In short
- Register a MYeHALAL account first, using your SSM or equivalent registration, then apply online
- Supporting documents are due five working days after you submit; the fee is due within 14 working days of the payment letter
- A late fee rejects the application, and you start again with a new one
- You must have been fully operating for at least three months before a new application
- The competent authority deals directly with you, not through consultants
The application is made online through the MYeHALAL system. The portal is simple to use. What decides the outcome is the deadlines, the scheme you choose and whether your operation meets the entry conditions, none of which the portal fixes for you. Everything on this page is taken from JAKIM's domestic certification manual, written in Malay.
Before you start: eligibility
The manual sets conditions that every application must meet. Check them first, because the one most often missed is the operating history: a new application needs the business to have been fully operating for at least three months.
| Condition | What the manual says |
|---|---|
| Business registration | A valid registration certificate from SSM, the Cooperatives Commission, or the establishing document under an Act or Ministry |
| Local authority licence | A valid local authority (PBT) licence or approval, or a valid confirmation or support letter from a government agency |
| Food premises registration | A valid food premises registration from the Ministry of Health (BKKM), where relevant |
| Veterinary certification | A valid veterinary certification scheme certificate or letter from the Department of Veterinary Services (JPV), where relevant |
| Manufacturing licence | A valid manufacturer's licence from NPRA, where relevant |
| Establishment licence | A valid establishment licence from the Medical Device Authority (MDA), where relevant |
| Operating history | Fully operating for at least three months before a new application. A company that has moved must have operated for at least one month at the new premises |
| Halal products only | Produce or handle halal products only, including trading products |
| Everything made on site | Apply for every product or menu still produced at the premises |
| Repacked products | A recognised, valid halal certificate for the repacked product, or supporting documents that clearly state the source (natural materials only) |
| No 'halal' in names | The company, product, menu, ingredient and brand names applied for must not use the word halal or otherwise indicate they are suitable for Muslims |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, pages 10 and 11 · edition of 2020
Make sure you are not on the excluded list, and that you have chosen the right scheme. This guide matches products to the nine schemes.
The steps
| Step | What the manual requires |
|---|---|
| 1. Register an account | Register a MYeHALAL user account at www.halal.gov.my before applying. Eligibility to register rests on a Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) or Cooperatives Commission registration number, or the establishing document under an Act or Ministry |
| 2. Account verification | The competent authority verifies the account within 24 hours on working days |
| 3. Apply online | The application is made online through MYeHALAL once the account is verified |
| 4. Supporting documents | Complete documents go to the competent authority within five working days of submitting the form |
| 5. Document review | Incomplete applications, and applications under the wrong scheme or category, are rejected. The review period depends on the number of products or menus and premises applied for |
| 6. Pay the fee | Within 14 working days of the payment letter. A late payment causes the application to be rejected and a new one must be submitted |
| 7. Field audit | Carried out after the fee has been received |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, pages 56 to 58 · edition of 2020
The two clocks are the ones to protect. Documents are due five working days after you submit the form, so have them assembled before you press submit and not after. The fee is due within 14 working days of the payment letter, and the fee for your scheme and size is on our cost page. The manual also lets the authority set a different period, so read the payment letter for the date that actually applies to you.
Rules that catch applicants out
| Rule | What the manual says |
|---|---|
| Product limit | No more than 100 products per application, except under the food premises, logistics and contract manufacturing (OEM) schemes |
| Names must match | The product or menu name registered must be the same as on the packaging label or menu display |
| Foreign-language names | Must be translated into Bahasa Melayu and/or English |
| Coded ingredients | Raw materials and products that use a code must be declared with their real name, not only a trade name |
| No additions after the fee letter | Products, menus, premises and services cannot be added once the payment letter has been issued |
| Which authority handles it | Decided by the scheme and the manufacturer's address, and shown in the applicant's MYeHALAL account |
| Changing authority | An applicant is not allowed to ask for a different competent authority |
| Central kitchens and chains | Applications for central kitchens, food chains, and two or more premises under one brand in different states are handled by JAKIM |
| Dealing with the authority | The authority deals directly with the company or applicant, not through third parties or intermediaries such as consultants |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, pages 56 to 58 · edition of 2020
Three of these cause most of the avoidable rejections. The product name has to match the label exactly, so settle packaging before you register products. Anything with a code name needs its real name declared. And nothing can be added after the payment letter, which makes the list of products or menus the most important thing you decide before you submit.
After submission: the audit
The manual separates an adequacy audit, which is a review of your documents, from the field audit on site. The field audit is carried out only after the fee has been received. Auditors work in teams of at least two. You may not amend the audit dates; if there is a reasonable need, you must tell the authority formally and immediately after you receive the notice.
| Stage | What the manual says | |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of audit dates | The authority notifies the applicant of the audit period. The applicant may not change the dates; a reasonable request must be made formally and immediately | Prosedur 25 |
| Adequacy audit | A document review of the application form and supporting documents. The officer may suspend or reject the application if the information is insufficient | Prosedur 27 |
| Field audit structure | Opening meeting, document review, field inspection, report preparation and closing meeting | Prosedur 28(1) |
| Audit team | At least two inspecting officers qualified in Islamic affairs and/or the relevant technical field | Prosedur 28(2) |
| Being ready | The applicant must be ready for audit at all times, prepare a short presentation on the application, and have the required documents and records available | Prosedur 28(5) |
| Access | Officers have access to the whole premises, may interview any relevant person, and may take photographs, copies of documents and samples as evidence | Prosedur 28(7) |
| Follow-up audit | A follow-up or repeat audit is carried out once only for any application | Prosedur 29(5) |
| Non-conformance replies | In writing, direct and specific about the corrective action taken, with supporting documents and photographic evidence, within the set time | Prosedur 30(2) |
| Rejection grounds | The officer may recommend rejection to the Malaysian Halal Certification Panel if the applicant fails to reply to a non-conformance report in time, or gives a false reply | Prosedur 30(4) |
| Certificate issue | Issued within five working days of the Panel's decision, or a period set by the authority | Prosedur 34(2) |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, pages 64 to 79 · edition of 2020
A follow-up or repeat audit is held once only for any application. The officer can recommend that the application be rejected where the replies to non-conformances are late or false. That is why we advise treating the first audit as the one you prepare for. The mistakes guide shows where audits actually go wrong.
What a consultant can and cannot do
The manual says the competent authority deals directly with the company or applicant, not through third parties or intermediaries such as consultants. In practice this means you submit the application under your own account and you answer the authority yourself. We cannot apply on your behalf and we will not tell you otherwise.
What we do is get you ready to apply: scoping the products and menus correctly, building the documentation, checking supplier certificates, training the staff who will be interviewed and running a mock audit. If you want a second pair of eyes on your application before you submit it, contact us.
Next: the full process from readiness to audit, or what happens when the certificate expires.