Indonesia tightens controls on halal products imported from abroad
The Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency of Indonesia (BPJPH), Indonesia’s state authority responsible for Halal affairs, issued Decision No. 4/2026 on August 10, 2026, on ensuring the conformity of imported foreign Halal products entering Indonesian territory (BPJPH Decision No. 4/2026). The decision will take effect 30 days from the date of issuance.
The regulation strengthens the monitoring process by introducing documentary and physical product inspections in the country of loading and/or the country of origin prior to shipment. Physical inspections are to be carried out by inspection bodies designated by BPJPH.
For importers, BPJPH Decision No. 4/2026 emphasises the obligation to prepare the required documents and comply with applicable regulations before submitting import customs declarations. Importers are required to register Halal Product Certificates through the integrated electronic system, select an inspection body designated by BPJPH, and ensure that the information contained in the documents is consistent with the actual condition of the products.
Halal product assurance obligations and exemptions
Under Article 2, all products imported, circulated and traded within Indonesian territory must obtain Halal certification in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Products derived from prohibited materials are exempt from the Halal certification requirement but must carry a “Not Halal” declaration. Both products subject to Halal certification and products exempt from certification must undergo Halal product inspection before the import customs declaration is submitted.
The Halal product assurance obligation does not apply to passengers’ personal baggage, personal baggage belonging to crew members of means of transport, personal goods, goods belonging to Indonesian migrant workers, cross-border goods, household goods belonging to Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals residing in Indonesia, goods belonging to Hajj pilgrims sent through delivery service providers, test samples, goods in transit/transshipment and/or other goods as provided for by law.
Physical inspections in the country of origin and the role of inspection bodies
Pursuant to Articles 3 to 7, Halal product assurance is carried out by BPJPH through the appointment/designation of state-owned inspection bodies and/or private inspection bodies that meet the applicable requirements. The key requirements for eligible inspection bodies include:
| Requirement | Conditions to be met |
|---|---|
| Licensing and certification | Hold a valid business licence and be accredited by the National Accreditation Committee as a Conformity Assessment Body within the relevant scope of work. |
| Operational network | Have domestic offices, overseas branch offices and/or foreign inspection-body partners. |
| Management system | Have standards covering quality management systems, conformity assessment, information confidentiality and anti-corruption. |
| Personnel | Have at least four (4) competent assessors responsible for carrying out Halal Product Assurance and knowledgeable about the Halal status of products. |
Inspection organisations meeting these requirements must submit an application to BPJPH through the Integrated Electronic System. BPJPH will verify the documents and, where necessary, may conduct an on-site inspection. If the documents are deemed complete and compliant, the Head of BPJPH will designate the inspection organisation as an entity responsible for carrying out Halal Product Assurance and determine its scope of operations based on its overseas branch offices and inspection-organisation partners.
In addition, Halal Product Assurance must be carried out in the country of loading and/or the country of origin of the products after the importer submits an application to the Head of BPJPH. The activity must be conducted directly at the loading warehouse prior to shipment and must include verification of conformity between the documents required under the Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH) and the physical condition of the products.
The results of the Halal Product Assurance process will be presented in a Halal Product Assurance Report (LPPH), which the inspection body submits to the Head of BPJPH through the Integrated Electronic System. The LPPH must contain information on whether the results of the Halal Product Assurance process are compliant or non-compliant.
Mechanism for implementing Halal Product Assurance
Under Article 8, importers must submit an application for Halal Product certification through the Integrated Electronic System and select an inspection body designated by BPJPH. To submit an application, importers must meet a number of administrative requirements and provide supporting documents, including:
| Requirement | Required documents/evidence |
|---|---|
| Hold a valid NIB as an API (licensed importer). | NIB (Business Identification Number). |
| Products have a Halal Certificate or Halal Registration Number, or a declaration of non-Halal status for products derived from prohibited materials. | Halal Certificate or registration number, or a photograph of the product packaging bearing the “Not Halal” declaration. |
| Prepare a list of products to be imported into Indonesia. | List of goods to be imported into Indonesia, including the HS (Harmonized System) codes specifying the classification of each type of goods. |
| Use an official representative of the importer, where applicable. | Power of attorney signed by the head of the importing company. |
| The company must have a Taxpayer Identification Number. | NPWP (Taxpayer Identification Number) certificate. |
| Have documentation of product transactions and sales contracts for imported goods. | Purchase invoice and packing list specifying the type/description, quantity, product code, production date and unit of measurement of the products to be imported. |
| Ensure the accuracy and validity of the documents. | A confirmation letter signed by the head of the importing company affirming that the submitted documents are accurate and valid. |
The Vietnamese Trade Office in Indonesia considers the main challenge posed by BPJPH Decision No. 4/2026 to be the complex operational burden and stringent verification and assessment requirements for the conformity of exported goods prior to shipment and before the submission of import customs declarations. Compliance requires strict data consistency: each shipment must fully correspond with a complex set of documents, including the correct Harmonized System (HS) code, invoice, packing list, shipment number, production date and product labelling.
In addition, the potential for delays in interactions and information exchanges with Indonesian regulatory authorities is significant, as importers must coordinate across multiple channels, including BPJPH, inspection bodies, foreign Halal certification bodies and the Indonesian National Single Window (SINSW) customs system. This may create bottlenecks if data are not synchronised.
Compliance costs are also expected to rise significantly, as detailed traceability requirements for raw materials, combined with mandatory inspection and management procedures, will increase import costs and could disrupt supply chains, thereby reducing the competitiveness of imported goods.
These challenges will affect exports of Halal products from countries, including Viet Nam, to the Indonesian market, as congestion and delays arising from inspections and verification of Halal compliance at ports of shipment particularly during the initial stage of implementing the decision could increase compliance costs and reduce competitiveness compared with Indonesian domestic products and goods from other exporting countries that have more favourable conditions for compliance assessment.
The main categories of Vietnamese exports to Indonesia subject to Decision No. 4/2026 include confectionery and cereal products, processed fruits and vegetables, and processed seafood.
To minimise the adverse impacts of Indonesia’s tighter controls on imported Halal products, Vietnamese exporters should proactively coordinate closely with Indonesian importers in declaring and registering the inspection of Halal compliance with Indonesia’s BPJPH for their exported goods. During the registration and inspection process, enterprises should provide and prepare goods that are fully consistent with the accompanying documentation. They should also proactively recommend that Indonesian importers select the inspection and verification body best suited to their needs when conducting compliance verification.
See the full regulation here.
