procedure, the scoring system and a sample run before you start. Listen closely and ask about anything that is unclear. The course itself was redesigned in 2023. On 21 June that year, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo asked Korlantas to review the figure-eight and slalom sections. The new format was first used at the Daan Mogot licensing office in Jakarta on 4 August 2023 and applied across Indonesia from 7 August 2023. The head of Korlantas at the time, Inspector General Firman Santyabudi, explained that the sections now run as one continuous sequence modelled on everyday road conditions. Lanes were also widened from 1.5 to 2.5 times the width of the vehicle. On test day, the practical comes fairly late in the queue. The Korlantas SIM Guide sets out the order: registration and document checks, payment of the state fee, identification with photo, fingerprints and digital signature, the computer-based theory test, then the practical test and licence printing. You can start the application in the Digital Korlantas app, yet a first-time applicant still has to attend the licensing office in person for identification and testing. By the time you reach the course you may have been waiting for hours. Bring water, eat something before you leave, and stretch your wrists and shoulders before your turn. A body stiff from sitting makes the throttle and brakes feel harsher than they did in practice. The most useful way to train follows the order of the course. Get braking right on a straight lane first, since brake control underpins both the U-turn and the S-track. Then work on U-turns in an ever smaller space, move on to the combined bend, and finish with avoidance reactions, which need a friend to give signals. In the last few sessions before the test, link all four into one lap without stopping, the way the current format runs at the licensing office. Korlantas also counts an SNI-certified helmet with a fastened strap as part of test preparation, and the reason reaches well beyond the test ground: the WHO reports that wearing a helmet correctly cuts the risk of death in a crash by more than six times and the risk of brain injury by up to 74 percent.
Old format versus today's course: what got easier and what still takes work
- The notoriously hard figure-eight has been replaced by an S-shaped track, a movement you already meet in narrow lanes and housing-estate bends.
- The slalom section was removed from the SIM C test. The change applies to motorcycles only, since the SIM A car test still includes a zigzag.
- Lanes are now 2.5 times the width of the vehicle, so a small steering correction no longer puts a wheel straight onto the line.
- The sections run as one flow that resembles real roads, which means test practice also builds the habits you need for daily riding.
- The regulation requires a briefing on procedure with a sample run, plus up to two trial runs on the ground before you are scored.
- The pass rule is as strict as ever: no mistakes on any section, so a single wobble is enough to be marked as not yet passing.
- The ban on putting a foot down early still applies under the new format, and it happens most often as the bike slows in the U-turn.
- The avoidance section uses a sudden signal from the officer, so you cannot memorise the direction at home.
- The turning space stays tight, roughly 10 metres including the bend, so throttle and rear-brake control have to be very smooth.
- Practical test 2 on a public road is in force nationwide according to Korlantas, so head checks and indicators carry real weight.
Drilling the four SIM C course sections on an empty lot
Braking to a stop in the box
The 2023 layout reports describe a straight 20-metre lane with markers 2.5 metres apart, a REM sign, a yellow box and a STOP line. Recreate it in chalk: mark a start line, write REM about two thirds of the way along, then draw the stopping box and STOP line at the end. Ride in at a slow, steady speed, squeeze the front and rear brakes together and progressively as the front wheel passes REM, and keep both feet on the pegs until the bike is completely still. Count one, two in your head before a foot goes down, to break the habit of reaching for the ground. Do ten runs, then move REM a little closer to the box so that stopping in a shorter distance starts to feel normal. Keep a tally of how often the front wheel crosses STOP and work that number down.
U-turn in a tight space
The current U-turn is reported as 10 metres long including a 2-metre bend, with markers 3 metres apart. Start with a roomier space, say twice that size, and shrink it a little each time you manage five clean runs in a row with no foot down. The secret is in your eyes: look at the exit of the turn from the moment you start leaning, because a motorcycle follows your gaze. Staring at the front tyre or the painted line almost always makes the circle wider. Keep a thin, steady throttle and use the rear brake to set the speed. That pairing of throttle and rear brake keeps the bike upright at walking pace and quiets the reflex that wants a foot on the ground.
S-track or combined bend
Korlantas now calls this section the combined bend, while the SIM Guide and 2023 news coverage call it the S-track or letter S. The 2023 layout reports give a length of about 35 metres with three S-shaped manoeuvres. Draw three curves in chalk, set water bottles as markers on the outside of each curve, and make the lane about 2.5 times as wide as the motorcycle you ride. Take it with steady throttle at low speed and the rear brake as your stabiliser. Keep off hard front braking while the handlebars are turned. Once one direction feels easy, ride it the other way too, since many riders are stiffer turning left than right. If the licensing office where you will be tested runs a coaching clinic for trying the S-track, take the opportunity.
Reaction braking and avoidance
This section is reported as a short straight followed by an avoidance lane of about 4 metres that forks at the end, roughly 24 metres in total. An officer gives a sudden signal with a light or a flag, and you turn left or right as directed. It tests reflexes and concentration, so the drill needs a second person. Ask a friend to wait beyond the fork and raise a left or right hand at random just before you reach the fork. Begin very slowly and concentrate on reading the signal first, then add a little speed once choosing a direction feels automatic. Practise a light brake before the turn as well, so the bike never enters the fork too fast.
Checklist before you head to the licensing office for your SIM C test
- Your original ID card (KTP) with a photocopy, and the application form if you did not register through the Digital Korlantas app.
- A physical health certificate from a police-appointed doctor or through e-Rikkes.
- A psychological test certificate from the licensing office or e-Ppsi, valid for up to six months under Police Regulation 5/2021.
- Proof of active JKN or BPJS Kesehatan national health insurance membership.
- An SNI-certified helmet that fits, with the chin strap fastened and locked.
- Neat clothes with a collar and closed shoes. Leave shorts and flip-flops at home.
- A bike that has been checked: oil, brake fluid, indicators, headlight, tail light, tyre pressure and mirrors.
- A plan to use both trial runs on the ground to read the marker spacing and lane width at that office.
- One reminder note on your phone: feet on the pegs, eyes on the exit, rear brake for balance.
- The SIM C practical test now has five stages: vehicle check, braking, U-turn, combined bend or S-track, and reaction braking with avoidance.
- Passing requires zero mistakes on every section, so an early foot-down or a clipped marker is enough to need a retake.
- Since August 2023 the figure-eight has become an S-track, the slalom is gone for SIM C, and lanes are 2.5 times the vehicle's width.
- Applicants are entitled to a briefing on procedure and up to two trial runs on the ground before the scored test.
- Anyone who does not pass may retake the practical test at most twice within 14 working days, counted from the day after the result.
- All four course sections can be drilled on a closed lot with cones or bottles, chalk and a tape measure, away from public roads.
Questions about the SIM C practical test
What does the SIM C practical test cover now?
The Korlantas guide dated 8 November 2026 lists five stages in order: a vehicle check, braking, a U-turn, a combined bend, and reaction braking with avoidance. The combined bend is the section the SIM Guide and 2023 news reports call the S-track or letter S. Throughout the course the examiner also watches your balance, your habit of looking right and left before moving off, combined braking technique, and indicators used at the right stage.
Are the figure-eight and slalom still part of the SIM C test?
No. The figure-eight was replaced by an S-shaped track and the slalom was removed from the SIM C practical test. The new format was first used at the Daan Mogot licensing office on 4 August 2023 and applied nationwide from 7 August 2023. The change covers motorcycles only. According to Korlantas, the SIM A car test still includes a zigzag, parallel parking, bay parking and a hill start.
Why does a foot touching the ground fail the test straight away?
Police Regulation 5/2021 says an applicant passes the practical test only with no mistakes on any of the sections tested. Putting a foot down too early counts as a mistake, as do a wheel crossing the line and a marker being clipped. The head of Korlantas confirmed in 2023 that the foot rule still applies under the new format. When the bike feels unsteady, add a touch of brake, keep the throttle smooth, and keep your feet on the pegs until you have fully stopped.
If I fail, how many times can I retake the practical test?
Under Article 19(4) of Police Regulation 5/2021, an applicant who does not pass may retake the practical test at most twice within 14 working days, counted from the day after the result. Results are announced as soon as you finish, so you know which section went wrong. Use the gap before the retake to drill that particular section on an empty lot.
What is practical test 2 on the public road?
Police Regulation No. 2 of 2023 splits the practical test into practical test 1 on the test ground and practical test 2 on a public road. In January 2025 the head of the Korlantas SIM sub-directorate said the on-road test was in force nationwide. We could not find detailed scoring criteria for this stage in the official sources we read, so rely on the officers' briefing before the test. Head checks, indicators and safe following distance remain the safest preparation.
How can I practise the S-track without access to the official course?
Find a flat, closed area such as a large yard or an empty car park where the manager has given permission. Bring a tape measure, chalk and five to eight water bottles to use as markers. Draw three curves over about 35 metres with a lane 2.5 times the width of your motorcycle. Ride it slowly with steady throttle, use the rear brake to stay balanced, and look toward the next curve before you finish the current one.
Which documents and gear should I bring to the licensing office?
The Korlantas SIM Guide lists your original ID card with a photocopy, the application form, a physical health certificate, a psychological test certificate, and proof of active BPJS Kesehatan membership. The psychological certificate is valid for up to six months. Wear neat clothes with a collar and closed shoes, bring an SNI-certified helmet with the strap fastened, and make sure the bike's lights, brakes, tyres and mirrors have been checked.
Can EduPoint arrange my licence or make sure I pass?
EduPoint is a lessons service that helps you practise riding, and it has no connection with any licensing office or the police. We do not arrange licences and we do not promise a pass, because that decision belongs entirely to the examiner. What we can offer is focused practice on each section of the course with an experienced instructor, at a practice area you choose, until the movements feel secure.