Indonesia’s October 2026 deadline for mandatory halal certification is approaching. This policy applies not only to private-sector businesses in Indonesia but also to foreign products intended for distribution and circulation in the Indonesian market. Under Law No. 33 of 2014, all products distributed and circulated in Indonesia must be halal certified. As the regulations take effect, the Indonesian government will begin monitoring products in the market that are required to obtain halal certification.
The Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) is a non-ministerial government agency that reports directly to the President of the Republic of Indonesia and has primary authority for administering halal product assurance in Indonesia. BPJPH has the authority to issue and revoke Halal Certificates and Halal Labels for products, register Halal Certificates for foreign products, and establish norms, standards, procedures, and criteria for the Halal Assurance System.
Currently, all producers, whether local or overseas, must be prepared to certify their products in accordance with Indonesian regulations so that they can continue distributing them in the Indonesian market. However, not all materials or products require halal certification. Some are exempt under the latest regulation, BPJPH Head Regulation No. 301 of 2026. Products that must be halal certified are specified in Ministry of Religious Affairs Regulation No. 944 of 2024, particularly for food and beverages, and Ministry of Religious Affairs Regulation No. 748 of 2021, which covers other products, including cosmetics, medicines, genetically modified organisms, medical devices, consumer goods, and services such as slaughterhouse, retail, logistic and distribution related to food, beverages, cosmetics, and medicines.
How can foreign products obtain halal certification?
Currently, overseas products intended for circulation in the Indonesian market must have either a Halal Certificate issued by BPJPH or a Halal Certificate issued by a Foreign Halal Certification Body that has a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with BPJPH. The foreign Halal Certificate must then be registered with BPJPH to obtain Halal Registration documents before Distribution or export to Indonesia? To complete the BPJPH halal certification process successfully, a company must comply with halal requirements and implement the Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH).
Step-by-Step Halal Certification Process:
1. Appoint a Halal Management Team
This step is crucial. Before beginning the halal certification process, a company must establish a Halal Management Team to implement halal standards and prepare all certification requirements in accordance with BPJPH regulations. The team may include a Halal Supervisor appointed by top management, as well as personnel involved in critical activities such as HR, procurement or purchasing, R&D, production, QA/QC, warehousing, logistics, production planning and inventory control, maintenance, and general affairs. The Halal Management Team plays a key role in the success of the company’s halal certification process. Its members must understand the Halal Product Assurance System and be competent in their assigned roles. To maintain their knowledge and competence, personnel may attend Halal Management Team training on competency requirements and SJPH implementation. This training may be conducted annually to maintain personnel competence and keep the team informed of halal regulatory and process updates.
2. Develop and Implement a System Based on the Regulations
The company must develop a system that complies with halal standards. Existing procedures may be aligned with these standards. However, existing manuals, such as a Quality Manual or Food Safety Manual, cannot be used as the Halal Manual; the Halal Manual should remain separate from other systems. Once the system has been established, its implementation must be documented and properly maintained because all documents and records will be reviewed during the halal audit.
3. Register Through the SIHALAL Platform
A company applying for halal certification through BPJPH must submit its application through the SIHALAL system. One of the required documents is an NIB, or Indonesian Business Identification Number. Therefore, an Indonesian business partner must be involved in the registration process. A foreign company must appoint a representative office or importer in Indonesia to process the registration through SIHALAL, and a letter of authorization must be uploaded as part of the application.
4. BPJPH Verification
After the application is submitted through the BPJPH system, a BPJPH verifier will review it to ensure that all uploaded documents comply with the requirements.
5. Audit Process by LPH (Halal Inspection Agency)
Once verification is complete, the next stage is an audit by the LPH (Halal Inspection Agency). The auditor will assess whether the company’s implementation of the Halal Product Assurance System complies with the applicable standard and will then report the audit results to the Fatwa Committee.
6. MUI Fatwa Committee Assembly
The MUI Fatwa Committee conducts a fatwa assembly to determine the product’s halal status. The MUI then issues a Halal Decree stating that the product complies with all halal requirements.
7. Issuing the Halal Certificate
BPJPH issues the Halal Certificate after the Fatwa Committee issues the Halal Decree. The company can then download the Halal Certificate through its SIHALAL account.
Halal Certificates issued by BPJPH no longer have a fixed validity period. Therefore, a company that holds a Halal Certificate is responsible for periodically reporting to BPJPH or the LPH on the implementation of its halal assurance system and for reporting any changes to materials, processes, or products.
Halal Registration for Halal product that have halal certificate from a foreign halal certification body
A company that already has a Halal Certificate from a Foreign Halal Certification Body must register it through the BPJPH system. The Foreign Halal Certification Body must have a Mutual Recognition Agreement with BPJPH, the certified product must fall within the body’s accreditation scope, and the manufacturing facility must be located in the same country as the Foreign Halal Certification Body. The company must also appoint an importer in Indonesia to complete the registration through SIHALAL. Once registration is complete, the importer will receive a Halal Registration Certificate number, which may be displayed on the product’s packaging before the product distribute in to Indonesian market. The company must renew the Halal Certificate, and the importer must renew the Halal Registration, before the validity period of the Foreign Halal Certificate or the accreditation of the Foreign Halal Certification Body expires.
Conformity Assurance of Foreign Halal Products Entering Indonesian Territory
Before a product enters in to Indonesia, its halal status must be verified in its country of origin in accordance with BPJPH Regulation No. 4 of 2026. To carry out Halal Product Assurance, BPJPH appoints state-owned Inspection Bodies and/or private Inspection Bodies. Halal Product Assurance is implemented professionally, independently, and with integrity to guarantee the halal status of products circulating among the public. Halal Product Assurance is carried out in the country of the port of loading and/or the product’s country of origin. The process begins after the importer submits an application to the Head of BPJPH. Halal product conformity assurance activities must be conducted directly at the cargo-loading warehouse before shipment from the country of the port of loading and/or the product’s country of origin. The results of the Halal Product Assurance activities are documented in a Halal Product Verification Report.
Regulations governing halal products in Indonesia continue to change. To ensure that the company remains up to date and can adopt and adapt to the latest regulations, it must have a competent Halal Management Team. The company can conduct periodic halal training to maintain the team’s competency and keep its knowledge current.
IHATEC provides a Halal Management Team Training program to maintain the competency of halal management personnel in accordance with the latest Indonesian regulations. Expert and professional trainers with extensive experience and knowledge of the halal certification process in Indonesia deliver the training in an engaging and comprehensive manner. Relevant industry case studies and worksheets support a more holistic learning experience and improve participants’ understanding and knowledge.
With thorough preparation and a proper understanding of each stage by the Halal Management Team, the certification process can proceed more efficiently and with minimal obstacles. A halal certificate is not merely an administrative requirement but also a long-term investment in trust that supports business sustainability.
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