KMA 748/2021: Product Groups Required to Have Halal Certification

The halal certification requirement does not apply simultaneously to all products. The government sets it in stages through specific product groups. The main reference is Minister of Religious Affairs Decree Number 748 of 2021 concerning Types of Products Required to Have Halal Certification.

For business actors, this regulation is important because it answers one fundamental question: is my product among those already required to have halal certification, or not? The answer determines the priorities and deadlines you must pursue.

What KMA 748/2021 Contains

KMA 748/2021 sets out the product groups required to have halal certification along with their phasing. This means there is a list of product types, and there is a timeline for when the obligation begins to apply to each group.

This regulation has been amended by KMA 944/2024. The amendment indicates that the scope and phasing of the obligation can move over time. Therefore, business actors need to ensure that the reference used is the latest version, not an old copy circulating in chat groups.

It should be noted that the determination of a product's halal status is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. Halal certificates are only issued by BPJPH. KMA 748/2021 regulates administrative obligations, not the halal status of a product.

Practical Consequences for Business Actors

Once your product falls into a group required to have halal certification, there are several non-negotiable consequences.

1. Certification becomes a requirement for distribution

Products required to have halal certification must fulfill that obligation to remain in circulation. For business actors, this is no longer a matter of promotional choice, but a matter of compliance.

2. System readiness must be built earlier

Certification is not a one-day process. There are stages that must be gone through, and all of them rest on the halal product assurance system (SJPH) on the business actor's side. The reference for implementing SJPH is Head of BPJPH Decree Number 57 of 2021, which contains five criteria: commitment and responsibility, materials, halal product processes, products, and monitoring and evaluation. This decree was amended by Kepka 20/2023.

If the obligation is near while the system has not been built, business actors will chase many things at once at the end. This is the main source of delays.

3. Critical points of materials must be traced

The materials criterion demands clarity of origin. Some materials need special attention because their status depends on the source.

• Gelatin. A thickening protein from animal collagen. It is halal only if the source and slaughtering are clear. Alternatives include fish gelatin, halal-certified beef gelatin, or agar-agar and carrageenan as plant-based substitutes. This material is commonly used in marshmallows, jelly candies, medicine and supplement capsules, ice cream, yogurt, and certain bakery products.
• Alcohol or ethanol. A solvent and preservative whose status depends on the source, concentration, and purpose of use. Traceable alternatives include non-alcohol plant-based solvents, or synthetic and industrial ethanol with source documents and concentrations verified by LPH. Its use is widespread: solvents for flavorings and colorings, vanilla extract, fermented products such as soy sauce, tapai, and tempoyak, as well as liquid medicines.
• Vitamin D3 from lanolin. Commercial vitamin D3 is often extracted from lanolin, which is sheep wool fat, not from slaughtered animals. Alternatives are vitamin D3 from halal-certified lanolin, or mushroom- and yeast-based vitamin D2. This material appears in fortified milk and dairy products, multivitamin supplements, and infant formula.
• Microbial enzymes. A broad category of enzymes such as amylase, protease, and lipase, which can come from microbial, plant, or animal sources. Alternatives are halal-certified microbial enzymes from fermentation, with source documents from suppliers. Enzymes are used in glucose and fructose syrup, meat tenderizers, juice and cheese production, and even dishwashing detergent for indirect contact.

The four examples above show one pattern: the halal status of a material cannot be guessed from its name. What determines it is the source document and its process.

4. Service procedures and costs need to be understood

Business actors also need to understand the BPJPH service flow. Head of BPJPH Decree Number 243 of 2025 concerning Service Standards at BPJPH sets out 27 types of services complete with requirements, timeframes, and tariffs. Its scope covers LPH accreditation, registration of LP3H and PPH Assistants, issuance of halal certificates, and facilitation codes. This decree revokes Kepka 120/2022.

By reading those service standards, you can estimate what documents need to be prepared, how long the process takes, and what tariffs apply. Planning becomes more realistic.

What Changes and What Remains

Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning the Enactment of Perppu Cipta Kerja into Law brought the latest changes to UU 33/2014. This regulation simplifies the certification process, introduces a halal statement or self-declare scheme for UMK, and paves the way for the Halal Product Fatwa Committee.

For business actors, that simplification does not remove the obligation. What changes is the way to go through it, especially for low-risk UMK that can use the halal statement route. Meanwhile, for medium and large businesses, the regular route with SJPH implementation remains the reference.

Steps That Can Be Taken Now

1. Make sure your product is among the groups regulated in KMA 748/2021 and its amendment, KMA 944/2024.
2. Map the materials used and mark which ones have source-dependent status.
3. Collect source documents from suppliers for materials marked as critical points.
4. Build or tidy up SJPH according to the five criteria in Kepka BPJPH 57/2021 and its amendment.
5. Study the requirements, timeframes, and service tariffs in Kepka BPJPH 243/2025 before applying.

The halal certification obligation is phased, but its consequences are real. The earlier the system and documents are prepared, the calmer the process you go through.

If you need structured management of SJPH criteria, the IndoHalal.id SJPH platform helps organize halal policies, material registries, critical points, internal audits, and BPJPH certification readiness in one application.