halal Certification

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Halal certification for export depends on the destination market, product category and recognition of the issuing certification body. Do not assume that a certificate accepted in one country will be accepted in another. Before applying, check the destination authority’s recognition requirements and confirm the route with your importer. Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore maintain their own recognition arrangements for foreign halal certification bodies.

This guide explains how to choose a certification route, verify supplier certificates and prepare your ingredients, production controls and records for assessment. It also highlights the checks exporters should complete before shipment.

Why Does One Halal Certificate Not Work Everywhere?

Because there is no single global halal authority. Countries accept foreign certificates in different ways. Four patterns appear most often:

Government list of recognized certifiers. The importing country publishes which foreign bodies it accepts. Malaysia (JAKIM), Saudi Arabia (Saudi Halal Center) and Singapore (MUIS) work this way.
Mutual recognition and registration. A foreign certifier must have an agreement with the national agency, and certificates may need to be registered. Indonesia is the main example.
Shared standard, separate national rules. Gulf countries use GSO 2055-1 as a base but keep their own approved lists and import rules.
Buyer-led acceptance. In many markets there is no formal list, and importers or retailers decide which certifier or logo they trust.

These are examples, not a complete map. Always confirm with the importer and the official source before you choose a certifier.

How to Get Halal Certification?

Application

The halal certification process begins with submitting an application to a recognized halal certification body. In this step, the organization provides detailed information about its products, ingredients, manufacturing processes, and supply chain. This helps the certification authority understand the scope of the business and determine whether it meets the basic requirements for halal certification. Providing accurate and complete details ensures a smooth and efficient evaluation process.

Process and Procedure Review

Documentation and Verification

Halal Certified

Which Authority Controls Halal Certification in Each Market?

Market	Main authority	What exporters should verify
Malaysia	JAKIM	Recognition of the foreign certifier, product coverage and label rules
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Halal Center / SFDA	Recognized certifier, product requirements and shipment documents
Indonesia	BPJPH	Product deadline, foreign certifier recognition and registration
UAE and Gulf	Relevant national authorities	Accepted certification bodies and product-specific import rules
Singapore	MUIS	Recognition of the foreign certifier for the product category

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Recognition Across Markets: Why One Certificate Does Not Fit All

This is where exporters lose time and money. A certificate can be perfectly valid and still be refused because the importing country does not recognize the body that issued it. Three examples show how differently markets work.

How do I export halal products to Malaysia?

Use a foreign certifier that JAKIM recognizes. Malaysia does not accept any other foreign halal certificate for imported goods. The certifier’s name must appear on the product. JAKIM’s list covers more than 90 bodies in about 49 countries and regions, and recognition can be withdrawn. In early 2025 JAKIM removed three bodies, and their clients had to switch. Imported meat and poultry must always come through a recognized body. Under Malaysia’s Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, you cannot sell imported goods as halal without this. What to do: check JAKIM’s current list before you pick a certifier.

Which halal certificates does Saudi Arabia accept?

Only certificates from bodies recognized by the Saudi Halal Center at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). Halal food is judged against the Gulf standard GSO 2055-1. Some product types also need a halal certificate for each shipment.

What to do: ask your importer which category your product falls into, before production starts.

Is halal certification mandatory in Indonesia

Halal certification is mandatory for certain products in Indonesia, but the deadlines depend on the product type and business category.

Indonesia introduced its halal requirements in stages under the Halal Product Assurance Law. Government Regulation No. 40 of 2026 amended Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024 and extended the deadline for certain imported products to 18 October 2028.

However, this extension does not apply to every business. Certain domestic medium and large food businesses have already been subject to mandatory halal certification since October 2024.

Foreign halal certificates may be accepted through BPJPH’s registration process when the issuing foreign halal certification body has a valid mutual recognition arrangement with BPJPH.

What exporters should do: Check your product category, applicable deadline, foreign certifier recognition and certificate registration requirements before exporting to Indonesia. Do not assume that every imported product follows the same deadline.

Does one halal certificate work across the whole Gulf?

Not automatically. Gulf countries share GSO 2055-1 as a base, but each one keeps its own approved lists and import rules. Acceptance in Saudi Arabia does not mean acceptance in the UAE.

What to do: ask each importer for the current approved list.

Indonesia Halal Certification Deadlines: What Exporters Should Check

Product or business category	Important point
Domestic medium and large food businesses	Mandatory requirements began in October 2024 for applicable products
Certain imported food and beverage products	Extended deadline of 18 October 2028
Certain imported slaughter-related products	Check the extended deadline and category-specific rules
Cosmetics and health-related products	Check the applicable category and updated transition rules
Foreign halal certificates	Check BPJPH recognition and registration requirements

What does Singapore require for halal imports?

Singapore’s Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) keeps a register of recognized foreign halal certifiers. Check that your certifier is on it for your product type.

Which Certifier Do You Need? A Five-Question Check

Answer five questions before you apply anywhere. It costs far less than redoing certification after a rejected shipment.

1. Which countries will you sell to in the next two years? List all of them.
2. In each country, does the law require halal certification for your product, or do buyers just expect it?
3. Does the country publish a list of recognized foreign certifiers? Is your preferred body on it?
4. Do your importers or retailers name a certifier or logo in their contracts?
5. Can one certifier cover every market? If not, plan for more than one audit.

Who Is Who: Regulator, Certifier or Standard?

A regulator sets the rules in a country. Examples are JAKIM in Malaysia, BPJPH in Indonesia and the SFDA in Saudi Arabia. A certifier audits companies and issues certificates. IFANCA in the United States and the Halal Food Authority in the United Kingdom are examples. A standard says what must be met. Malaysia uses MS 1500, the Gulf uses GSO 2055-1, and there is also the OIC/SMIIC halal standard.

Indonesia works differently. BPJPH issues the certificate. A halal inspection agency (LPH) audits the product. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) gives the religious ruling. If a guide says “MUI certifies”, it is out of date.

Halal Audit Matrix: What Auditors Ask For and Where Companies Fail

Every certifier has its own rules, but auditors in every market look at the same areas. Use this list to test your own site first.

Ingredients and additives. Expect to show sources, spec sheets and halal certificates for risky items. Failure point: animal ingredients hidden behind trade names, such as gelatin, glycerin, enzymes and flavors.
Suppliers. Keep an approved supplier list with current certificates and expiry dates. Failure point: expired certificates, or a certifier your target market does not recognize.
Production and cross-contact. Show a process flow, control points and line allocation. Failure point: shared lines with non-halal products and no written controls.
Cleaning and changeover. Keep procedures, changeover records and verification results. Failure point: cleaning that is done but never checked or recorded.
Segregation and storage. Show site layout, labeled storage and transport rules. Failure point: halal and non-halal items stored together or moved on shared carts.
Slaughter and meat sourcing. Keep slaughterer approvals, logs and batch traceability. Failure point: missing logs, or a slaughterhouse the certifier has not approved.
Labels and claims. Keep approved artwork and logo rules. Failure point: a logo or certifier name the target market does not accept.
Training, traceability and changes. Keep training records, batch records and a change log. Failure point: a recipe or supplier changed without telling the certifier.

What happens on audit day?

Most audits follow the same shape. There is an opening meeting, then a document review. Next the auditor walks the site, following the product from receiving to dispatch, and asks staff questions on the floor. Some certifiers also take samples. A closing meeting lists findings and deadlines. All day, the auditor asks one thing: does what you do match what you wrote down?

Which hidden ingredients cause the most trouble?

Gelatin: can come from pork, beef or fish. Found in sweets, yogurt and capsules.
Glycerin and E471: plant or animal fat, and the label rarely says which.
Enzymes and rennet: common in cheese and baking, and some are animal-derived.
Flavors and extracts: often carried in alcohol. Vanilla extract is the classic case.
Carmine (E120) and shellac (E904): insect-derived, and certifiers treat them differently.

Certifiers and countries do not agree on every borderline item. Get your certifier’s view in writing before you change a recipe.

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I'm an Importer or Buyer. How Do I Check a Supplier's Halal Certificate?

A certificate in a PDF is not proof. Check six things before you accept a shipment.

Issuer: is the certifier recognized in your country for your product? Use the official list, not the supplier’s word.
Authenticity: confirm the certificate number with the certifier, or on its public register.
Scope: does it name the exact product, brand, site and line you are buying?
Dates: is it valid on the production date and the ship date?
Shipment papers: if your market needs a certificate per shipment, does it match the batch and quantity?
Logo and label: does your market accept the logo on the pack?

Put the same checks in your supply contract. Ask for notice of any change in ingredients or sites, the right to see audit reports, and a duty to tell you if the certificate is suspended.

Is a Halal Certificate the Same as a Halal Logo?

No. A certificate is the document from the certifier, and it names what is covered and for how long. A logo may only be used under the certifier’s rules, and a logo your target market does not accept can get goods refused. Words like “halal-friendly” or “contains no pork” are not certification. In some countries, selling a product as halal without certification breaks trade rules. Malaysia is one example.

Free Halal Checklist

Assess compliance, reduce risks, and strengthen your Halal certification process.

How Long Is a Halal Certificate Valid, and What Does It Cost?

A certificate covers what was audited, as it was on audit day. The term depends on the certifier and the country. Many run for one year, and some run longer with checks in between. Confirm the term in your certifier’s rules. If your ingredients, suppliers or process change, tell the certifier first. A prohibited ingredient or a broken halal process can lead to suspension or withdrawal.

Fees depend on product type, company size, number of sites and the certifier. The usual items are the application, document review, audit, certificate and yearly renewal. Timing depends on the same factors and on how ready your records are, so we don’t promise fixed weeks or months. Ask each certifier for a written fee list and audit plan, and add the cost of a second certifier if your markets need one.

What Mistakes Delay Halal Certification?

Choosing a certifier before checking which bodies the target country recognizes.
Listing ingredients by trade name only.
Accepting supplier certificates without checking the issuer and expiry date.
Running halal and non-halal products on shared lines with no written controls.
Changing a recipe or supplier without telling the certifier.
Assuming last year’s rules still apply.

Get Halal Certification Support from PopularCert

Planning to enter new markets or expand your halal product business? PopularCert makes your halal certification journey simpler with expert guidance tailored to your products and target markets.

Our consultants help you understand halal requirements, review ingredients and suppliers, prepare documentation, and get your business audit-ready. From food and cosmetics to other halal products, we support you at every step.

Ready to grow your business with halal certification? Connect with PopularCert today for a free consultation and take the next step with confidence.

FAQ

Why is Halal certification necessary?

A halal certificate is a type of license issued to the relevant agency to prove that the product or service is in line with Islamic law and does not contain any haram or forbidden ingredients. A halal certificate is a differentiator for businesses to pave their way to the progressively increasing Muslim consumer market, resulting in the creation of a more extensive customer base and the development of the business’s position in the market.

Who issues Halal certificates?

Halal certificates are awarded by regulatory bodies that are recognized and approved by the government or from Islamic scholars and organizations that are in-line with the Halal standard of accreditation. PopularCert is one of those recommended bodies, and it offers Halal certification as an assurance that businesses are complying with the regulations, hence they are able to meet the demands of Muslim consumers.

What products or services require a Halal certificate?

Halal certification is typically a requirement for the food and beverage, cosmetics and personal care products, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and specific services such as Halal slaughtering’s and food preparatory, this is due to their bio-based nature

How long does it take to obtain Halal certification?

The time needed to get Halal certification differs with each certification body and the complexity of the product or service the process can take couple weeks or several months.

What is the validity of a Halal certificate?

The validity of a Halal certificate depends on the certification body and the specific product or service being certified. Typically, a Halal certificate remains valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

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