---
title: "Enrol a child through SPMB: routes, quotas, age rules and the one-year KK rule"
canonical: https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/school-enrolment-spmb/
language: en
category: "Education"
reviewed: 2026-10-01
modified: 2026-10-01
publisher: "Panduan Warga (independent; not a government website)"
reviewed-by: "Kaiser Khan (https://panduanwarga.org/en/about/kaiser-khan/)"
---

# Enrol a child through SPMB: routes, quotas, age rules and the one-year KK rule

**How does school enrolment through SPMB work, and which route fits my child?**

SPMB replaced PPDB under Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Regulation 3 of 2025, which also governs admissions for the 2026/2027 school year. Primary (SD), junior secondary (SMP) and senior secondary (SMA) schools use domicile, affirmative, achievement (not for SD) and transfer routes, while vocational schools (SMK) select on report cards, achievements and aptitude tests. Schedules, catchment areas and portals are set by regional governments: districts/cities for SD–SMP and provinces for SMA/SMK. The domicile route requires a Family Card (KK) issued at least one year before the registration date.

## What you need to enrol a child in school through SPMB

- Family Card (KK); for the domicile route, one issued at least 1 year before the registration date, plus the previous KK if details changed.
- Birth certificate, or a birth statement legalised by the village or urban-ward head, to prove age.
- Certificate or statement of graduation from the previous level for SMP, SMA and SMK applicants.
- Route documents: a card from a government programme for low-income families or disability evidence (affirmative), five semesters of report cards with a ranking letter and certificates (achievement), or a parent’s assignment letter and relocation letter (transfer).

## How to enrol a child in school through SPMB

1. **Identify who runs SPMB.** SD and SMP admissions follow technical guidelines (juknis) set by the regent or mayor, while SMA, SMK and special schools (SLB) follow the governor’s juknis. Use the education office for the right level and area of residence.
2. **Find the juknis and official portal.** Regional governments set the juknis at least 2 months before the registration announcement, which must be made by the first week of May at the latest. Catchment areas are announced at least 1 month earlier on school notice boards, official education-office channels or the media.
3. **Check age and graduation rules.** Grade 1 of SD prioritises children aged 7 on 1 July; the minimum is 6, or 5 years 6 months with a professional psychologist’s written recommendation. Grade 7 of SMP has a maximum age of 15 and grade 10 of SMA/SMK a maximum of 21 on 1 July, and applicants must have completed the previous level.
4. **Choose the right route.** Match the child’s circumstances to the domicile, affirmative, achievement or transfer route, then read the quotas and criteria in the regional juknis. Applying to schools outside the catchment area is allowed if the requirements are met.
5. **Make document details match.** Parents’ or guardians’ names on the KK must match the report card or certificate, birth certificate or previous KK. Correct discrepancies with Dukcapil before registration opens. Forged documents found during verification lead to rejection.
6. **Register online and keep proof.** Upload documents through the regional application and keep the registration receipt. If you need help, ask the regional government or school for assistance with accessing the site, creating an account and uploading documents. Where there is no network, offline registration uses photocopies with the originals shown.
7. **Check results and re-register.** If accepted, re-register with original documents on schedule; places not taken up go to reserve candidates. Applicants not accepted are placed by the regional government in the nearest public school, a private school or another ministry’s school with capacity.

## How much it costs to enrol a child in school through SPMB

SPMB registration is free. Regulation 3/2025 prohibits schools from charging applicants during the admission process, from the registration announcement to re-registration, and the announcement must state this. The 2026 vocational circular also confirms that SMK admissions, including re-registration, carry no charge of any kind.

Route quotas, age limits and domicile-route priority order under Regulation 3/2025 (final percentages set by regional governments)

| Rule | SD | SMP | SMA |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Domicile route | At least 70% | At least 40% | At least 30% |
| Affirmative route | At least 15% | At least 20% | At least 30% |
| Achievement route | None | At least 25% | At least 30% |
| Transfer route | At most 5% | At most 5% | At most 5% |
| Age on 1 July | 7 prioritised; minimum 6, or 5 years 6 months with a recommendation | Maximum 15 | Maximum 21 |
| Order when domicile applicants exceed the quota | Age, then distance | Distance, then age | Academic ability, distance, then age |

Private-school fees after admission are not SPMB charges. Regional governments may waive or reduce fees for applicants placed in private schools because public schools lack capacity, prioritising low-income families and subject to regional fiscal capacity. Ask the local education office about its programme.

## The four routes and vocational-school rules

The domicile route is for applicants living in a catchment area set by the regional government. The affirmative route is for children from low-income families and children with disabilities. The achievement route covers academic or non-academic achievement and does not apply to SD. The transfer route is for children who move because of a parent’s or guardian’s job assignment and for teachers’ children applying to the school where the parent teaches.

The quotas are national limits. Regional governments set final percentages up to 100% of capacity, and unused transfer places may move to other routes. For 2026/2027, Director-General’s Circular 0301/C/HK.04.01/2026 allowed registration to start with the affirmative or achievement route and allowed Academic Ability Test (TKA) results to count as academic achievement for SMP and SMA, with weighting set regionally.

SMK does not use the same four routes. Grade 10 selection considers the last five semesters of report cards, achievements and/or aptitude tests, with at least 15% of places for low-income families and/or children with disabilities and up to 10% for applicants living nearest the school. The Vocational Directorate-General’s Circular 01 of 2026 requires SMK to explain programme health requirements without restricting disabled applicants who can learn with reasonable adjustments.

- [SMK Directorate: 2026/2027 SMK admissions circular](https://smk.kemendikdasmen.go.id/terbitan/surat-edaran-direktorat-jenderal-pendidikan-vokasi-pendidikan-khusus-dan-pendidikan-layanan-khusus-nomor-01-tahun-2026-tentang-pelaksanaan-penerimaan-murid-baru-pada-sekolah-menengah-kejuruan-tahun-ajaran-20262027)

## The one-year KK rule and mismatched details

For the domicile route, the KK must have been issued at least 1 year before the registration date. A KK changed within the year can still be used if the change was not a move: adding a family member other than the applicant, removing a member who died or moved out, or replacing a lost or damaged KK. Attach the previous KK, or a police loss report if it was lost. A KK changed because of a move within the last year does not meet the domicile-route requirement.

Parents’ or guardians’ names on the KK must match the report card or certificate, birth certificate and/or previous KK. A newer KK with different names may be used after a parent’s death or divorce, shown by a death or divorce certificate, or in other circumstances set by the regional government. A domicile statement replaces the KK only after a natural or social disaster and must confirm at least 1 year of residence and the type of disaster.

Education offices work with Dukcapil to verify KK data. Correct KK details well before registration and keep the previous KK, because it may be requested during verification.

## Regional schedules and portals

There is no single national registration portal. Regional governments provide the online application and set catchment areas, the number of rounds and the schedule for each route. Catchments may follow wards/sub-districts, a radius from the school or another method, so there is no national distance in kilometres and each school’s radius may differ.

For 2026/2027, the ministry asked for juknis to be set by February 2026; by 3 May 2026, 74% of regional governments had done so. This page does not give 2027/2028 SPMB dates. Watch for the regional juknis and any new circular when published.

Find the portal through the district/city (SD–SMP) or provincial (SMA/SMK) education office’s go.id website, school notice boards or official regional channels. One example is DKI Jakarta; other regions use different addresses. Avoid registration links from forwarded messages or anyone asking for payment.

- [Example portal: DKI Jakarta SPMB](https://spmb.jakarta.go.id/)

## If a child is not accepted or you see a violation

Regional governments must announce accepted and unsuccessful applicants and place unsuccessful ones in the nearest public school, a private school or another ministry’s school with capacity. Schools may not admit applicants who were not announced as accepted, are not reserve candidates or did not re-register.

Each regional juknis must include a complaints channel, publicised by the education office on school notice boards or other accessible media. The ministry says capacity data are locked in Dapodik once the juknis is set, to prevent the buying and selling of places. Suspected violations can also be reported to the ministry Inspectorate-General’s complaints post or SP4N-LAPOR!.

- [Kemendikdasmen Inspectorate-General complaints post](https://posko-pengaduan.itjen.kemendikdasmen.go.id/)

## Things to check carefully

- Assuming the domicile route uses the same distance everywhere; catchments and radii are set regionally.
- Using a KK changed by a move less than 1 year earlier for the domicile route.
- Relying on a low-income certificate (SKTM) or national health-insurance (JKN) card for the affirmative route; neither is accepted.
- Paying anyone who promises a place; registration is free and forged documents lead to rejection.
- Missing re-registration, so the place passes to a reserve candidate.

## Frequently asked questions

### When does SPMB 2027 open?

Each regional government sets the dates in its juknis. Regulation 3/2025 requires the registration announcement by the first week of May and the juknis at least 2 months earlier. For 2026/2027, the ministry asked for juknis by February 2026; check for a new circular and juknis for 2027/2028.

### Can a KK under one year old be used for the domicile route?

Only if the change was not a move: a birth or other new member besides the applicant, a member who died or moved out, or a lost or damaged KK. Attach the previous KK or a police loss report. A new KK issued because of a move within the last year does not qualify; check whether another route’s requirements are met.

### What is the minimum distance for the domicile route?

There is no national figure. Regional governments set catchments using administrative areas, a radius from each school or another method, and radii may differ between schools. Distance is also used to rank applicants when a route is oversubscribed. Check your regional juknis.

### What is the minimum age for primary school?

Children aged 7 on 1 July of the school year are prioritised, and children aged at least 6 on 1 July may apply. A child of 5 years 6 months can be admitted with exceptional ability or talent and psychological readiness, confirmed in writing by a professional psychologist, or by the school’s teachers if no psychologist is available. There is no reading, writing or arithmetic test for SD entry.

### Can a low-income certificate (SKTM) be used for the affirmative route?

No. The low-income affirmative route uses a card from a central or regional government programme for low-income families based on integrated data; JKN cards and SKTM are not accepted. Families not yet recorded can be registered in DTSEN. Children with disabilities use a disability card or a doctor’s statement.

### What counts in the achievement route?

The last five semesters of report cards with a ranking letter, achievements in science, arts, sport or other fields validated regionally or curated by the ministry, and experience as head of the student council or scouts. Evidence must be issued within 3 years before registration. For 2026/2027, TKA results could be used for SMP and SMA.

### Who can use the transfer route?

Children moving because of a parent’s or guardian’s job assignment, with an assignment letter dated no more than 1 year before registration and a relocation letter, and teachers’ children applying to the school where the parent teaches, with the teacher’s assignment letter and KK. The quota is at most 5%.

### Are SPMB and private schools free?

SPMB registration is free, and schools may not charge during admission through re-registration. Private-school fees are not automatically free; regional governments may waive or reduce fees for children who could not be placed in public schools, especially from low-income families.

## Official sources

1. [JDIH BPK: Permendikdasmen Nomor 3 Tahun 2025 tentang Sistem Penerimaan Murid Baru](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/315671/permendikdasmen-no-3-tahun-2025) (accessed 2026-09-25)
2. [Ditjen PAUD Dikdas PNFI Kemendikdasmen: layanan, dokumen, dan FAQ SPMB](https://pauddikdaspnfi.kemendikdasmen.go.id/layanan/spmb) (accessed 2026-09-25)
3. [BPMP Bali Kemendikdasmen: SE Dirjen Nomor 0301/C/HK.04.01/2026 tentang SPMB TA 2026/2027](https://bpmpbali.kemendikdasmen.go.id/surat-edaran-direktur-jenderal-pendidikan-anak-usia-dini-pendidikan-dasar-dan-pendidikan-menengah-tentang-sistem-penerimaan-murid-baru-spmb-tahun-ajaran-2026-2027/) (accessed 2026-09-25)
4. [Kemendikdasmen: siaran pers persiapan SPMB TA 2026/2027 (8 Mei 2026)](https://www.kemendikdasmen.go.id/siaran-pers/15316-dukung-persiapan-spmb-ta-20262027-74-persen-pemerintah-daerah-sudah-rampungkan-juknis) (accessed 2026-09-25)
5. [Direktorat SMK: SE Ditjen Vokasi Nomor 01 Tahun 2026 tentang penerimaan murid baru SMK 2026/2027](https://smk.kemendikdasmen.go.id/terbitan/surat-edaran-direktorat-jenderal-pendidikan-vokasi-pendidikan-khusus-dan-pendidikan-layanan-khusus-nomor-01-tahun-2026-tentang-pelaksanaan-penerimaan-murid-baru-pada-sekolah-menengah-kejuruan-tahun-ajaran-20262027) (accessed 2026-09-25)
6. [Posko Pengaduan Itjen Kemendikdasmen](https://posko-pengaduan.itjen.kemendikdasmen.go.id/) (accessed 2026-09-25)

## Related guides

- [Family Card (KK): new households, changes and replacements](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/family-card-kk/)
- [Register a child’s birth with Dukcapil](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/birth-certificate/)
- [Check PIP school assistance: account status, activation and payout](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/check-pip-education-assistance/)

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Source: Panduan Warga, https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/school-enrolment-spmb/ (reviewed 2026-10-01). General information, not legal or financial advice; current agency rules take precedence.