Who Can Issue Halal Certification in the U.S.? Halal Accreditation Explained

by | Apr 8, 2026 | Halal Certification

In the United States, halal certification is issued by private halal certification bodies, not by a single federal or state level “halal authority”. 

What makes a halal certificate usable (and trusted) depends on three layers:

  1. The certifier’s international recognitions (through various countries)
  2. The certifier’s competence
  3. The certifier’s governance/oversight through accreditations

In this guide, we take a deeper dive into who can issue halal certification and what manufacturers, brands, and exporters should look out for. 

Halal regulation in the U.S explainer:

There’s no “U.S. government halal certificate”. Unlike some countries that regulate halal through a central authority, the U.S. system is market-led. That means:

  • A halal certificate in the U.S. is typically issued by a private halal certifier (a certification body).
  • The U.S. government generally does not certify products as halal.
  • Regulators focus on accreditations, truthful labeling, and whether halal label claims are in accordance with the halal standards (especially for meat and poultry)

Who Can Issue Halal Certification in the U.S?

A U.S-based organization that is accredited, approved, or formally recognized by relevant international halal authorities and industry bodies; such as the World Halal Food Council (WHFC), JAKIM (Malaysia), BPJPH (Indonesia), and the UAE’s MoIAT can issue halal certificates that are widely trusted, especially for the markets where that recognition applies.

Furthermore, for a halal certification to be credible, it needs to come from a halal certification body that operates like a product-certification body, typically showing:

  • A defined halal standard/scheme and clear scope (products, sites, processes)
  • Qualified auditors and a documented audit method
  • Impartial certification decisions (audit ≠ approval; technical review/decision is separate)
  • Jurisprudence oversight (e.g., Islamic affairs board/scholar governance and rulings)
  • Ongoing surveillance (not a one-time certificate)

While the USDA does not accredit halal certification bodies, its Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) often publishes market-access updates that reference official foreign lists of recognized halal certifiers; for example, Thailand’s Central Islamic Council (CICOT) list of approved foreign halal certification bodies. Similarly, Indonesia’s halal authority BPJPH maintains a public database of recognized foreign halal certification bodies in the United States.

What “Accreditation” Means in Halal

Many serious halal certifiers align with, or are audited against, halal standards such as GSO/UAE.S, and they often operate their certification programs in a way that is consistent with ISO/IEC 17065 (the global benchmark for product, process, and service certification bodies), which sets requirements for competence, impartiality, and controlled certification decisions.

At the same time, other regulators and halal authorities rely on different halal standards and frameworks, such as MS 1500 (Malaysia), Indonesia’s SJPH framework under BPJPH, and international references like OIC/SMIIC standards, among others.

How Does Accreditation Affect Exports for U.S. Manufacturers and Exporters?

For U.S. exporters, working with a properly accredited and internationally recognized halal certification body is often the strongest proof foreign regulators and importers look for to confirm that production meets halal requirements. Here are the main reasons halal accreditation has become crucial:

1) Accreditation reduces buyer friction

When a manufacturer is certified by a halal certification body operating under a robust conformity-assessment framework, it offers the kind of “quality infrastructure” importers, retailers, and regulators tend to trust. 

Important note on non-accredited certification:

If a manufacturer obtains halal certification from a body that is not properly accredited or recognized by importing countries, the certificate may not be accepted by regulators, importers, or retailers. In many cases, companies later discover that their certification cannot be used for export approvals or market access, forcing them to repeat the entire certification process with a recognized body. This leads to unnecessary costs, delays, and potential disruptions in supply contracts. Choosing an accredited and internationally recognized halal certification body from the start helps avoid these risks and ensures smoother acceptance across global markets.

2) Accreditation and Recognition is directly linked to market access

Even a highly competent certifier can be rejected if the destination country doesn’t recognize them. In the UAE system, for example, MoIAT explicitly ties halal market access to formal infrastructure in the form of registered halal certification bodies.

3) Accreditation impacts how smoothly your shipment clears

In practical terms, stronger accreditation/oversight can reduce:

  • Importer pushback
  • Document back-and-forth (scope, sites, product lists, traceability)
  • Risk of relabeling or re-certification at the destination
  • Port delays caused by certificate format issues, missing scope annexes, or unclear certification basis

Summary 

For manufacturers and exporters, the smartest approach is to choose a certifier based on where you sell and where you ship. Accreditation and strong conformity-assessment practices help build credibility and reduce risk, but formal recognition by foreign halal authorities is what unlocks market access. When both are in place, exports move faster, importers push back less, and documentation is far less likely to become a bottleneck at the port.


To learn more about halal requirements and accreditation, reach out to an AHF expert via phone at +1 (630) 759-4981 or simply email us at info@halalfoundation.org.

Related posts:

Halal Certification Chicago: Get a Quote Now! Opportunity Cost of Not Being Halal-Certified: Why is Halal Certification Important?

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