Halal terms

What is a JAKIM-recognised foreign certification body?

The certificate names a body you have never heard of, and you want to know if it counts.

A JAKIM-recognised foreign certification body is an overseas halal certifier that appears on JAKIM’s published list. If the certificate you are looking at was issued by one of those bodies, you have a Malaysian reference point for the issuer.

How will I meet it on the trip?

You will see a certifier’s name on a certificate or a sign, and it may be a body you cannot place. JAKIM publishes the list as a PDF, linked from the foreign certification section of its portal¹. The list changes, so check the official page before you fly.

How do I check a body against the list?

First, photograph the certificate and note the issuing body’s full name.
Second, open the current JAKIM PDF and find the country’s section.
Third, match the name exactly, including the city if it is given.
Fourth, note the date on the list, then check the certificate’s own dates.

What does recognition leave unconfirmed?

JAKIM states that a foreign body’s appointment is valid for three years, then reviewed through an audit². That tells you about the body, not the kitchen. You still need the business name, branch and expiry date to match.

A tip before you go

Add the certifier names for your destination to a note on your phone. The claim states guide shows where a certificate sits among other halal claims. The meal-assurance comparison tool lets you compare meal plans by the evidence each one offers, and the guide to confirming arrangements in writing lists what a tour operator should put on paper.

Halal certificate, pork-free and mirin are explained in the halal terms hub.

If you have a certifier's name from a restaurant or tour brochure and cannot find it on the list, send it to us and we will help you work out what to ask next.

Ask about a certificate

Common questions

Does recognition mean the restaurant is halal?

No. Recognition says JAKIM accepts the certifying body. It does not inspect a restaurant for you. You still need to read the certificate: the business name, the address, the dates and what the certificate covers. The body being on the list is one useful check, not the whole answer.

What if the body is not on JAKIM's list?

Then treat the certificate as a claim you cannot confirm through JAKIM. It may still be a sincere certificate, but you have no Malaysian reference for it. Ask your ustaz what you accept, or choose a venue with a certificate from a body on the list.

Is the list fixed once and for all?

No. The PDF carries an effective date, and each body's appointment is time-limited and reviewed after a set period. A name that was on an older copy may not appear on the current one. Use the latest PDF and check the official page before you fly.

Sources

JAKIM publishes the foreign halal certification body list as a PDF at halal.gov.my/pdf/cb/FHCB21August2026.pdf, linked from the Foreign Halal Certification Body section of the halal.gov.my portal. Malaysia Halal Portal (halal.gov.my) (accessed 2026-10-19)
JAKIM states a foreign halal certification body's appointment is valid for three years, after which JAKIM carries out a review audit. JAKIM, Recognized Foreign Halal Certification Bodies & Authorities (effective 21 August 2026) (accessed 2026-10-19)

Keep planning

Halal, Muslim-owned, pork-free: what each claim meansYou see a sign that says halal, and you are not sure what it is actually saying.Meal-assurance comparison toolTwo offers both say halal meals included, and you cannot tell which one actually proves it.Ten questions for a tour operator before payingThe brochure says halal meals included, and you want that turned into something checkable.Which arrangements must be confirmed in writing?You cannot chase every small promise, so you want to know which ones really need a paper trail.