Malaysia

Agreement signed · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

23 screening rules

Labeling: 10 rules — 9 blocking, 0 conditional, 1 advisory
Additives: 4 rules — 4 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 4 rules — 4 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Import & registration: 5 rules — 2 blocking, 3 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: Food Act 1983 (Act 281)
Labeling regulation: Food Regulations 1985 Part IV
Additives and residue limits: In Food Regulations 1985
National standards body: DSM (MS; MS 1500 halal) — paywalled
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2025

Certificates required

JAKIM halal / JAKIM-recognised foreign halal certificate (Malaysia) — Mandatory (Applies to: Meat, poultry and products thereof; commonly requested for all food)
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Animal products from DVS-approved plants)
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plant products)
Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Processed foods)
Certificate of origin – non-preferential — Mandatory (Applies to: All imports)
Other FTA origin certificates (ASEAN Form D, RCEP, AfCFTA, China FTA Form E etc.) — Mandatory (Applies to: Goods claiming preference)
HACCP certification — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential; preferential FTA forms e.g. ASEAN Form D / RCEP where claimed) — Issued by: Exporting-country chamber or authority — Conditional
Import customs declaration — Issued by: Royal Malaysian Customs (uCustoms) — Mandatory
MAQIS import permit — Issued by: MAQIS (with DVS/DOA approval) — Conditional
DVS veterinary import permit and establishment approval — Issued by: DVS — Conditional
Veterinary health certificate — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Halal certificate (JAKIM-recognised) — Issued by: JAKIM-recognised foreign body — Mandatory for those products
Phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: Exporting NPPO — Conditional

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Export customs declaration — Issued by: Royal Malaysian Customs (uCustoms) — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential and FTA forms) — Issued by: MITI / chambers — Conditional
MAQIS export permit / inspection — Issued by: MAQIS — Conditional

Government fees

MAQIS permit - plants/plant products (Import) — 15 MYR
MAQIS permit - fish & fish products (Import) — 15 MYR
MAQIS inspection - plants/products (Import) — 2 first 1,000kg + 1 per additional 1,000kg MYR
MAQIS inspection - fish (Import) — 0.05 per kg (>100kg) MYR
Compliance inspection - fresh fruit/vegetables (Import) — 1-2 per 1,000kg MYR
DVS/MAQIS animal product permit (Import) — up to 50 MYR
Meat carcass import fee (Import) — 10 per 100kg (meat); 20 per 100kg (bird) MYR
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
MAQIS export permit - plants/fish (Export) — 15 MYR

Customs single window: uCustoms; MyTradeLink; FoSIM

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

Food Act 1983 (Act 281) (1983) Open the source
Food Regulations 1985 (P.U.(A) 437/1985) consolidated as at 01.01.2014 (1985) Open the source
USDA GAIN — Revised Malaysian Labeling Requirements (MY2023-0015) (2023) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Malaysia (MY2025-0005) (2025) Open the source
MS 1500 Halal Food standard / JAKIM halal certification (2019) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA Exporter Guide Annual — Malaysia (MY2025-0009) (2025) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Malaysia (MY2025-0005) (2025) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual — Malaysia (MY2025-0002) (2025) Open the source
USDA GAIN — Revised Malaysian Labeling Requirements (MY2023-0015) (2023) Open the source
Food Regulations 1985 (consolidated as at 01.01.2014) (1985) Open the source
Food Act 1983 (Act 281) — official English reprint (1983) Open the source
Food Regulations 1985 — current consolidation (post-2014) (current)
Malaysian Standards (MS series incl. MS 1500 Halal Food)

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.