Indonesia has given importers of food and beverages two more years to get halal certification in place. Government Regulation (PP) No. 40 of 2026, dated 14 October 2026 and announced by the government on 16–17 October, moves the halal certification obligation for imported food, beverages, slaughtered products and slaughtering services to 18 October 2028. The original deadline was 18 October 2026.
The change came late. As recently as 9 October, BPJPH, the Halal Product Assurance Agency, said there would be no postponement. Many importers had prepared for an October 2026 start that will now not happen until 2028.
What changed
PP 40/2026 amends PP 42/2024, the regulation that sets the timetable for halal certification. According to BPJPH and the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs:
- Imported food, beverages, slaughtered products and slaughtering services: the obligation now starts on 18 October 2028. The date takes into account finishing mutual recognition agreements between BPJPH and foreign halal bodies. Services related to these products also start then.
- Food, beverages and slaughtered products from micro and small businesses: the phase-in is extended to 17 October 2028.
- Cosmetics, herbal medicines, quasi-drugs, health supplements, chemical products, genetically engineered products, certain consumer goods and Class A medical devices: the phase-in is extended to 17 October 2028.
- Medicines and higher-risk medical devices: over-the-counter medicines and Class B devices have until 2029, and prescription drugs and Class C devices until 2034.
- BPJPH Regulation No. 4 of 2026 has been revoked. It had required halal checks on imported products before the customs import declaration.
Not everything was delayed. Domestic medium and large food and beverage producers have had to be certified since October 2024, and that has not changed. Imported food and beverages, from producers of any size, follow the 18 October 2028 date.
What it means for your shipments
With Regulation 4/2026 withdrawn, halal certification currently adds no new step at customs. Existing import permits and BPOM requirements still apply as before. In September, before the change, BPJPH deputy E.A. Chuzaemi Abidin also said that halal is not a lartas (prohibited or restricted goods) requirement and will not disrupt imports or the flow of goods.
Products made with non-halal materials can still be imported. They need a non-halal statement on the label instead of a halal label.
Some questions remain open. BPJPH has said the implementing rules will be adjusted, but it has not yet said what will replace the pre-customs check. It is also not yet clear how imported raw materials, food additives and processing aids are treated under the new timetable. If you import ingredients, confirm your position with BPJPH rather than assuming the 2028 date applies.
How to use the extra time
- Check your supplier’s certificate. A foreign halal certificate is accepted only if the foreign halal body that issued it has a mutual recognition agreement with BPJPH. In early 2026, only 37 of 101 accredited foreign bodies had signed one, so check BPJPH’s published list.
- Plan the SIHALAL registration. A foreign certificate must be registered with BPJPH through the SIHALAL system before the product is distributed in Indonesia. The importer or an official representative files it in Indonesia, and the certificate must be legalised or apostilled.
- Look at contracts that run past October 2028. Long-term supply agreements signed now should say who is responsible for halal certification and labelling.
- Watch for further changes. The timetable has been pushed back before: in 2024, the deadline for micro and small businesses moved from 2024 to 2026.
The 2028 date does not mean halal rules can be ignored until then. A product that already carries a halal label must comply now. BPJPH Regulation No. 2 of 2026, in force since June 2026, sets out staged sanctions: a written warning, administrative fines, revocation of the halal certificate, and withdrawal of the product from the market. BPJPH has also warned businesses about people posing as the agency and asking for payment of “fines”. Check official BPJPH channels such as bpjph.halal.go.id before paying anything.
How Translindo can help
Translindo does not issue halal certificates, but we handle the freight, customs clearance, warehousing and trucking around them. If you import food, beverages or consumer goods into Indonesia and want to talk through your shipments under the new timetable, contact our team.
Sources
- BPJPH: PP 40/2026 schedule
- Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs
- ANTARA
- Bloomberg Technoz
- Tilleke & Gibbins
- ANTARA (BPJPH, 9 October)
- Hukumonline (imports and lartas)
- BPJPH: foreign certificate registration in SIHALAL
- Bisnis (recognised foreign bodies)
- ChemLinked (non-halal imports)
- Tilleke & Gibbins (sanctions)
