Many people in Purbalingga still buy land with nothing more than a stamped receipt and a handshake at the village head’s house. It feels safe because the seller is a neighbour or relative. Years later, when they try to register the certificate or resell, they find the plot is still recorded under someone else’s name.
This article explains the ladder of documents in an Indonesian land purchase — the kwitansi (receipt), the PPJB, and the AJB — and why only one of them actually transfers ownership. For a foreigner or a newcomer to Banyumas Raya, understanding this ladder is what keeps you from losing both your money and your land at the wrong rung.
Kwitansi and “Segel”: Proof of Payment, Not Proof of Transfer
In many villages here, land is still sold with a kwitansi (receipt), often called kwitansi segel because it carries a duty stamp (segel/meterai) and is witnessed by village officials. The receipt matters — it proves money was paid and how much — but that is where its power ends: it is proof of payment, not proof that the land changed hands.
Under UU No. 5 Tahun 1960 tentang Peraturan Dasar Pokok-Pokok Agraria (UUPA), the Basic Agrarian Law, Hak Milik (freehold, the strongest form of ownership in Indonesia) is the strongest and fullest right a person can hold, and cannot be transferred by a payment slip. As long as only a receipt exists, the land is still recorded under the seller’s name: the buyer is not yet the lawful owner in the eyes of the state, and cannot process balik nama (transfer of the title into the buyer’s name) with a receipt alone.
The consequences are dangerous: a dishonest seller can still sell the same plot to someone else, the seller’s heirs can claim it after the seller dies, or the land may already be pledged to a bank — all falling on the buyer who stops at the receipt.
PPJB: It Binds the Deal, but Does Not Transfer the Right
A PPJB (Perjanjian Pengikatan Jual Beli, a binding sale-and-purchase pre-agreement) binds seller and buyer to complete the sale later. It is stronger than a receipt because it locks in the deal, the price, and the conditions — but it is still not a deed of transfer: it binds the parties, it does not move the Hak Milik.
A PPJB is legitimately used in specific situations, for example:
- Payment is made in instalments and is not yet complete.
- The certificate is still being split (pemecahan) from a parent certificate.
- A condition is still pending, such as the seller finishing an inheritance transfer.
Once the price is fully paid and every condition met, the PPJB must be followed by an AJB, best signed before a notaris (notary) so its terms are clear rather than a private document that is easy to dispute later.
AJB Before a PPAT: The Deed That Transfers Title
An AJB (Akta Jual Beli, deed of sale) is an authentic deed executed before a PPAT (Pejabat Pembuat Akta Tanah, the licensed land-deed official). This is the document that legally transfers the land right from seller to buyer. The office and authority of the PPAT are governed by PP No. 37 Tahun 1998 jo. PP No. 24 Tahun 2016 tentang Peraturan Jabatan Pejabat Pembuat Akta Tanah (PPAT).
Unlike the kwitansi and the PPJB, which are private agreements, the AJB is drawn up by an authorised public official who must check that the certificate is valid before signing. A PPAT may only execute deeds over land within their working area (wilayah kerja), so for land in Purbalingga use a PPAT whose area covers Purbalingga Regency. Before the AJB is signed, the transfer taxes must be settled: the buyer bears BPHTB (land-and-building acquisition tax) and the seller bears PPh (income tax), the amounts depending on the transaction value.
Balik Nama at the Land Office
The final step after the AJB is balik nama — transferring the certificate at the Kantor Pertanahan (Kantah, the local land office) of Purbalingga Regency, so the buyer is recorded as the rights holder; until it is done, the certificate still names the seller. The mechanics are covered in our guide to transferring inherited land in Purbalingga, and the principle is the same for a sale.
The long-standing basis for land registration is PP No. 24 Tahun 1997 tentang Pendaftaran Tanah (the Land Registration Regulation); its status is now debated because it was declared revoked by a ministerial regulation while most of its provisions remain in practice, so the technical steps are best confirmed directly with the local Kantah.
How to Buy Safely Before You Pay
Before you hand over any money, run these checks:
- Verify the certificate is authentic at the Purbalingga land office — the Kantah can confirm it is genuine and matches its land register. Do not trust a photocopy.
- Confirm the name on the certificate matches the seller. If they claim to be an heir or attorney-in-fact, ask for valid proof, such as a certificate of inheritance or a notarised power of attorney.
- Confirm the status is SHM (Sertifikat Hak Milik, freehold title) and the land is not under dispute, blocked, or pledged as bank security (hak tanggungan).
- Check the physical boundaries on the ground and confirm them with the neighbours.
- Transact only through an AJB before a PPAT whose working area covers the land — never a receipt or private agreement alone.
For land still held on girik, Letter C, or eigendom (old, uncertified proofs), the risk is higher — covered in our guide to girik, eigendom, and SHM land in Purbalingga.
Practical Steps in Purbalingga
- Verify the certificate’s authenticity and data at the Purbalingga land office, and confirm SHM status, free of dispute and not pledged.
- If payment is in instalments or the certificate is still being processed, sign a PPJB before a notary first.
- Settle the transfer taxes, then sign the AJB before a PPAT whose working area covers Purbalingga, stating the price actually paid.
- File for balik nama at the Purbalingga Kantah so the right is recorded in your name.
Conclusion
A kwitansi proves you paid; a PPJB binds the deal; but only an AJB before a PPAT transfers the right, and only balik nama makes you the recorded owner in the eyes of the state. Skipping this ladder to save time simply opens the door to a far more expensive dispute later.
If you plan to buy or sell land in Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Purwokerto, Banyumas, or Cilacap and want to make sure every document is sound — Advokat Luthfi is ready to assist you, from checking the certificate and drafting the PPJB to guiding you through the AJB and balik nama. Konsultasi pertama Anda gratis.