The Halal Certification Process Step by Step for Business Actors

Halal certification is not a surprise inspection. It proceeds through a sequence of stages you can anticipate. By understanding the flow, you can prepare materials, documents, and personnel before the auditor arrives.

The following is the sequence of stages, from internal preparation to the issuance of the certificate.

1. Determining the certification pathway

The first step is to determine which pathway suits the scale and risk of your product. Law 6/2023 simplifies the certification process and introduces a halal declaration scheme (self-declare) for micro and small businesses. The regular pathway applies to other business actors. The choice of pathway determines who inspects, how long the process takes, and what documents you need to prepare.

2. Establishing the Halal Product Assurance System

Before submitting an application, first build the internal system. In practice, this system covers halal policy, the list of ingredients used, the list of suppliers, production procedures, and the appointment of responsible personnel. These documents are what will later be reviewed at the inspection stage.

3. Submitting the application

The application is submitted to BPJPH (the Halal Product Assurance Agency). At this stage, the completeness of documents determines whether the file can be processed further or needs to be completed. The tidier the system you built in the second stage, the less back-and-forth occurs at this stage.

4. Inspection by the Halal Inspection Agency

A file declared complete will be inspected by the designated Halal Inspection Agency (LPH). LPH is an agency that must be accredited, and its accreditation refers to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012. This standard governs impartiality, confidentiality, personnel competence, complaint and appeal management, and LPH liability.

The procedures for the establishment, accreditation, scope of activities, and revocation of LPH approval are set out in PP 42/2024, which replaces PP 39/2021. The appointment and dismissal of Halal Auditors are also regulated in the same regulation.

For LPH accreditation guidelines, including requirements, Pratama and Utama qualifications, scope of competence, fees, application flow, surveillance, and witness assessments, the reference is the Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 78 of 2025.

What is inspected in the field

Auditors trace ingredients and processes. Several critical points often appear in the ingredient list:

• Pepsin. A protein-digesting enzyme from the stomach of pigs or cattle, used in the cheese and pharmaceutical industries. Its status depends on the source. The alternative is pepsin from the stomach of halal-certified cattle, or microbial protease enzymes as a substitute.
• Mechanically separated meat (MSM). Meat residue from bones extracted by machine, at risk of being a mixture of various types of animals. The alternative is processed meat products with a guarantee of a dedicated halal production line and a certificate from a certified slaughterhouse.
• Microbial enzymes for food processing. A broad category of enzymes (amylase, protease, lipase) that can be sourced from microbial, plant, or animal sources. The alternative is halal-certified microbial enzymes from fermentation, with source documents from the supplier.
• Glycerin or glycerol (E422). A versatile humectant that can come from palm oil or pork fat. The alternative is halal-certified plant-based glycerin, generally from palm or coconut oil.

Note that these categories have source-dependent status. What determines it is not the name, but the origin of the ingredient and the documentary evidence accompanying it.

5. Fatwa hearing

After the inspection is completed, the results are discussed at a fatwa hearing. The determination of halalness is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. It should be emphasized: the inspection agency does not determine halal or haram, and business actors do not determine it themselves.

6. Certificate issuance

The certificate is issued only by BPJPH. After the certificate is issued, your obligations do not stop. The system that has been built must be run continuously, because changes in ingredients or suppliers can affect the product's status.

Preparing yourself before starting

Of the six stages above, the most decisive is the second. Most delays stem from a system that is not yet tidy, not from the regulation. Therefore, start with the ingredient list and supplier list, then ensure every ingredient has clear source documents.

If you want to manage the criteria of the halal product assurance system centrally, IndoHalal.id provides an SJPH platform to organize halal policy, ingredient registry, critical points, internal audits, and BPJPH certification readiness in one application.