An eight-step, evidence-based route from application to the UHB Quality Mark. Built against OIC/SMIIC 2 and ISO/IEC 17065, audited by a team of technical and Shari’ah experts, and trusted across the World Halal Council.
Halal certification is more than compliance — it’s a business growth strategy rooted in respect, evidence and trust.
An independent guarantee that what bears the UHB Quality Mark is genuinely halal — addressing the food fraud, formulation and supply-chain risks ordinary consumers cannot inspect for themselves.
Uganda is home to over 6 million Muslims and a national audience reached by the bureau’s #TulyeHalal awareness work. Certified brands earn entry into a values-driven consumer segment.
The global halal market was valued at USD 2.71 trillion in 2024 and is forecast to reach USD 5.33 trillion by 2033. For many GCC markets, halal certification is a technical prerequisite to trade.
Mutual recognition with bodies such as the Kenya Bureau of Halal Certification (KBHC) and partners across the World Halal Council means the UHB mark travels with your product.
Every certification begins with a scheme-specific application form. Choose the one that matches your primary activity — or contact the bureau if you operate across more than one.
13 pages · in duplicate
Food processing, packaging, CO₂, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics & personal care
11 pages · in duplicate
Slaughterhouses, butcheries and meat processors
11 pages · in duplicate
Restaurants, hotels, catering and bakeries
All three forms are confidential and must be filled in duplicate.·Print, complete by hand or in a PDF editor, then submit with proof of payment.
Each step has a clear owner and a single deliverable that unlocks the next stage. Built to OIC/SMIIC 2 and ISO/IEC 17065.
Pick up the scheme-specific application form for your business — Manufacturer (AF/MOF), Butchery/Abattoir (AF/BOF) or Food Service/Hotel (AF/FOF). Complete it in duplicate. Forms are available from the bureau’s website or in person at the office.
Pay the non-refundable application fee of UGX 50,000 to Tropical Bank Account 2000159371 (Uganda Halal Bureau Limited). Submit the form together with the proof of payment and all supporting documents listed for your scheme.
The UHB review team checks the submitted file against established audit criteria — this is the first audit phase. Depending on findings the application can proceed, require additional information, or be rejected outright.
If the documentation is satisfactory, UHB issues a single invoice covering the on-site audit and the halal licence. Payment of this invoice unlocks the scheduling of the audit visit.
Trained technical and Shari’ah auditors visit the premises. The audit verifies the submitted documentation against reality and evaluates the production process, hygiene, segregation and supply chain against the relevant standards.
A formal findings report is shared with the applicant, highlighting areas of conformity and non-conformity. Minor non-conformities can be addressed and re-verified; major non-conformities that cannot be resolved make the application unsuccessful.
The Halal Certification Committee — working alongside the Head of Halal Certification — evaluates the findings and recommends whether the applicant qualifies for certification.
If approved, the committee issues a formal letter confirming halal status. The applicant receives the halal certificate, a unique product code and authorisation to use the UHB Quality Mark — and signs a compliance agreement to maintain halal standards. If denied, the applicant is formally notified.
Auditing is the art and science of finding evidence to prove that a product is halal, or not. Auditing is the art of impartial, uncompromised balance.
The base set applies to every applicant. Filter by scheme to see the extras specific to your business. Click any item to see what reviewers look for.
UHB currently certifies across seven industries — from food processing and food service to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics — each audited against the relevant OIC/SMIIC or national standard.
Packaged foods, oils, dairy, beverages, bakery and confectionery.
Restaurants, hotels, catering, bakeries — whole-premises certification.
Slaughterhouses and butcheries; live witness step on the slaughter floor.
Food-contact packaging materials, including corrugated and paper-based formats.
Food-grade CO₂ production and supply — critical for beverages and storage.
Halal pharmaceuticals under US OIC/SMIIC 50-1 — excipients and process aids.
Halal cosmetics under US OIC/SMIIC 4 — emulsifiers, alcohols, animal-derived inputs.
The bureau charges a single non-refundable application fee up front. Audit and licence fees are issued on a single invoice after the documentation review and sized to your facility and product scope.
| Stage | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | UGX 50,000 | Non-refundable. Paid up front to start the process. |
| On-site audit | On invoice | Issued after a satisfactory documentation review. Covers technical & Shari’ah auditors and travel. |
| Halal licence | On invoice | Included on the same invoice as the audit — covers issuance of certificate and the UHB Quality Mark. |
| Annual surveillance | On invoice | During the validity period to confirm the system remains in conformance. |
Application form is only reviewed after the application fee has been paid.
Certificates are valid for one year from issuance. Renewals follow a streamlined re-application — the same scheme-specific form is used, with the bureau reviewing what has changed since the last audit and adjusting the audit scope accordingly.
At least one surveillance audit is conducted during the validity period — announced or unannounced, at the bureau's discretion — to confirm the system remains in conformance under real operating conditions.
Material changes must be declared promptly: new ingredients or suppliers, formulation revisions, a new facility or change of ownership. The bureau will determine whether a re-audit is required, and the UHB Quality Mark must not be applied to unverified changes.
The bureau's auditors work to the OIC/SMIIC framework — used by halal certifiers across the Islamic world — together with Uganda's national and East African standards. Eleven standards underpin the bureau's work today.
The foundational standard for halal food — ingredients, production, transport, storage, and presentation.
Requirements for bodies providing halal certification. The standard UHB itself is structured against.
Halal requirements for cosmetics and personal care products — emulsifiers, alcohol, animal-derived inputs.
Particular requirements for places where halal food and beverages are prepared, stored and served.
General requirements for halal tourism services — used for hotels and hospitality operators.
Requirements and test methods for halal-compliant edible gelatine production.
General requirements for food additives and other added chemicals in halal food.
General requirements for halal pharmaceutical products, including excipients and process aids.
The national halal food standard — Uganda’s foundational halal text since 2012.
Design and operation of abattoirs and slaughterhouses — the standard the bureau audits butcheries against.
East African Standard for packaging and labelling — applied to packaged halal products.
Specific to the certification process. For broader product, registry and general questions, see the main FAQs page.
Request the right form for your business, pay the UGX 50,000 application fee, and submit your supporting documents. The bureau's officers are available to walk you through the requirements before you commit.
