Padel Courts in Jakarta Without Building Safety Certificate Ordered to Close
The Jakarta Provincial Government has taken firm action against the proliferation of illegal padel courts in the capital. Vera Revina Sari, head of the Department of Public Works, Spatial Planning, and Land Affairs (Citata) of DKI Jakarta, emphasized that padel courts without a Certificate of Building Safety (SLF) are strictly prohibited from operating and must close immediately.
Vera made this statement whilst overseeing the sealing of one padel court in the Jagakarsa area, South Jakarta, on Monday 16 March 2026.
“If you don’t have an SLF, you cannot operate; you must close,” Vera stated firmly. According to her, buildings that have obtained an SLF provide a guarantee of safety for everyone conducting activities within them.
Vera reminded business owners that building permit procedures are not merely bureaucratic formality. The SLF is proof of government validation of the structural strength and construction safety of a building.
“Some people may think ‘oh, it’s just a permit’, but this affects structural integrity in every way. We must check the physical structure through this permit,” she added. Without this physical inspection process, the construction safety of padel courts, especially those using glass and heavy steel structures, cannot be guaranteed.
The Citata Department emphasised that the correct procedure is to obtain a Building Approval (PBG) before construction begins. This allows the government to monitor compliance of the building plan with safety standards from the outset.
Only after construction is completed should the owner apply for an SLF to certify that the building is genuinely safe and suitable for public use.
As of February 23, 2025, a total of 185 padel court buildings in Jakarta had not yet obtained formal permits. The Citata Department revealed that only 2 padel courts in Jakarta possess an SLF out of hundreds of facilities. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has also confirmed that the provincial government will restrict operational hours for padel courts in densely populated residential areas.