Halal logo on packaging: JAKIM rules for use, size and placement

Which rules apply

Three documents control how the halal logo appears on a pack in Malaysia:

1. Trade Descriptions (Definition of Halal) Order 2011, P.U. (A) 430/2011. It defines what “halal” means when used to describe food, goods or services.
2. Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, P.U. (A) 431/2011. It names the certifying authorities, the logo and how it is marked on products. The Second Schedule, the list of recognised foreign certification bodies, has been amended several times since.
3. Malaysia Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020, known as MPPHM 2020. JAKIM amended it through Malaysia Halal Certification Circular No. 1 of 2026, in force from 1 April 2026. Part IX of the amended manual covers the logo.

Both orders are made under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and are enforced by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). The general food label rules, such as language and letter sizes, are in our packaging label requirements guide. This guide covers only the halal logo. It is general guidance, not legal or religious advice.

Who may use the logo

Paragraph 3 of the Certification and Marking Order makes JAKIM and the state Islamic religious councils the only competent authorities to certify food, goods and services as halal. Paragraph 4 says food and goods must not be described as halal unless they are certified by one of those authorities and marked with the logo in the First Schedule.

The manual adds the practical condition. Under article 41(1), the logo may be used only by a holder of a Malaysia halal certificate (Sijil Pengesahan Halal Malaysia, SPHM) that is still valid, and with permission from the certifying authority. If the certificate is suspended, the holder must not use the logo on products made during the suspension (article 41(13)).

What the logo must look like

Article 40(1) of the amended manual says the logo must be printed and displayed in its set form. It labels each part:

Part of the logo	Position
The word “MALAYSIA”	In the outer circle
Eight-pointed star	In the centre
The Arabic word for halal	Inside the star
Two small five-pointed stars	Separating the Roman and Arabic lettering
The word “HALAL”	In the centre, under the Arabic word
“Malaysia” in Arabic script	Lower part of the circle
Malaysian Standard (MS) reference	Below the logo, for example MS 1500
Company reference number	Below the MS number, from the company’s MYeHALAL account

Use the artwork supplied through the certification process. Do not redraw it, change the typeface, crop the circle or move the numbers.

Colour and size

Article 40(2) allows the certificate holder to print the logo in any colour that suits the pack, provided the specification of the logo does not change. A single-colour logo in your brand colour, or reversed out in white, is allowed on that basis.

Neither the orders nor the manual set a minimum size or a clear space. What the manual does require, in its packaging and labelling rules, is that the packaging label is printed clearly and brightly and is not easily erased. In practice the MS number and the reference number are the smallest text in the logo, so size the logo so that those numbers stay readable on the final print, including on small sachets and curved bottles.

What the label must show with the logo

The amended manual’s packaging, labelling and advertising rules list three items every certified product label must show:

1. Product name, the same as the name declared in the MYeHALAL application.
2. Name and address of the certificate holder.
3. The Malaysia halal logo, together with the MS number and the file reference number (the last 10 digits).

Where to place it on the pack

Paragraph 6 of the Certification and Marking Order says the logo is marked on the food or goods themselves, or on anything in, on or with which they are supplied. That covers the pack, the label and the outer carton. No rule fixes which panel it goes on.

Our design practice is to place it on the front panel, where shoppers look first, at a size where the numbers can be read. Keep it clear of busy illustration so it is not mistaken for decoration, and do not overlap it with other badges or claims.

Design elements that can put certification at risk

The manual’s rules on packaging, labelling and advertising also limit what can sit around the logo:

• Packaging and labelling materials must themselves be halal, must not contaminate the product and must be safe.
• Packaging, labels and ads must not breach Hukum Syarak, show indecent elements or reflect negatively on Malaysia halal certification.
• Labels and ads must not use religious statements, symbols, terms or names, such as names of Allah, “makanan sunnah” or deities.
• Images or illustrations of animals classed as najis mughallazah, or with religious elements, must not be used.

Separately, paragraph 4 of the Definition of Halal Order makes it an offence to supply food with any representation that could mislead people into thinking it is halal. That includes Quranic verses or objects related to Islam on the container. An Arabic-style typeface or a crescent motif on an uncertified product can be read the same way, so leave them out unless the product is certified.

Imported products

Under paragraph 5 of the Certification and Marking Order, imported food and goods marketed in Malaysia may be described as halal only if they meet paragraph 4 or are certified by a foreign halal body recognised by JAKIM. If a recognised foreign body certified the product, the importer or manufacturer must mark that body’s name on the product. JAKIM publishes the current list of recognised foreign bodies on the Malaysia Halal Portal.

Other uses of the logo

Use	Allowed?	Manual reference
Product label of a certified SKU	Yes	41(1)
Advertising	Only with the certified product or service, and never misleading	41(8), 41(9)
Receipts and letterheads of a valid holder	Yes	41(10)
Name cards and business cards	No	41(10)
Products made by an OEM-scheme holder for another brand	Only if those products hold their own product-scheme certificate	41(6)
Products made during a suspension	No	41(13)

How we handle the halal logo in packaging design

We place the logo from your certificate details, keep its form intact and check that its numbers are legible on the printer proof. For uncertified SKUs in the same range, we design a version without it. Certification decisions rest with JAKIM or your state council, so confirm anything unusual with them before you print.

To start a project, see our product packaging service, read the packaging design cost guide or send your brief through the quote form.