Home-Based Food: Licence, KKM Listing or JAKIM Halal Certificate?
Understand the three layers of compliance before you buy equipment or apply for a halal certificate for home-based food.
Last reviewed 5 November 2026
Important note: This ManaHalal guide is educational material. It is not an approval letter from JAKIM/JAIN/MAIN (the state Islamic religious departments and councils), a PBT (local authority) licence or a KKM (Ministry of Health) listing. The scope and eligibility for certification are assessed based on the actual operation, premises, documents and current rulings. The KKM Home-Based Food listing is not the SPHM (Sijil Pengesahan Halal Malaysia, the Malaysia Halal Certificate) and does not allow the use of the Malaysian halal logo.
Selling food from home can be a good start. But when a customer asks “do you have a JAKIM halal certificate?”, the answer cannot be just “I am Muslim” or “all my ingredients are halal”. There are three different things you need to understand before you draw up a business plan.
Three layers that must not be confused
| Layer | What is it for? | Related body | Replaces the JAKIM halal certificate? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permission to run a business | Business registration, use of premises and local conditions | SSM / PBT / related agencies | No |
| Food safety compliance and listing | FoSIM food premises registration, training, anti-typhoid, hygiene; the option to join the Home-Based Food Listing | KKM | No |
| Malaysian halal certification (SPHM) | A full check of the status of ingredients, workers, processes, premises, records, audits and the product/menu scope | JAKIM together with JAIN/MAIN | Yes, if approved for the specific scope |
Not every home operator needs to apply for all three at once. The registration and compliance that are mandatory must be met first; the KKM listing is a specific programme that is different from FoSIM registration; halal certification has additional criteria.
Four example operators
- A maker of made-to-order brownies: sells through WhatsApp and hands over the products at home. First focus: permission to operate at that address, FoSIM, food handlers, sanitation, recipes and ingredient documents.
- A daily dish seller: cooks rice with side dishes before delivering around the area. Extra focus: control of ready-to-eat food, temperature and delivery time.
- A bottled sambal maker: wants to get onto retail shelves. Extra focus: labelling, process control, batch numbers and whether the food/beverage product scheme suits.
- The owner of a frozen kuih (traditional cakes and sweets) brand who uses an OEM factory: the party that manufactures, the certificate holder, the location and the product scope must be checked; it is not automatically covered just because the ingredient supplier is certified.
How do you identify your route?
Frequently asked questions
Does a Home-Based Food listing mean the product has been verified as halal? No. The KKM listing focuses on hygiene and food safety practices.
Is every home eligible for halal certification? Do not jump to that conclusion. SSM, PBT, FoSIM, suitability of the premises, halal compliance and the scope of operations all need to be assessed. Get feedback from JAIN/MAIN before you spend a lot on renovations.
Is a halal certificate mandatory for all operators? SPHM certification is generally a voluntary scheme, but the use of halal claims and the official logo is subject to regulation; customer or procurement requirements may differ.
This week's actions
- State your products, production volume, kitchen location and place of sale.
- Check the status of your SSM, FoSIM, training and anti-typhoid.
- Choose a goal: compliant operation, KKM listing, or SPHM preparation.
- Do not use the official halal logo on products that have not received the relevant approval.