Answers / Regulations & halal
How do I check a cosmetic’s NPRA notification and JAKIM halal status?
In brief
Open NPRA’s Product Search on the QUEST3+ system, choose the Cosmetic category and search by product name, registration number or holder. The number is not printed on packs, so search by name. For halal status, use the Verify Halal Status search on JAKIM’s Halal Malaysia portal, halal.gov.my, under Kosmetik dan Dandanan Diri.
Key points
- In Malaysia a cosmetic must be notified to the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, through NPRA, before it is made, imported or sold.
- Since 1 January 2008 the notification number has not been printed on cosmetic labels.
- Notification numbers take the form NOTyymmxxxxxK, and each product and variant has its own.
- NPRA says notification relies on industry self-regulation; it is not a prior approval.
- JAKIM’s Malaysia Halal Directory covers certification by JAKIM and the state religious authorities, plus foreign halal certification.
How do you check if a cosmetic is notified with NPRA?
Go to NPRA’s Product Search on the QUEST3+ system, quest3plus.bpfk.gov.my ↗. Choose Cosmetic as the product category, then search by product name, registration number, holder name, manufacturer name or importer. Check that the product name, variant and holder match the pack.
NPRA notes that a search result applies only to the date and time of the search, because a product’s regulatory status can change. Attachments are available only for products registered through QUEST3+ from 2017, so some older records show none.
Why is there no NPRA number on the box?
Because it is not meant to be there. NPRA’s FAQ says that from 1 January 2008 the notification number is not printed on cosmetic labels, so you search by product or company name instead. Numbers take the form NOTyymmxxxxxK, with the year, the month and a serial number, and each product and variant has its own.
A notification is valid for two years and must be renewed at least a month before it expires. NPRA says it is an offence to manufacture or import a cosmetic without notifying first.
Does NPRA notification mean a cosmetic is approved?
Not in the sense of a pre-market approval. NPRA says the notification system puts the emphasis on industry self-regulation and that prior approval by the authority no longer applies, so the company is responsible for the product’s safety and quality.
Under NPRA’s guidelines, the notification holder must keep a product information file available on request, ensure the manufacturer follows good manufacturing practice, report serious adverse events and remove products from the market if NPRA directs a recall.
How do you check JAKIM halal status for a cosmetic?
Open the Halal Malaysia portal at halal.gov.my, run by JAKIM’s halal management division, and use the Verify Halal Status search. Choose Kosmetik dan Dandanan Diri (cosmetics and personal care) as the category and search for the product or company. For products certified abroad, there is an International category.
JAKIM describes its Malaysia Halal Directory as covering halal certification verified by JAKIM and the state religious authorities (JAIN), as well as foreign halal certification. The Malay-language version of these steps is in Cara semak notifikasi kosmetik NPRA dan halal JAKIM.
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Quick answers
Related questions
What is the format of an NPRA cosmetic notification number?
- NOTyymmxxxxxK: the letters NOT, two digits for the year, two for the month and a serial number, ending in K. Each product and each variant has its own number, and it is not printed on the label.
How long is an NPRA cosmetic notification valid?
- Two years. NPRA says it must be renewed no later than one month before it expires. A product renewed in time keeps its number; one that lapses or changes in a way that needs a new notification gets a new number.
Does Indonesia’s halal rule apply to cosmetics sold in Malaysia?
- No. Indonesia’s halal law covers products in Indonesia, where the cosmetics phase-in now runs to 17 October 2028. In Malaysia, check NPRA notification and JAKIM certification; for Indonesia, see is halal certification mandatory in Indonesia.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- NPRA — QUEST 3+ Product Search checked 22 October 2026
- NPRA — Frequently asked questions: cosmetic products checked 22 October 2026
- NPRA — Guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products in Malaysia: 2.0 Cosmetic notification checked 22 October 2026
- JAKIM — Halal Malaysia portal (Verify Halal Status) checked 22 October 2026
- JAKIM — Semakan status halal (Malaysia Halal Directory) checked 22 October 2026
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Regulations & halal