Indonesian Seafood BKIPM Health Certificate (HC): 2025 Guide

A field-tested, step-by-step walkthrough to submit a BKIPM Health Certificate online via SSm QC/INSW and get it issued within 48 hours for a first-time, small air-freight seafood shipment.

If you’re staring down your first export and a tight flight cutoff, here’s the good news. With the right prep, we consistently get BKIPM Health Certificates issued within 24–48 hours for small, first-time air-freight consignments. The trick is knowing exactly what officers check in SSm QC, how to book inspection and sampling, and how to avoid the easy-to-miss fields that lead to rejection.

We’ve put that playbook below, exactly as we run it for our own exports.

What the BKIPM Health Certificate covers and when you need it

The BKIPM Health Certificate (HC) is the official fishery health certificate issued by Indonesia’s competent authority for fishery products. It confirms product hygiene, safety, origin, and handling. It’s consignment-specific. It must match the shipment actually leaving Indonesia.

Do you need it for non-commercial samples? If the product is edible and destined for human consumption, yes, you almost always need an HC even for samples. Some destinations allow non-edible R&D samples without an HC, but airlines and customs often still want it. Our rule: treat edible samples like any export consignment and apply for the HC. It saves delays at the airport.

Note on systems. You submit the application via SSm QC KKP, either directly or through the INSW single sign-on. Terminology at ports may reference quarantine integration changes, but fishery HCs are still processed through SSm QC as of late 2024.

The 48-hour path: our field-tested checklist

Register and link your NIB correctly in SSm QC. Make sure the exporter name matches your invoice header exactly.
Prepare the core docs as clean, searchable PDFs. Invoice, packing list, product specification/label, prior lab CoA if used, cold-chain statement if requested by your station.
Enter product names consistently. Common name, scientific name, HS code must align with your label and invoice.
Book inspection early in the application. Select the correct station and a realistic inspection window that matches your cargo readiness.
Pre-stage the cargo and cold-chain proof for inspection. Officers care about temperature and labeling as much as paperwork.

If you’re shipping, say, Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade) or Red Snapper Portion (WGGS / Fillet), the same logic applies. Align the description on the HC, label, and invoice so there’s no reconciliation gap.

Step-by-step: applying via SSm QC/INSW

1) SSm QC login and exporter setup

Create or use your INSW account, then access SSm QC.
Link your NIB to the SSm QC profile. Use the exact legal exporter name and NPWP.
Add your processing/storage facility. If you use a third-party cold store, add it too.

If your facility is not yet registered, you can still apply if the actual processing or storage is performed in a listed facility you designate in the application. Coordinate this in advance with that facility and your local station.

2) Start new HC application and pick the correct station

Choose the issuing station tied to your exit point. For air freight, that’s usually the airport KIPM station.
Select export destination and the appropriate certificate template if destination-specific.

3) Field-by-field: the entries officers scrutinize

Commodity name. Use a plain English common name that matches your label and invoice. Example: Red Snapper Fillet IQF, Skinless and Boneless.
Scientific name. Match to the exact species. Examples you’ll see in our range: Epinephelus spp for Grouper Fillet (IQF), Pinjalo pinjalo for Pinjalo Fillet (IQF), Thunnus spp for Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade). If you can’t confirm the species, don’t guess. Ask your supplier for the capture record or lot spec.
HS code. Select based on product state. Whole cleaned vs fillet vs steak, chilled vs frozen. Use the INSW tariff finder to confirm. Do not recycle a code from a prior shipment without checking the product state.
Process/type. IQF, IVP, IWP, block frozen, WGGS, etc. This must match your packs and labels.
Packaging. State the retail or bulk pack format. Example: IVP 1 kg x 10 packs per master carton.
Net weight and number of packages. Make sure these reconcile to the invoice and packing list totals.
Lot/batch. Use your internal batch ID and production date(s). These must be printed on case labels or traceable via packing records.
Storage temperature. Frozen seafood should read like “-18°C or below.” Chilled must state the actual maintained range.
Origin/catch area. Use FAO fishing area per capture log or farm origin for aquaculture. Indonesia typically uses FAO 57 or 71 depending on the ocean side. Verify from the supplier’s catch documentation.
Facility. Select the processing and cold storage facility from your SSm QC list.

Pro tip. Officers dislike marketing names used as commodity descriptions. “Snapper Bites” is fine for your product page, but on the HC use “Red Snapper Portion, Frozen, IQF” and keep the trade name for the invoice line in parentheses.

4) Upload documents

Commercial invoice and packing list. Use matching descriptions and weights.
Product label or spec sheet. Inner and outer case labels if available.
Prior lab CoA if you want to rely on an existing batch test. Histamine for tuna, antibiotic residues for shrimp, microbiology if relevant.
Cold-chain record or calibrated thermometer snapshot on inspection day if your station requests it.

5) Book inspection and potential sampling

Set your inspection date and time window in SSm QC. Choose a slot a few hours before cargo handover to your forwarder so you can still relabel if needed.
Ensure cargo is staged, accessible, and cartons are labeled with lot and species. Officers may open cartons and take photos.
If sampling is required, keep retention samples ready. Mark a contact person who can authorize sample draw.

Timelines and how to speed up air-freight HCs

For small first-time shipments with complete files and no new lab tests, issuance can be same day or next day after inspection clearance. For air freight, we aim for inspection day minus one from flight departure. That gives enough buffer to print the HC before your AWB is finalized.

Will BKIPM issue an HC without new lab tests? Often yes if you attach a valid batch CoA and your risk profile is low. Tuna histamine rapid tests can still be requested for fresh-chilled product. Shrimp to sensitive markets may trigger antibiotic residue testing, which adds days.

If you must test, ask your station about fast-track analytes. Histamine can be 1 working day. Some antibiotic panels run 3–5 working days. Plan your flight accordingly.

Common reasons applications get rejected

Scientific name doesn’t match the species on the label or catch docs.
HS code does not match the product state. Whole vs fillet vs steak confusion.
Lot/batch on the HC isn’t on the cartons inspected.
Weight or pack count mismatch between HC, invoice, and packing list.
Storage temperature left blank or unrealistic for the product form.
FAO fishing area missing or inconsistent with capture location.
Facility listed in SSm QC differs from the actual processing site.

We solve 3 out of 5 rejections by fixing naming and code alignment. Double-check those fields before you submit.

Documents to upload for a clean first-time approval

Signed commercial invoice with buyer details and product breakdown.
Packing list with carton counts, net weight, and pack sizes.
Product specs and labels. Inner and outer.
Existing batch CoA if you plan to avoid re-testing.
Facility HACCP or listing reference if your station asks for it in first submissions.
For EU, be ready to coordinate TRACES CHED-P data with your buyer. Your local station can guide you on the EU HC template.

Special cases we get asked about

Do I need an HC for non-commercial sample shipments?

If edible and intended for human consumption, assume yes. Mark the invoice as “samples, no commercial value” if that helps your buyer’s customs, but still apply for the HC and book inspection. It avoids ground handling disputes.

What if my facility isn’t registered yet?

You can name a listed third-party processor or cold store that handled the lot. Make sure that partner appears in your SSm QC facility list before you submit. If neither you nor your partner is listed, the station will not issue an HC.

HC validity and consignment matching

The HC is only valid for the described consignment. If your AWB date shifts, officers rarely amend the certificate unless details change. If you change weight, lot, or destination, cancel and reapply. SSm QC lets you edit or cancel a draft. Issued HCs usually require a reissue.

Costs in 2025 and how to budget

Fees are regulated as PNBP and vary by station, certificate type, and lab panel. In our recent experience, plan for a modest inspection fee per consignment, then add lab testing if required. A basic histamine test is relatively low cost per lot. A broad antibiotic residue panel for shrimp is materially higher and can become the dominant cost for small shipments.

Because tariff schedules and promotions change, request an official quote from your station before you submit the HC in SSm QC. As a working budget for small air-freight consignments, we set aside a few hundred thousand IDR for inspection and several million IDR if a full residue panel becomes necessary. Confirm the exact line items with your issuing station before sampling.

A quick example you can copy

Shipping 200 kg of frozen snapper fillets to Singapore on Thursday night. Apply Tuesday morning. Use “Red Snapper Fillet, Frozen, IQF, Skinless and Boneless” as the commodity. Scientific name Lutjanus spp to match your Snapper Fillet (Red Snapper) spec. HS code selected via INSW for frozen fish fillets. Pack description “IVP 1 kg x 10 per master carton.” Storage temp “-18°C or below.” FAO area per your supplier’s capture log. Upload invoice, packing list, label, and prior microbiology CoA. Book inspection Wednesday afternoon. If no sampling, HC prints Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Cargo hands over to your forwarder with the original HC.

Questions on your specific form fields or lab strategy for shrimp, tuna, or reef species? If you want a second set of eyes before you submit, Contact us on whatsapp. We’ll review your draft and point out any red flags.

Practical takeaways

Your fastest path to a 24–48 hour HC is clean alignment across name, scientific name, HS code, pack, weight, temperature, and origin.
Book inspection early and stage cartons so officers can see lot and species right away.
Use existing batch CoAs strategically. If a new test is unavoidable, pick analytes with the shortest turnaround that still meet destination rules.
Keep your facility list in SSm QC accurate. If you use a third party, add them before you apply.

If you also want consistent export-ready specs, browse our IQF fillets and portions. Products like Grouper Fillet (IQF) and Mahi Mahi Portion (IQF) are built for hassle-free HC documentation with clear species and processing details. View our products to see specs you can lift straight into your application.