How the Indonesia Halal Certification Process Works (SIHALAL): A Guide to the SHLN & Regular Certification Pathways

If you're looking to launch or scale consumer products in Southeast Asia’s largest market, figuring out how the Indonesia halal certification process works has likely jumped to the top of your priority list. Whether your business produces food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or health supplements, meeting Indonesia's national standards is crucial for securing long-term market access and building trust with millions of consumers.

Under the authority of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH), all applications are now managed digitally through a central platform called SIHALAL. Depending on your current setup, your business will generally navigate one of two pathways:

• Foreign Halal Certificate Registration (SHLN) via Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA)
• The Regular Halal Certification Pathway (available to both domestic and overseas manufacturers)

To discover how these pathways function and pinpoint which option makes the most sense for your brand, keep reading below. If you want direct hands-on support navigating the submission process, contact Cisema for professional support today.

Foreign Halal Certificate Registration (SHLN Pathway)

If a product already holds a halal certificate issued by an overseas certification body that is officially recognized by BPJPH through a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), the product may qualify for the SHLN (Sertifikat Halal Luar Negeri) pathway.

Rather than undergoing a brand-new audit in Indonesia, the foreign halal certificate is registered directly with BPJPH.

Step 1: Verifying Recognized Halal Bodies (LHLN)

Before initiating registration, businesses must verify whether their issuing certification body is recognized:

1. Access the BPJPH Directory: Visit the official BPJPH website and navigate to the Lembaga Halal Luar Negeri (LHLN) directory or search tool.
2. Search for the Certification Body: Search by institution name and select its country of origin.
3. Verify Recognition & Scope: Ensure the institution is actively listed, check its validity period, and confirm that its approved product scope covers your product category (e.g., cosmetics, food, health supplements).
4. Confirm Importer Eligibility: The Indonesian importer or official representative must be a legally registered business entity in Indonesia holding a valid Business Identification Number (NIB).

Required Documents for SHLN Registration via SIHALAL

Applicants must submit the following documents through the SIHALAL portal:

• Application Letter: Formally requesting SHLN registration.
• Letter of Appointment / Agreement: An official agreement from the foreign manufacturer granting the Indonesian applicant the authority to act as the appointed representative for SHLN registration.
• Legal Documentation: NIB of the importer or official local representative.
• Foreign Halal Certificate: Copy of the valid foreign certificate for the goods entering Indonesian customs.
• List of Goods: Detailed product listing including corresponding Harmonized System (HS) codes.
• Warehouse Information: Details including warehouse name, full address, and ownership status (owned or leased).
• Declaration Letter: An official declaration confirming all submitted documents are accurate and authentic.

What if the Foreign Halal Body Isn't Recognized?

If the foreign issuing body is not listed under BPJPH’s recognized MRA directory, the foreign manufacturer can either request their local certification body to seek BPJPH recognition, or apply directly through Indonesia’s Regular Halal Certification Scheme.

2. The Regular Halal Certification Pathway

Products that do not qualify for the SHLN pathway must undergo Indonesia’s regular halal certification process.

A common misconception among global brands is that the regular pathway is exclusively for domestic Indonesian companies. In reality, foreign manufacturers can apply through the regular pathway for overseas products, provided they register a SIHALAL account under the foreign business entity's name and meet the required criteria.

Required Documentation Comparison

Selecting a Halal Inspection Body (LPH)

Before submitting an application under the regular pathway, applicants must identify a suitable Halal Inspection Body (LPH) responsible for carrying out the physical audit.

While applicants can propose an LPH in SIHALAL, the final appointment rests with BPJPH based on accreditation, scope, accessibility, workload, and performance (per Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024).

How to Identify an LPH:

1. Visit the BPJPH LPH Directory.
2. Search for candidate agencies by name or browse the list.
3. Review key qualifications: registration number, service offerings, geographical coverage, and active validity.
4. Confirm Capability: Ensure the LPH is qualified to conduct audits on overseas manufacturing facilities and covers your specific product category.

Step-by-Step Regular Certification Process

Once an LPH is selected, the application follows a 10-step process:

1. Account Creation: Register a user account on SIHALAL.
2. Application Submission: Fill out required business and product data, then upload all required documents.
3. BPJPH Verification: BPJPH verifies data accuracy and document completeness.
4. Fee Calculation: The appointed LPH calculates and enters audit fees into SIHALAL.
5. Payment: The applicant pays the required fees and uploads proof of payment to SIHALAL.
6. STTD Issuance: BPJPH verifies payment and issues the Document Receive Letter (Surat Tanda Terima Dokumen / STTD).
7. Audit & Inspection: LPH carries out the audit process (including facility inspections) and uploads the audit report to SIHALAL.
8. Fatwa Session: The MUI Fatwa Commission reviews the report, conducts a fatwa session, and uploads the formal Halal Decree into SIHALAL.
9. Certificate Issuance: BPJPH issues the official Halal Certificate.
10. Download: The applicant downloads the final certificate from SIHALAL once the system status updates to "Terbit SH".

Important Note on Internal LPH Platforms:

Some inspection agencies operate internal supplementary platforms (such as LPPOM MUI's Cerol system). If required by the selected agency, applicants must complete supplementary registration on that internal system alongside SIHALAL. However, the official, final certificate is always issued through SIHALAL.

Final Thoughts

As Indonesia strengthens its Halal Product Assurance regime, securing halal certification is no longer merely a competitive advantage, but an essential prerequisite for accessing one of Southeast Asia's largest consumer markets, whether utilizing the Foreign Halal Certificate Registration (SHLN) pathway or navigating full regular certification.

However, foreign manufacturers frequently encounter complex compliance hurdles, from evaluating foreign certification body recognition and drafting required SJPH manuals to managing dual submission portals like SIHALAL and agency-specific systems. Coordinating local representation and aligning overseas facility audits with BPJPH standards can quickly strain internal resources and cause costly market entry delays.

Cisema offers complete regulatory management to streamline your compliance journey into Indonesia, guiding foreign brands through every step of formulation gap analysis, dossier compilation, SIHALAL portal submissions, local representative coordination, and direct liaison with BPJPH and appointed LPH inspection agencies to ensure swift, compliant market access

For support with your Indonesian halal certification and regulatory compliance, contact Cisema today.

Further Information

Explore Cisema’s services for medical device registration in Indonesia.

Learn more about Cisema’s services for cosmetic registration in Indonesia.

Read more about Halal compliance in Indonesia:

• Key Requirements for Indonesia Halal Medical Devices: What Manufacturers & Importers Need to Know
• Is a Foreign Halal Certificate Valid in Indonesia? Requirements Explained
• Understanding Indonesia Halal Cosmetic Certification Requirements
• Indonesia Mandates Pre-Shipment Halal Verification for Imported Products
• What Is Indonesia Halal Certification for Health Supplements? What Manufacturers & Importers Need to Know
• Indonesia Extends Mandatory Halal Certification Deadlines

References

• ‍Decree of the Head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency Number 221 of 2025 concerning Procedures for the Registration of Foreign Halal Certificates.‍
• Government Regulation Number 42 of 2024 concerning the Implementation of Halal Product Assurance.‍