Which FSSAI Licence Do I Need: Registration, State or Central?

Which FSSAI approval you need depends on two things: your turnover and your Kind of Business. From 1 April 2026, basic registration applies to food businesses with turnover up to ₹1.5 crore, a State licence to those above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore, and a Central licence above ₹50 crore. Certain business types need a Central licence whatever their turnover, so check your Kind of Business before you apply.

This guide is a decision checklist. It helps you work out the correct tier, avoid the usual mistakes on the FoSCoS portal and understand what you must do after approval. For the full application process and documents, see our FSSAI licence registration page.

What changed on 1 April 2026

If you read an older article, the numbers will look different. Here is the position as recorded from FSSAI's own notices.

• The FSS (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations, 2026 were notified on 10 March 2026.
• By an order dated 13 March 2026, FSSAI reset the turnover thresholds from 1 April 2026. Registration now covers turnover up to ₹1.5 crore, a State licence above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore, and a Central licence above ₹50 crore. The earlier limits were ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore.
• Registrations and licences are now perpetual: valid until suspended, cancelled or surrendered. Renewal has been replaced by an annual fee and returns.
• FSSAI's FAQs of 27 March 2026 say existing holders do not need to re-apply; the system migrates them to the revised tier in the backend on the basis of self-declaration. The licence number stays the same, and no fee is charged for migration caused by the new thresholds.

The amendment also lets the Food Authority fix thresholds by order in future, so treat any figure as something to re-check on the FSSAI website and FoSCoS rather than a permanent rule.

The three tiers compared

The fee amounts are those commonly shown on FoSCoS and in Schedule 3 of the 2011 Regulations; FSSAI's FAQs confirm that fees can be paid for several years at once but do not list amounts. Check the figure for your Kind of Business on the portal before paying.

A four-step way to find your tier

Step 1: List every food activity you do

Write down every activity, not just the main one: manufacturing, repacking, relabelling, wholesale, retail, catering, storage, transport, import and export. A restaurant that also sells packaged snacks, or a retailer that repacks loose goods, has more than one activity. The highest-risk activity usually decides the Kind of Business.

Step 2: Calculate turnover correctly

FoSCoS uses annual turnover across the entity's food-related business, not for one outlet in isolation. Use a figure that agrees with your GST returns and income tax filings. If your turnover is close to a threshold, an inconsistent declaration is the easiest query an officer can raise. See GST registration for how your tax records line up.

Step 3: Check whether your Kind of Business forces a Central licence

Under the long-standing eligibility matrix, some business types need a Central licence irrespective of turnover. Examples recorded on our service page include importers, e-commerce food businesses, 100% export-oriented units and head offices of multi-State operators. Because the matrix has been revised over time, check the current list on FoSCoS for your Kind of Business rather than relying on this article.

Step 4: Count premises and States

Each premises needs its own approval. A business with outlets in several States needs a licence for each State premises unless it qualifies for a Central licence. A cloud kitchen with two kitchens in two cities cannot cover both with one State licence.

Quick decision guide by business type

The examples below are starting points. The portal's Kind of Business list and your turnover make the final call.

• Tea stall, small bakery, home kitchen, kirana store, turnover up to ₹1.5 crore: basic registration, unless a particular Kind of Business requires a licence.
• Restaurant or cafe with turnover above ₹1.5 crore: State licence, from the State where the outlet sits.
• Regional manufacturer or processor within the State turnover band: State licence, with a premises inspection likely.
• Importer of food products: Central licence regardless of turnover, as per the eligibility matrix noted above; confirm on FoSCoS.
• Food seller or aggregator operating through an e-commerce platform as the platform itself: Central licence regardless of turnover; sellers listing on a platform need their own approval based on their own activity and turnover.
• Large manufacturer with turnover above ₹50 crore: Central licence.
• Multi-State chain with a head office: check whether the head office needs a Central licence and whether each outlet needs its own approval.

When your turnover crosses a line

Suppose you are a registered food business and your turnover grows past ₹1.5 crore. You must move up to a State licence by a fresh application with Form B. A State licence fee already paid is adjusted if you later become eligible for registration, but the reverse does not happen automatically. Do not wait for a notice; calendar your turnover each quarter.

If you are an existing licence holder whose turnover is now under the new ₹1.5 crore line, check whether the system has already migrated you. Do not surrender and re-apply. Use the modification option only if the details shown are wrong.

Documents to have ready

Requirements vary by tier and Kind of Business, and the portal prompts for the final list. The usual set is:

• Photo ID and address proof of the proprietor, partners or directors.
• Proof of possession of premises, such as a rent agreement with the owner's ownership proof, or a sale deed.
• Business constitution documents: partnership deed, incorporation certificate, or LLP agreement, where relevant. See partnership deed drafting if your firm has no written deed.
• A list of food products or activities, and for manufacturers a layout plan and equipment list.
• Turnover declaration consistent with GST and ITR records.
• Food Safety Management System plan or declaration, where the portal asks for it.
• Authorisation letter for the signatory, if someone other than the owner will sign.

What it costs: government versus professional fees

Government fees are paid on FoSCoS and depend on the tier. The table below separates them from the items that are not government fees, so you can read any quote correctly.

After you get the number

Approval does not end the work. These are the recurring duties on our service page.

• Pay the annual fee on FoSCoS before the due date. Non-payment or non-filing of the required return can lead to suspension.
• File the annual return in Form D-1 by 31 May for the previous financial year, if you are a licensed manufacturer, repacker, relabeller, importer or manufacturer-exporter. The late fee is ₹100 per day, capped at five times the annual licence fee, per FSSAI's April 2024 advisory. We have not checked whether the 31 May date changed for FY 2025-26, so confirm it on the FSSAI website. Our FSSAI annual return page covers this.
• Display the certificate and 14-digit number at the premises and print it on invoices and labels.
• Keep a FoSTaC-trained Food Safety Supervisor in licensed premises where the conditions require it.
• Apply for modification when your address, partners, directors, products or constitution change.
• Intimate closure and surrender the licence within 30 days of closing the business.

Other licences a food business usually needs

FSSAI is only one layer. A restaurant normally needs a local health trade licence and, in many places, an eating house licence. Our guide to the eating house licence and health trade licence explains the municipal side. Shops also need a shop and establishment registration in most States. Align names and addresses across all of them, because banks, aggregators and inspectors compare the documents.

Common mistakes when choosing a tier

• Picking the wrong Kind of Business. This is the most common cause of rejection. Read the list line by line.
• Using stale thresholds. Many articles still quote ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore. Those were replaced from 1 April 2026.
• Understating turnover to stay in a lower tier. An officer can compare your declaration with GST data. A mismatch invites queries and can lead to penalties.
• Assuming one licence covers every outlet. Each premises needs its own, unless a Central licence applies.
• Forgetting the annual routine. With no renewal date to remind you, the annual fee and return are what keep the licence active.
• Operating before approval. Carrying on a food business without a licence or registration can lead to imprisonment up to 6 months and a fine up to ₹5 lakh under section 63 of the FSS Act, 2006.

A short checklist before you apply

1. All food activities listed and the Kind of Business picked on FoSCoS.
2. Turnover declaration matched to GST and ITR figures.
3. Tier confirmed against the current eligibility matrix and the revised thresholds.
4. Premises documents in the applicant's name or with a clear consent letter.
5. Fee confirmed on the portal for your Kind of Business.
6. Email and mobile used on FoSCoS checked regularly for queries.
7. A calendar entry for the annual fee and, if relevant, the D-1 return.

If you are unsure which tier applies, you can call or WhatsApp Lawgical Guru on +91 92205 65553 or write to info@lawgicalguru.in. This article has been reviewed by Satyam Gupta, CS and Advocate, and is general information, not advice on a specific application.

Reviewed by Satyam Gupta, Company Secretary (CS) & Advocate

8+ years of industry experience. Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Always confirm current rules and fees on the official portal before acting.