Malaysia's Halal Certification System

The eight-pointed star halal logo with Arabic script at its centre is among the most recognisable marks on Malaysian supermarket shelves — and only one party in the entire country has the right to place it there. Not the product manufacturer, not a private advisor, and not any international certification body, but the government itself, through JAKIM and its state-level counterparts.

This article explains how that system really works: who issues the certificates, the law behind them, the nine certification schemes, the costs and validity periods, and the fully digital application process that came into force in 2025.

Who really issues halal certificates in Malaysia?

In Malaysia, the power to certify a product or service as halal rests solely with the competent authorities — namely the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) at the federal level, together with the State Islamic Religious Councils (MAIN) and the State Islamic Religious Departments (JAIN) at the state level.

This means one important thing for businesses: halal certificates or logos issued via self-declaration or by any private company are not recognised. Only an SPHM from JAKIM/MAIN/JAIN is valid in the eyes of the law.

The legal basis is the Trade Descriptions Act 2011. Under this act, JAKIM and MAIN/JAIN are empowered to certify that a food, good or service is halal, and the use of the “halal” description is regulated so that it cannot be used arbitrarily.

The division of duties between JAKIM and the state authorities depends on the scheme and the factory location. For example, applications for a central kitchen, or for two food premises under the same brand operating in different states, are handled by JAKIM. Other applications are managed by the state authority according to the manufacturer’s address.

Is halal certification mandatory?

No. This is often misunderstood, but JAKIM’s official position is clear: halal certification is voluntary, and no law requires any party to apply for it. The Cabinet decision of 18 September 2024 also maintained this voluntary approach.

However, “voluntary” does not mean “free to label as one pleases”. The distinction is subtle but important:

• You are not required to apply for a halal certificate in order to sell food.
• But if you label or promote a product as “halal”, it must be genuinely certified — because the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 regulates halal claims.

In other words, the law does not force you to obtain a certificate; it forces you to be honest when you claim something is halal.

What standards underpin the halal certificate?

A Malaysian halal certificate is not merely a stamp of approval; it is based on a set of technical standards and management systems.

The main reference is the Malaysian Standards (MS) series published by the Department of Standards Malaysia, with MS 1500 as the foundational standard for halal food. Other schemes refer to their own respective standards — for example Islamic consumer goods and cosmetics, and halal supply chain management for logistics.

Alongside product standards, applicants are required to implement the Malaysia Halal Management System (MHMS) and an Internal Halal Control System — internal frameworks that ensure halal compliance is maintained continuously, not just on audit day. The effectiveness of the MHMS is one of the things assessed during the audit and is a condition for a longer validity period.

The nine schemes — which one is for your business?

Malaysia Halal Certification (Domestic) is open to nine different schemes. Choosing the right scheme is a critical first step, because it determines the reference standard, the fees and the validity period.

#	Scheme	For whom	Validity period
1	Food and beverage products	Producers, repackers, central kitchens, brand owners	2 years
2	Cosmetic products	Producers, repackers, brand owners	3 years
3	Pharmaceutical products	Producers, repackers, brand owners	3 years
4	Food premises	Restaurants, cafes, canteens, bakeries, catering, kiosks, chain premises	2 years
5	Consumer goods products	Consumer goods with doubtful ingredients or processes	3 years
6	Logistics services	Transport, storage, retail	3 years
7	Slaughterhouses	Premises slaughtering and processing halal animals commercially	1 year
8	Contract manufacturing / OEM	Contract manufacturers on behalf of other brands	3 years
9	Medical device products	Medical device manufacturers	3 years

To qualify, applicants must, among other things:

• Hold a valid Business Registration Certificate from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (or an equivalent cooperative registration/establishment document).
• Hold the relevant licences or approvals from local authorities and other agencies (such as food premises registration, pharmaceutical manufacturer licence, and so on, where applicable).
• Have been fully operational for at least three months before making a new application (one month for companies relocating to new premises).
• Produce and handle halal products only, and apply for the SPHM for all types of products or menus produced at those premises.

How much does it cost and how long is the certificate valid?

The cost of halal certification in Malaysia consists of two layers of fees set out in the Malaysia Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020.

First, the processing fee, charged once per application:

Application type	Processing fee
Domestic	RM20
Foreign-registered company manufacturing within the country	RM200

Second, the certification fee, charged according to industry category, based on annual turnover:

Industry category	Annual turnover	Certification fee per year
Micro	Less than RM300,000	RM100
Small	RM300,000 to RM14,999,999.99	RM400
Medium	RM15 million to RM50 million	RM700
Large	Over RM50 million	RM1,000

For food premises — restaurants, cafes, canteens, bakeries, kiosks and the like — the fee is RM100 per premises per year.

For contract manufacturing by foreign companies, the fee varies by the applicant’s origin: RM2,500 for ASEAN countries and RM10,000 for other countries, per product application.

The validity period varies by scheme, as shown in the schemes table above — from one year (slaughterhouses) to three years (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, logistics and others). As an incentive, the authorities may offer a validity period of up to five years to certificate holders who have held the SPHM for at least five years, are committed to complying with procedures, have no non-conformities detected, have never been subject to halal control action, and implement the MHMS effectively.

How does the digital SPHM application process work?

This is the biggest change in recent years. Since 5 May 2025, the entire SPHM application process has been conducted fully digitally, and certificates are issued electronically (e-Cert). All applications approved in the Malaysia Halal Confirmation Panel meeting on or after that date are processed as e-Cert, and applicants can print their own SPHM through the MYeHALAL system.

The overall flow is as follows:

1. Register a MYeHALAL account at www.halal.gov.my. Registration eligibility is based on the Companies Commission of Malaysia registration number (or cooperative/establishment document). The account will be verified within 24 working hours.
2. Fill in the online application form, select the correct scheme and category, and enter complete information about the company, raw materials, producers, products and menus. Each application may not exceed 100 products (except for the food premises, logistics and contract/OEM manufacturing schemes).
3. Submit supporting documents to the competent authority within five working days after the form is submitted. Incomplete documents will be rejected.
4. Adequacy audit — an inspecting officer reviews the form and documents to ensure they meet the requirements before the site visit.
5. Fee payment within 14 working days of receiving the payment letter. Late payment causes the application to be rejected and the applicant must reapply.
6. Field audit is conducted after the fee is received.
7. Approval by the Malaysia Halal Confirmation Panel. The certificate is issued within five working days of the panel’s decision.
8. Print the e-Cert yourself through MYeHALAL.

If a company still requires a printed and certified physical copy, a formal application by letter must be submitted, and a fee is charged under Clause 13 of the Malaysia Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020.

What happens during the audit?

The audit is the heart of the certification process, and it is conducted in several stages.

The adequacy audit is a desk review: at least one inspecting officer assesses the MYeHALAL form and supporting documents. If the information is insufficient, the process may be deferred or rejected.

The field audit is a visit to the premises, conducted by a minimum of two inspecting officers qualified in Islamic affairs and/or the relevant technical field. It covers an opening meeting, document review, field inspection, report preparation and a closing meeting.

The scope of the field inspection is very broad — including the company profile, documentation and records, raw materials, processing, storage, equipment, packaging and labelling, transportation, premises, workers, sanitation, training, and implementation of the MHMS.

If there are non-conformities (non-compliances), they must be corrected. A follow-up audit may be conducted to verify corrective action before the certificate is approved. Even after the certificate is issued, continuous monitoring and product sampling may be carried out at any time.

Who is not eligible to apply?

It is equally important to know what cannot be certified. The Procedure Manual lists several ineligible categories, including:

• Products and menus that are not halal.
• Companies producing or distributing halal and non-halal products simultaneously (including food delivery services).
• Use of the same brand for halal and non-halal products.
• Product, menu or brand names that refer to or resemble non-halal products or misleading terms — such as ham, bak kut teh, bacon, beer, rum, hot dog and char siew.
• Hotels with kitchens that serve pork-based menus.
• Unprocessed natural products with no packaging, such as fresh fish, fresh vegetables and fresh eggs.
• Products with negative religious and social implications, such as drugs, shisha and cigarettes.
• Products for which there is no need for halal certification or which may cause confusion if certified, such as fertiliser, paper, cement, tiles and insecticides.

Decision framework: should you apply?

For entrepreneurs weighing whether to apply, this sequence of questions may help:

1. Do you want to label the product as “halal”? If not, you do not need to apply. If yes, proceed — the halal claim must be certified.
2. Is your entire operation halal? If you handle halal and non-halal products simultaneously, or share a brand between the two, you are not eligible. Separate the operations first.
3. Have you been operating for at least three months? New applications require full operation beforehand.
4. Are your business registration and relevant licences complete and valid? Prepare your SSM, local authority licence and other documents before registering with MYeHALAL.
5. Which scheme is the right one? Match your activity to one of the nine schemes; this determines the standard, fees and validity period.

If all five answers are positive, you are ready to register a MYeHALAL account.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a private halal logo is sufficient. Only an SPHM from JAKIM/MAIN/JAIN is valid; self-declaration logos are not recognised.
• Labelling “halal” before being certified. Because certification is voluntary, some entrepreneurs assume they are free to label it themselves — whereas a halal claim without a certificate can breach the Trade Descriptions Act 2011.
• Applying too early. Applications before three months of full operation are not eligible.
• Relying entirely on a consultant. The authorities deal directly with the applicant, not through intermediaries; consultants may help with documents, but not represent official dealings.
• Paying the fee late. Payment beyond 14 working days causes the application to be rejected and you must start over.
• Misleading product names. Using terms such as bak kut teh or bacon — even for chicken- or plant-based products — will make the application ineligible.
• Assuming all products can be certified. Items such as cement, fertiliser or unprocessed fresh fish are outside the scope of certification.

What’s next

If you intend to apply, start by updating your basic documents — SSM registration, local authority licence, and food premises registration if applicable — because these are prerequisites before a MYeHALAL account can be activated. Then register an account at www.halal.gov.my and select the correct scheme.

Bear in mind that the details of fees, validity periods and procedures in this article are taken from the Malaysia Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020, and JAKIM updates the manual and procedures from time to time — including the transition to e-Cert in 2025. Always verify the latest figures and conditions through the MYeHALAL system and JAKIM’s official portal before applying.

To understand the broader legal framework, a useful next step is to read about the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and the role of JAKIM as the federal Islamic affairs coordinating body.