Halal Certification Flow: Step by Step for Business Actors

Halal certification is a tiered process involving business actors, the Halal Inspection Agency (LPH), and BPJPH. Law Number 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance serves as its main basis, while the MUI Fatwa Commission is authorized to determine the halalness of products. The halal certificate itself is issued only by BPJPH.

This article guides the sequence of technical steps that business actors need to go through, from system preparation to certificate issuance. Each stage has an output that becomes the input for the next stage, so the sequence should be followed with discipline.

Stage 1: Implement the Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH)

Before registering, business actors need to have a functioning SJPH. Its main reference is the Head of BPJPH Decision Number 57 of 2021 on the Criteria for the Halal Product Assurance System, which has been amended by Kepka 20/2023. This document contains five criteria that must be met:

• Commitment and responsibility — a written halal policy and responsible personnel.
• Materials — a list of materials used along with their halal status.
• Halal product process — a production flow that ensures no contamination with non-halal materials.
• Product — conformity of the product with the established criteria.
• Monitoring and evaluation — internal audits and corrective actions.

Implementing SJPH is not merely about documents. Business actors need to ensure that the halal policy is carried out on the production floor, including the separation of materials and equipment.

Stage 2: Prepare Material Data and Critical Points

The material criteria require clear traceability. Some materials have a status that depends on their source, so business actors need to trace their origin. Common examples include:

• Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids (E471) — an emulsifier that can come from palm oil or animal fat. The alternative is halal-certified E471 with a plant-based fatty acid source stated in the supplier's material certificate.
• Gelatin capsule shells — often overlooked in medicines and supplements. The alternatives are plant-based capsules (HPMC) or halal-certified beef gelatin.
• Rennet — a milk-clotting enzyme in cheese. Animal rennet comes from the stomach of calves that must be slaughtered according to sharia. The alternatives are microbial rennet or halal-certified fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC).
• Perfume and fragrance ingredients — generally high in alcohol solvents and may contain animal musk. The alternatives are non-alcohol perfume or halal-certified synthetic musk.

For each critical material, keep the halal certificate from the supplier and record its source. This document will be requested at the examination stage.

Stage 3: Register with BPJPH

The halal certification registration is submitted to BPJPH. BPJPH service standards, including requirements, timeframes, and tariffs for various types of services, are regulated in the Head of BPJPH Decision Number 243 of 2025 on Service Standards at BPJPH. This decision revokes Kepka 120/2022 and covers, among others, halal certificate issuance services and facilitation codes.

At this stage, business actors submit registration documents according to the type of service chosen. Ensure that the material data and SJPH documents are consistent before submission.

Stage 4: Examination by the Halal Inspection Agency (LPH)

After registration, the LPH conducts an examination of the submitted product and system. The LPH is an institution accredited to carry out the examination function. The LPH accreditation guidelines are regulated in the Head of BPJPH Decision Number 78 of 2025 on Guidelines for Accreditation of Halal Inspection Agencies, which refers to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012 and contains requirements, Pratama and Utama qualifications, scope of competence, costs, application flow, surveillance, and witness assessment.

For business actors, this stage means preparing access to production facilities and showing evidence of SJPH implementation. Examination findings need to be followed up before the process continues.

Stage 5: Determination of Halalness and Certificate Issuance

The results of the LPH examination serve as the basis for the determination of halalness. The determination of halalness is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission/Halal Product Fatwa Committee. The halal certificate is issued by BPJPH after that determination. Business actors cannot definitively declare their products halal before going through this stage.

Stage 6: Maintain Consistency After the Certificate Is Issued

The certificate is not the end point. The monitoring and evaluation criteria in SJPH require business actors to maintain the system that is already running. Changes in material suppliers, formulations, or production lines need to be managed so that conformity with the certificate is maintained.

To help manage all SJPH criteria in one application — from halal policy, material registry, critical points, to internal audit — IndoHalal.id provides an SJPH platform that business actors can use as preparation before entering the registration stage.