On 16 September 2026, Shanghai-based Specit Consulting published a compliance briefing on Indonesia’s mandatory halal rules for imported products, centred on BPJPH Regulation No. 4 of 2026 issued on 5 September 2026.
From 18 October 2026, under Government Regulation No. 42/2024 as implemented by the new BPJPH framework, seven product groups must be halal-certified before they circulate and are traded in Indonesia: food and beverages; slaughtered products and slaughtering services; raw materials, food additives and auxiliary materials; chemical and genetically engineered products; natural medicines, quasi-medicines and health supplements; cosmetics; and consumer goods including clothing, accessories, household supplies and Class A medical devices.
Indonesia’s Trade Minister Budi Santoso has confirmed that halal certification is not classified as an import prohibition: products may clear customs and enter the country first, but must meet halal requirements before distribution to retail or foodservice. BPJPH has stated publicly that the 18 October 2026 deadline will not be extended again.
Two compliance pathways are available. Pathway 1 is full certification through an Indonesian Halal Inspection Body (LPH). Pathway 2 is Overseas Halal Certificate Registration (RSHLN): if a product already holds a certificate from a Foreign Halal Institution (LHLN) with a mutual recognition agreement with BPJPH, that certificate must still be registered with BPJPH before distribution—possession of a foreign certificate alone is not enough.
Specit notes that document mismatches (product names, ingredient lists or production addresses) commonly delay RSHLN filings, and that progressive administrative sanctions after the deadline include warnings, fines, certificate revocation and product recall from circulation. For China-origin exporters selling into Indonesia, the October date sits just after Golden Week recovery, so certification work should not wait for post-holiday backlog clearance.