A Malaysian business applies for JAKIM halal certification entirely through the MYeHALAL online portal, which has been the only accepted channel since 5 May 2025. You create an account, submit the application with supporting documents, pay a non-refundable processing fee of RM20 (local company) or RM200 (foreign manufacturer in Malaysia), then pass a document review and an on-site premises audit before the certificate is issued. JAKIM targets 15–30 working days for a complete application, but realistic end-to-end timing including preparation is closer to three to six months.
- Since 5 May 2025, all halal applications — new, renewal and variation — go exclusively through the MYeHALAL digital portal.
- The non-refundable processing fee is RM20 for a local company and RM200 for a foreign entity manufacturing in Malaysia; annual certification fees range roughly RM100–RM1,000 by business size.
- Certificate validity is 1 year for slaughterhouses, 2 years for food and beverage products and premises, and 3 years for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, logistics, OEM and medical devices.
- Under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, once you describe a product as halal, valid certification and marking become mandatory.
Who this applies to: Malaysian and foreign manufacturers, food-premises operators, and service providers that want to market products or services as halal in Malaysia.
On this page
Put a halal logo on your packaging without JAKIM’s certificate and you are not just cutting a corner — you are committing an offence. In Malaysia the halal claim is regulated by law, and the paperwork now lives entirely online.
When does a business actually need a halal certificate?
Certification is not forced on every product. But the moment you describe or mark something as halal, the rule changes. Under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011 (reported to be in force since 1 January 2012 — see verification note), only two bodies may certify halal in Malaysia: JAKIM (the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) and the State Islamic Religious Councils (MAIN). Using the halal description or logo without a valid certificate from one of them is unlawful.
There is usually a commercial trigger alongside the legal one. Many Malaysian retailers and institutional buyers prefer, or require, certified suppliers, so for consumer brands aimed at the Muslim-majority market, certification is often the practical price of entry rather than an optional badge.
How do you apply — and is it still on paper?
No. Since 5 May 2025, JAKIM’s certification has gone fully digital. Every application — new, renewal or variation — is processed exclusively through the MYeHALAL portal. The flow is:
- Create an account on MYeHALAL and complete the online application.
- Upload documents — business registration, local-authority (PBT) licence, full ingredient list, manufacturing process, packaging details and premises map (some products also need JPV, NPRA or MDA approvals).
- Pay the processing fee online.
- Document review by JAKIM’s Halal Management Division.
- On-site audit — auditors inspect the premises, raw materials and processes, and may interview staff and take samples.
- Committee decision — if there are no non-compliances, the e-certificate is issued for download.
What does it cost?
| Item | Local company | Foreign manufacturer (in Malaysia) |
|---|---|---|
| Processing fee (non-refundable) | RM20 | RM200 |
On top of the processing fee, an annual certification fee applies by business size. For products, logistics, OEM and medical devices it runs roughly RM100 (micro), RM400 (small), RM700 (medium) and RM1,000 (large). Catering and service providers, and slaughterhouses, sit on lower bands.
How long is it valid, and how long does it take?
Validity depends on the scheme:
- 1 year — slaughterhouses
- 2 years — food and beverage products, food premises, foreign manufacturers
- 3 years — cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, logistics, OEM, medical devices
On timing, JAKIM’s stated target is 15 to 30 working days once a complete application is received. Realistically, factoring in document preparation, the audit and any corrections, budget three to six months end to end. Renewal is not automatic and is not open-ended: the guidance is to submit the renewal through MYeHALAL between six and three months before expiry, and no later than three months ahead — letting a certificate lapse while still displaying the logo puts you back on the wrong side of the law.
What’s next
- Register the business with SSM and secure your local-authority (PBT) licence first — you cannot certify without them.
- Build a basic halal management system and clean up your supplier documentation before you open a MYeHALAL account.
- Confirm the current fee schedule and your exact scheme category on the MYeHALAL portal, since bands and requirements are revised over time.
- If you export, note that JAKIM also recognises approved foreign certification bodies — check whether your destination market accepts JAKIM or requires a local mark.
Is halal certification compulsory in Malaysia?
Certification is not compulsory for every product, but it becomes mandatory the moment you describe or mark a product as halal. Under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, only JAKIM and the State Islamic Religious Councils may certify, and using a halal claim or logo without valid certification is an offence.
How much does JAKIM halal certification cost?
The processing fee is a non-refundable RM20 for a local company or RM200 for a foreign entity manufacturing in Malaysia. On top of that, an annual certification fee applies by business size — for products it runs from about RM100 (micro) to RM1,000 (large).
How long does it take to get certified?
JAKIM targets 15 to 30 working days once a complete application is received. In practice, allowing for document preparation, the on-site audit and any corrections, businesses should budget three to six months from start to certificate.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Confirm all fee figures (RM20/RM200 processing; RM100/400/700/1,000 annual bands) against the current official MYeHALAL fee schedule at myehalal.halal.gov.my — the four load-bearing citations are commercial/consultancy sources, not the primary JAKIM schedule.
- Confirm the renewal window (submit six-to-three months before expiry) against JAKIM's Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual (MPPHM), which is the primary rule behind the cited secondary source.
- Confirm the P.U. (A) 431 in-force date (1 January 2012) and the exclusive-certifier rule against the primary statute text via AGC (lom.agc.gov.my) rather than the ChemLinked database.
- The commercial market-access point (that many retailers and institutional buyers prefer or require certified suppliers) is a general industry observation, not a cited statistic — confirm or attribute before treating as fact.
Sources
- P.U. (A) 431 — Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011 — ChemLinked
- A Quick Guide To Halal Certification Fees In Malaysia — MISHU
- 7 FAQs On Halal Certificate Renewals For Malaysian Restaurants — MISHU
- JAKIM Halal Certification for Foreign Companies in Malaysia (2025–2026) — OneKeyBiz
- How to Get Halal Certificate in Malaysia — Emerhub
- MYeHALAL — Official JAKIM Halal Certification Portal — JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia)
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 7 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |