Halal Certification Guide 2025: Step by Step from Application to Approval

The global halal market is rapidly expanding. Muslim spending across halal sectors is projected to reach US$3.36 trillion by 2028, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy 2025 report.

This will be a highly lucrative sector for businesses. However, to access this market, companies must first obtain halal certification.

The Halal Certification Process

Halal certification is an official process that verifies whether a product complies with the standards of Islamic law.

This procedure follows several steps to ensure the product fully meets those requirements.

1. Determine Eligibility and Requirements

The first step in pursuing halal certification is to identify which of your products or services fall within the scope of halal requirements.

Typically, this applies to consumables and personal care items such as processed foods, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, though not every product automatically qualifies.

2. Choose a Recognized Halal Certification Body

After understanding the requirements, the next step is to select a Halal Certification Body (HCB) or Halal Inspection Agency (LPH) that is accredited by the authority in your target market.

Accreditation ensures that the halal certificate is officially recognized. For example:

Malaysia: JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia)
Indonesia: BPJPH (Halal Product Assurance Agency) is the main authority, with authorised LPHs conducting inspections
Singapore: MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore)

3. Prepare Documentation and Compliance

The preparation stage is critical for halal certification. You must compile a full list of ingredients, raw material sources, and suppliers to ensure that no prohibited (haram) or questionable (syubhah) materials are included.

Authorities such as JAKIM, BPJPH, or MUIS require clear documentation showing compliance, and some provide category-based guidelines for acceptable and prohibited ingredients.

Additionally, you must document the entire production process, from preparation through packaging and storage, while ensuring that your facility is free from cross-contamination with non-halal substances.

4. Application Submission and Fees

Once your documentation and internal preparations are ready, the next step is to submit the halal certification application through the official online system of the respective authority. For example:

Indonesia: SIHALAL (BPJPH)
Malaysia: MYeHALAL (JAKIM)
Singapore: GoBusiness Licensing Portal (MUIS)

Certification fees vary depending on product type, business scale, and production complexity. Additionally, applicants should anticipate incurring extra costs for audits and laboratory testing as required.

5. Audit and Inspection

During the audit stage, the certification body assigns an auditor to conduct an on-site inspection of your production facility.

The purpose is to confirm that your documentation is accurate and that operations comply with halal standards. Key areas of focus include:

Segregation of materials and equipment: ensuring no shared production lines with non-halal items without proper cleansing procedures.
Halal Assurance System (HAS): verifying internal controls and management practices to maintain halal integrity throughout production.
Laboratory testing: where necessary, samples may be analyzed to detect prohibited substances such as pork DNA or excessive alcohol content.

6. Certification and Renewal

After a successful audit and fulfillment of all requirements, the halal authority will issue an official certificate.

The decision may involve a fatwa or religious ruling, but the legal issuance is carried out by the designated certification body. The validity period varies by country:

Indonesia: Certificates are issued by BPJPH and remain valid as long as there are no changes to the ingredients or the halal production process.
Malaysia: JAKIM requires periodic renewal, generally every 2 years.
Singapore: MUIS certificates also require renewal, usually every 1-3 years.

Read More: Halal Industry Trends 2025

Common Challenges in Getting Halal Certification

Despite having a structured process, businesses, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), often face recurring challenges in halal certification.

One of the most pressing issues is ingredient traceability, as it can be difficult to track the origins of raw materials across long or complex supply chains.

Another challenge lies in minimizing cross-contamination risks, since production lines may expose halal products to non-halal substances unless strict segregation and thorough cleaning procedures are consistently enforced.

In addition, the cost and administrative demands of certification, including fees and paperwork, can be particularly burdensome for smaller businesses, although some countries provide support programs or subsidies to ease this burden for MSMEs.

Tips to Speed Up Your Halal Certification Process

Thorough preparation can greatly reduce obstacles and speed up the halal certification process. Some practical tips include:

Start early: Prepare documents and internal systems well in advance of applying.
Train staff: Ensure that all employees, especially those in production, understand and comply with halal requirements.
Maintain strong documentation: Keep detailed, organized records of raw materials, suppliers, and production processes as part of your Halal Assurance System (HAS).

If you want to ensure this process is managed properly and runs smoothly, it is essential to partner with experts in halal compliance.

Halal Practitioner understand the challenges businesses face during certification, which is why they provide solutions to make the process more efficient and cost-effective.

To learn how halal practitioners can support your business, read this post: Trusted Halal Certification Partner for Your Business.

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