Technical Steps of Halal Certification from Start to Certificate

Halal certification is not a single act, but a series of interdependent stages. This article guides the sequence technically, from internal preparation to the issuance of the certificate. The main references are PP 42 Tahun 2024 on the Implementation of Halal Product Assurance and the Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 243 Tahun 2025 on Service Standards at BPJPH.

1. Ensure your product is among those required to be certified

The first step is to check the scope of the obligation. The Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs Number 748 Tahun 2021 sets out the types of products required to be halal-certified along with their phasing, and this rule was amended by KMA 944 Tahun 2024. The product groups and their phasing follow these two references. If your product falls outside that scope, certification is voluntary.

2. Prepare documents and technical data

Before registering, gather the materials to be examined. These generally include:

• a list of ingredients used along with their trade names and manufacturers;
• supporting documents on the halal status of ingredients, for example halal certificates for ingredients;
• the production process flow;
• a list of production and storage facilities;
• the names and data of personnel handling halal assurance.

For critical points, pay attention to ingredients whose status depends on their source. Animal fat or shortening, for example, may come from different fats, including lard from pigs, which is absolutely haram. Mechanically separated meat (MSM) also risks being mixed from various types of animals. Vanilla extract generally uses ethanol as a solvent. Conversely, albumin from egg white is generally halal, but still needs to be verified free from non-halal mixtures.

3. Build a halal product assurance system

Documents alone are not enough. A company needs to have a system in operation: halal policy, ingredient purchasing procedures, handling of non-conforming products, internal audits, and corrective mechanisms. This system is what ensures the halal status of products is maintained after the certificate is issued, not only at the time of inspection.

4. Register the application

The halal certification application is submitted to BPJPH. Kepka BPJPH 243 Tahun 2025 sets out 27 types of BPJPH services along with their requirements, timeframes, and tariffs, including the issuance of halal certificates, LPH accreditation, registration of LP3H and PPH Facilitators, and facilitation codes. This decree revokes Kepka 120 Tahun 2022. Therefore, requirements and tariffs should be checked directly in that reference, not in old copies.

5. Inspection by the Halal Inspection Agency

BPJPH appoints an LPH to conduct inspection and testing of product halalness. An LPH is an institution that has obtained accreditation and approval. PP 42 Tahun 2024 regulates the procedures for the establishment, accreditation, scope of activities, and revocation of LPH approval, as well as the appointment and dismissal of Halal Auditors.

In accreditation, LPH refers to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012 on requirements for bodies certifying products, processes, and services. This standard regulates impartiality, confidentiality, personnel competence, complaint and appeal management, and accountability. For business actors, the implication is practical: inspection results must be free from conflicts of interest, and you have the right to understand the basis of the assessment.

6. Determination of halalness

The results of the LPH inspection become the basis for the determination of halalness. The determination of halalness is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee, in accordance with applicable provisions. This stage is not an administrative stage, but a religious assessment of the evidence collected.

7. Issuance of the certificate

The halal certificate is issued only by BPJPH. After the determination of halalness, BPJPH issues the certificate for the product applied for. The certificate applies to the products listed in it, not automatically to the company's entire product line.

8. Keeping the certificate valid

After the certificate is issued, obligations continue. Changes in ingredients, suppliers, or production facilities can affect the halal status of products. Therefore, the ingredient registry and internal audits need to be updated regularly. If relevant changes occur, administrative follow-up is carried out so that the conformity of products with their certificate is maintained.

Summary of the sequence

1. Check the scope of the product obligation.
2. Prepare documents and ingredient data.
3. Build and operate a halal product assurance system.
4. Submit an application to BPJPH.
5. Undergo inspection by LPH.
6. Wait for the determination of halalness by the fatwa commission.
7. Receive the certificate from BPJPH.
8. Maintain the system and update data.

Of all these stages, the part that most often consumes business actors' time is tidying up ingredient documents and tracing critical points. The SJPH platform from IndoHalal.id helps manage the criteria of the halal product assurance system in one application, from halal policy, ingredient registry, critical points, internal audits, to BPJPH certification readiness.