If you manufacture, process, or export food products and your buyers or markets require proof that your products comply with Islamic dietary law, you need a recognised Halal Certification. In India this is not a government-issued licence in the traditional sense, it is a third-party conformity assessment issued by an FSSAI-accredited or internationally recognised Halal certification body. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020, explicitly permits the use of the term 'Halal' on packaged food labels only when backed by a valid certificate from an accredited certification body. For businesses exporting to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, or Indonesia, absence of a recognised Halal certificate is a hard market-access barrier. KAMRIT Financial Services LLP manages the entire certification lifecycle, from FSSAI baseline compliance to engaging an accredited certification body, preparing the technical file, coordinating facility audits, and delivering the certificate that your buyers and regulators will accept. We eliminate back-and-forth with certification bodies and ensure your first application is complete and correct.
What is Halal Licence and Certification in India 2026?
Halal Certification is a conformity attestation issued by an accredited certification body confirming that a product, process, or facility complies with Islamic dietary requirements as defined under the relevant Halal standard. In India the primary standards are BIS IS 20500 (Parts 1 and 2): 2021, the Bureau of Indian Standards' Halal Food, and the OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 series adopted by several export destination countries. The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020, framed under the FSSAI Act 2006, govern domestic labelling claims and require that any 'Halal' label on a packaged food sold in India be supported by a valid certificate from a notified or accredited body. For export, countries such as the UAE (ESMA UAE.S 2055-1), Saudi Arabia (SASO/Gmark), and Malaysia (JAKIM MS 2400 series) have their own mandatory standards and will only accept certificates from bodies recognised under their respective national accreditation frameworks. The certification applies to: food manufacturing and processing units, meat and poultry abattoirs, dairy and bakery operations, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical firms, cosmetics manufacturers, and logistics and warehousing operators handling Halal-sensitive cargo. A single certification covers specified product categories at specified facilities; new product lines or new premises require separate assessments.
Who needs this
Halal Certification is open to any registered Indian business entity that already holds or is eligible to hold FSSAI registration or licence, and whose products or processes fall within the scope of an applicable Halal standard. The following conditions determine whether your business qualifies.
- Registered legal entity: Proprietorship, partnership, LLP, or Private Limited company with valid GST registration and PAN.
- FSSAI baseline compliance: Food business must hold either FSSAI Registration (turnover up to ₹12 lakh, Form A under FSSAI Regulations 2011) or FSSAI State/Central Licence (turnover above ₹12 lakh, Form B) before or alongside the Halal application.
- Manufacturing or processing facility located in India, with defined premises capable of physical audit by the certification body.
- Product categories covered under BIS IS 20500 Parts 1 & 2 or an equivalent standard accepted by the destination country's regulator.
- No use of Haram (prohibited) ingredients in the product formulation, including specific categories of pork-derived substances, certain food colourants, and alcohol-based ingredients beyond trace-level thresholds defined by the relevant standard.
- Documented quality management system at the facility, preferably aligned with ISO 22000:2018 or HACCP principles.
- For export-focused businesses: the product must target or already be shipped to a country that mandates or recognises Halal certification (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore).
- Supply chain transparency: ability to provide sourcing declarations and ingredient data for all components, including food additives, processing aids, and packaging materials.
- No pending prosecution or compounding orders under the FSSAI Act 2006, the BIS Act 2016, or applicable state food safety rules at the time of application.
- Laboratory test reports from an NABL-accredited or FSSAI-notified laboratory confirming product conformity to prescribed parameters.
Documents required
The certification body's technical committee reviews your application against BIS IS 20500 and FSSAI labelling rules. A complete file prevents desk-rejection and reduces audit cycles. KAMRIT compiles the entire dossier on your behalf.
- GST Registration Certificate and PAN, proof of legal entity and tax compliance.
- FSSAI Registration Certificate (Form A) or FSSAI State/Central Licence (Form B), mandatory baseline for any food business under the FSSAI Act 2006.
- Incorporation Certificate or Shops & Establishments registration, entity verification.
- Form 37A / MCA Spice+ extract, for companies, confirming registered office and object clause permitting food/Halal operations.
- Detailed Product Formulation Sheet listing every ingredient, additive, processing aid, and packaging component with CAS numbers and halal-status declaration from each supplier.
- Raw Material Sourcing Declarations from each approved supplier, confirming no Haram substances in the supply chain.
- NABL-Accredited Lab Test Reports, for each product category, covering microbial parameters, chemical contaminants, and species-specific PCR tests for meat products under FSSAI Regulations 2011.
- HACCP Plan or ISO 22000:2018 Certificate, documentary evidence of a structured food safety management system.
- Facility Layout Plan and Process Flow Diagram, showing segregation of Halal and non-Halal production lines (where applicable).
- Halal Policy Statement and Quality Manual, signed by the authorised signatory, committing to ongoing compliance with the applicable Halal standard.
- No-Objection Certificate from the relevant State Food Safety Officer (if required by the certification body for first-time applicants).
- Export documentation: Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, and Pre-Export Certificate from the destination country's importer, required when the certificate is sought specifically for an export shipment.
How KAMRIT runs it, step by step
The Halal Certification process involves a structured assessment of your business registration, facility, products, and supply chain by an accredited certification body, with KAMRIT coordinating each stage.
- Eligibility Pre-Screen and Engagement. KAMRIT reviews your FSSAI status, product portfolio, target export market, and existing quality certifications. We confirm whether BIS IS 20500 or an OIC/SMIIC export standard applies, and identify the appropriate accredited certification body for your destination market. A formal engagement letter and NDA are executed, and the scope of certification is defined in writing. This stage takes 1 to 2 working days.
- Technical File Preparation. KAMRIT prepares the complete application dossier including the Product Formulation Sheet, Supplier Sourcing Declarations, Lab Test Reports from an NABL-accredited laboratory, HACCP/ISO 22000 documentation, and the Facility Layout Plan. All documents are cross-checked against BIS IS 20500 Part 1 (General Requirements) checklist items. This stage takes 3 to 5 working days.
- Application Submission to Certification Body. KAMRIT files the complete application with the selected certification body, which may be a notified Indian body such as Halal India Private Limited, Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra Halal Certification, or the Halal Certification Organisation of India, along with the prescribed application fee and supporting technical file. The certification body issues an acknowledgement and conducts a completeness check within 3 to 5 working days.
- Facility Audit and Inspection. The certification body's auditor conducts an on-site inspection of the manufacturing or processing facility. The audit covers: raw material storage and segregation, production line hygiene and cross-contamination controls, labelling and packaging controls, documentation and record-keeping practices, and staff awareness of Halal requirements. Non-conformances identified are classified as Major or Minor. This stage typically occurs within 10 to 15 working days of application acceptance, and the audit itself takes 1 to 2 days on site.
- Lab Testing and Product Assessment. Representative samples are drawn during or after the audit and sent to an NABL-accredited laboratory. Testing covers microbiological parameters (TVC, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus), chemical parameters (heavy metals, pesticide residues, mycotoxins), and for meat products, species-specific PCR testing. Results are typically available within 7 to 10 working days. Any failed test result triggers reformulation or process corrective action before the certificate is issued.
- Technical Committee Review and Certificate Issuance. The certification body's technical committee reviews the audit report, lab results, and technical file. If all Major non-conformances are closed and Minor non-conformances have an accepted corrective action plan, the committee approves the certificate. The certificate is issued under the certification body's letterhead, bearing the standard reference number, scope of certification, validity period (typically 1 to 3 years), and the accreditation body's mark (NABCB or equivalent). This stage takes 5 to 7 working days from receipt of satisfactory lab reports.
- Halal Compliance Documentation and Post-Certification Support. KAMRIT delivers the certificate, QR-code label artwork for FSSAI-compliant Halal declarations, and a compliance calendar noting renewal dates, surveillance audit windows, and re-testing schedules. We also provide guidance on using the Halal mark on packaging in compliance with FSSAI (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020 Schedule IV requirements.
Timeline
From the date KAMRIT receives a complete document package, the KAMRIT-controlled stages, pre-screen, file preparation, and application submission, take 5 to 7 working days. The certification body's own process then runs as follows: completeness check takes 3 to 5 working days; facility audit is typically scheduled within 10 to 15 working days of acceptance; NABL lab results arrive within 7 to 10 working days of sample submission; and technical committee review takes 5 to 7 working days. In total, a straightforward new application for a single product category at one facility typically concludes in 30 to 45 working days, roughly 6 to 9 calendar weeks. Businesses with multiple product lines, complex supply chains, or first-time audit non-conformances should budget 60 to 90 working days. Government holidays, monsoon-related logistics delays, and the certification body's internal queue during peak months (October to December, ahead of Ramadan procurement) can add 1 to 2 weeks. KAMRIT manages all correspondence with the certification body to prevent scheduling delays and keeps you updated at each regulator-controlled stage.
How our pricing compares
KAMRIT Financial Services LLP charges a starting fee of ₹11,899 for Halal Certification advisory and end-to-end process management, covering pre-screen, document compilation, application filing, and coordination through to certificate receipt. Government fees payable directly to the certification body, typically ranging from ₹8,000 to ₹25,000 depending on product category, turnover slab, and whether the certificate is for domestic or export use, are billed separately at actuals and disclosed upfront. NABL laboratory test charges, approximately ₹5,000 to ₹18,000 per product category, are also billed at actuals. IndiaFilings charges ₹12,999 to ₹22,999 for Halal certification assistance but limits engagement to document collection and filing; their timeline add-ons can push total engagement cost to ₹28,000 to ₹35,000. Vakilsearch quotes ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 and offers limited post-audit follow-up. LegalRaasta prices start at ₹9,999 but charges extra for each product category beyond the first. ClearTax focuses on GST and income tax advisory and does not offer dedicated Halal certification services. KAMRIT's price is justified because we deliver a single engagement covering both FSSAI baseline compliance and Halal certification simultaneously, eliminating the need to hire separate consultants, and we hold the file through the audit and committee stages rather than handing off at submission.
Common mistakes KAMRIT avoids
Most first-time applicants make errors that delay the certificate or cause outright rejection. KAMRIT has seen every one of these in practice.
- Assuming FSSAI Registration or Licence alone qualifies as Halal certification, it does not; the FSSAI Act 2006 does not issue Halal status and a food licence is not recognised as a Halal certificate by export destination regulators.
- Labelling products as 'Halal' without a valid, current certificate, this violates FSSAI (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020 Schedule IV and exposes the business to compounding fines under Section 50 of the FSSAI Act 2006.
- Submitting incomplete Product Formulation Sheets, certification bodies reject applications where ingredient CAS numbers, supplier declarations, or Halal-status certificates from ingredient suppliers are missing.
- Failing to disclose shared production lines with non-Halal products, audit non-disclosure is a Major non-conformance that triggers certificate denial or immediate suspension.
- Choosing a certification body not recognised by the destination country's regulator, for UAE exports, the body must be recognised by ESMA or the UAE Accreditation Centre (EAC); for Saudi Arabia, SASO accreditation is required.
- Neglecting annual surveillance and renewal timelines, most Halal certificates are valid for 1 to 3 years subject to annual surveillance audits; a lapsed certificate voids your export shipment acceptance at destination ports.
- Using the Halal mark on packaging before the certificate is formally issued, using the mark before receipt of the physical certificate or QR-code is a regulatory violation even if the audit has been cleared.
- Not training production and procurement staff on Halal requirements, audit teams check staff awareness; absence of a documented training record is a Minor non-conformance that must be closed before the next surveillance audit.