**Quality control inspection in Indonesia is priced per man-day: one inspector, one factory, one working day. The published standard rate is USD 135 (about IDR 2,190,000) per man-day — indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope. Most furniture, homeware, and garment orders need one to two man-days, so a typical pre-shipment check lands between USD 135 and USD 270.**
That single number is the whole pricing story. No percentage of order value, no per-piece surcharge, no surprise line item once the report lands. You book the inspector days you need and know the cost before anyone sets foot in the factory.
What does one man-day actually pay for?
A man-day buys one trained inspector at one factory for a single working day — roughly eight hours on the floor, plus the write-up. In that window the inspector pulls samples against your agreed AQL, checks workmanship, measurements, function, labelling, and packing, then photographs every defect found. The report, with 100+ photos, lands within 48 hours of the visit finishing.
The rate is deliberately public. The full breakdown lives on the [quality control inspection cost](/qc-inspection-indonesia-cost/) page: one flat USD 135 man-day, whatever the stage. Multi-day jobs — a factory audit, a big lot, several SKUs — are the day count times that same USD 135 rate, never a percentage of order value. Indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope.
One standard USD 135 man-day at a Bali or Java factory usually covers:
- Sampling of one product type or SKU family at one location under ISO 2859-1 General Inspection Level II
- Cosmetic, dimensional, and basic function checks against your spec sheet
- Carton count, barcode, and shipping-mark verification
- A workmanship review with defects sorted as critical, major, or minor
- The full photo report — 100+ images — delivered within 48 hours
How does order size change the total cost?
Larger orders rarely cost more per unit; they cost more man-days. AQL sampling scales with lot size, and bulky goods such as sofas or rattan furniture take far longer to unpack, inspect, and repack than flat-folded garments. The table below maps a single-product order to man-days as of 2026.
| Order quantity | AQL sample size (Level II) | Furniture / homeware | Garment / textile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,200 pcs | ~80 pieces | 1 man-day | 1 man-day |
| 1,201–3,200 pcs | ~125 pieces | 1–2 man-days | 1 man-day |
| 3,201–10,000 pcs | ~200 pieces | 2 man-days | 1–2 man-days |
| 10,001–35,000 pcs | ~315 pieces | 3 man-days | 2 man-days |
At the standard USD 135 man-day rate, the arithmetic stays simple:
- 1 man-day = USD 135 (about IDR 2.2 million)
- 2 man-days = USD 270
- 3 man-days = USD 405
A homeware buyer ordering 5,000 ceramic vases from a Denpasar workshop, for example, falls in the 200-piece sample band and books two man-days — USD 270 in total, fixed before the visit.
A worked example: one 20ft furniture container
Picture a first-time buyer importing 400 teak dining chairs — a full 20ft load — from one workshop in Gianyar. It is a single product type at one location, so under ISO 2859-1 General Inspection Level II the inspector draws a sample of roughly 50 chairs, checks joinery, finish, moisture, dimensions and packing, and records the carton count. That is one pre-shipment man-day: USD 135.
If the workshop sits in the Bali cluster, that is the whole cost; out in Central Java or a neighbouring island, a half or full travel day may be added — always quoted before you commit. So a single-container furniture check is USD 135 plus any travel, fixed in writing before the inspector leaves. Indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope.
Which factors push the price up or down?
Order size is the biggest lever, but a handful of other factors decide whether you book one man-day or three:
- Number of SKUs: Each distinct product family needs its own sampling, so a mixed container of chairs, tables, and mirrors takes more time than a single line.
- Factory location: A workshop deep in Central Java or on a neighbouring island can add travel and an overnight stay — an extra half or full day.
- Inspection stage: Pre-production, during-production, pre-shipment, and loading are separate visits, each its own man-day at the same USD 135 rate; first-time suppliers often warrant two of the four.
- Lab testing: EU REACH, US FDA, or CE tests are quoted on top, because an accredited laboratory does that work, not the on-site inspector.
- Season: The rate holds year-round, but Bali’s July–August and late-December peaks fill calendars faster, so lead time — not price — stretches.
What is included, and what costs extra?
| Included in the man-day fee | Quoted separately |
|---|---|
| Inspector’s on-site working day | Laboratory testing (REACH, FDA, CE) |
| AQL sampling and defect classification | Re-inspection after a failed lot |
| 100+ photo report within 48 hours | Long-distance travel or overnight stays |
| Quote and enquiry reply within 24 business hours | Container loading check as a second visit |
Nothing in the left column carries a hidden markup. One flat fee per man-day, the same rate whatever the scope, on every page and quote — indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope.
How to keep your inspection cost down
You control most of the man-day count, so a little planning trims the bill:
- Consolidate visits. Group SKUs and factories in the same city or cluster into one man-day where volume allows, instead of paying travel to the same area twice.
- Book ahead. Five to seven business days’ notice — more in the July–August and late-December peaks — avoids rush handling and protects your ship date.
- Time the visit to when goods are packed. A pre-shipment check called too early forces a repeat trip; agreeing the spec and AQL up front means nothing gets re-checked later.
Is this the same as Indonesia’s mandatory pre-shipment verification?
No, and the distinction protects your budget. Commercial QC inspection — the man-day service here — is a private contractual tool you choose as a buyer, not an Indonesian government mandate. It runs across four standard stages: pre-production, during-production, pre-shipment, and the container loading check.
Indonesia’s import rules are a different matter. The U.S. International Trade Administration notes that Ministry of Trade Regulation No. 87/2015 requires pre-shipment verification and inspection for many imported goods, that government-appointed surveyors in the country of export must carry it out, and that the importer bears the cost. That mandated work is handled by accredited surveyors such as KSO Sucofindo–Surveyor Indonesia, not by an independent desk. We are an independent inspection desk, not an official certification body or an accredited surveyor, so the man-day fee sits entirely apart from any statutory surveyor charge. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or your customs broker before you rely on any rule here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a bigger order cost more per piece to inspect?
No — the per-piece cost falls as volume rises. You pay in man-days, not per unit: one man-day is USD 135, and larger lots need more days as AQL sampling scales up. A multi-day job is the day count times USD 135, never a cut of order value — indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope.
What is not covered by the USD 135 man-day fee?
The man-day covers the inspector’s on-site day, AQL sampling, defect classification, and the photo report. Quoted separately are laboratory testing (REACH, FDA, CE), long-distance travel or overnight stays, re-inspection after a failed lot, and a container loading check booked as a second visit. Every add-on is quoted in writing before you commit — the USD 135 rate is indicative, as of 2026; final quote confirms scope.
Get a flat man-day quote
Our inspection desk is handled by the Bali Premium Trip trade desk. Send your product, factory city, and target ship date, and they confirm the man-days and schedule the inspector:
- WhatsApp: +62 811 2859 0000
- Email: [sales@balipremiumtrip.com](mailto:sales@balipremiumtrip.com)
- Or use the on-site quote form and we’ll reply within 24 business hours.