Foreign companies looking to obtain a Halal certification in Malaysia must apply to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). JAKIM will then conduct an on-site inspection of the applicant’s premises and may take product samples for laboratory analysis.
Businesses looking to sell halal products in Malaysia must first receive a Halal Certificate from the government. A Halal Certificate lets consumers know that the product meets Malaysia’s standards for a halal product.
Home to some 16 million Muslims, Malaysia is a leading market in Southeast Asia for the production and consumption of halal products. Malaysia’s halal products have an annual export value of 35.4 billion ringgit (US$7.46 billion), or 5.1 percent of the country’s exports, as it is a key supplier for countries with large Muslim populations, such as Indonesia.
Halal certification is relevant to a variety of products that use animal products, including food products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Here, we look at how halal is defined in Malaysia and how businesses can receive a Halal Certificate.
What is considered Halal food in Malaysia?
“Halal” is a concept in Islamic law that means “allowed”, “permissible”, or legal. This is in contrast to “Haram”, which means “not allowed” or “forbidden”. Thus, a Halal Certificate confirms that a product is allowed for Muslims to consume.
Halal certification is most commonly used in connection with food products. In some cases, companies develop alternative food products that are specifically aimed at Muslim consumers, such as meat products, and thus require a Halal Certificate.
Malaysia’s definition of the term “Halal” is written in Trade Description Order (Usage of the Term “Halal”) 1975. According to this definition, food is Halal if it meets the following requirements:
What other products can be certified as Halal in Malaysia?
Besides food products, a variety of other products and services can receive a Halal Certificate. These are mostly products that may use animal products as ingredients or other services that may have animal products on the premises. These include:
Each industry or product type carries particular requirements to be considered Halal. For example, in connection to slaughterhouses, the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Religious Affairs discussed The Guidelines on the Production, Preparation, Handling, and Storage of Halal Food in 2000.
How to apply for a Halal Certificate in Malaysia?
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM)) is the government agency that oversees Halal Certificates in Malaysia.
Companies can apply for a Halal Confirmation Certificate online through the MYeHALAL system on the JAKIM Halal Hub. If successful, companies can display a Halal logo issued by JAKIM on their products
Applicants for a Halal Confirmation Certificate must fall under one of six categories. These are:
After identifying their category, applicants must provide JAKIM with the following information:
JAKIM will then conduct an on-site inspection of the applicant’s premises. The applicant must create a file for the Halal Certificate application that stores all relevant documents during JAKIM’s inspection of the premises. The inspector may take product samples for laboratory analysis during the inspection.
If the applicant is successful, their Halal Certification will be valid for two years, except for slaughterhouses, where the certification will be valid for one year. Holders of a Halal Certificate must apply for renewal at least three months before the certificate’s expiration date.
How much does it cost to apply for a Halal Certificate in Malaysia?
The fees associated with applying for a Halal Certificate depend on the entity that is applying. They are summarized as follows:
Does Malaysia recognize foreign Halal certificates?
JAKIM recognizes foreign Halal certification bodies (FHCBs) that meet Malaysia’s procedures and guidelines. Recognized FHCBs send annual reports to JAKIM for review. The list of FHCBs, as of December 2020, can be found here.
Any product marked as “Halal” that is exported to Malaysia must have a certificate, including a marking, from an FHCB, per Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of ‘Halal’) Order 2011.
Source: Asean Briefing
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
