An FSSAI license (or registration, for smaller businesses) is the 14-digit approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India that every food business operator needs before making, storing, distributing, selling or importing food. The rules changed on 1 April 2026: the turnover limits were raised to ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore, and licences became perpetual with an annual fee instead of renewal. This page explains which tier applies to you, how to apply on FoSCoS, what it costs and what you must do after approval.
What is an FSSAI licence and registration?
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 brought India's food laws under one authority. Section 31 of the Act says no person may carry on any food business except under a licence or registration. The detailed procedure sits in the Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses Regulations, 2011, and applications are now handled end to end on FoSCoS, the FSSAI's online compliance system.
There are three tiers. Basic registration (Form A) is for the smallest businesses. A State licence (Form B) is issued by the State's food safety department. A Central licence (also Form B) is issued by FSSAI's regional offices for the largest businesses and for certain business types regardless of turnover. All three give you a 14-digit FSSAI number that must be printed on your invoices, packaging and displayed at the premises.
On 10 March 2026 the Government notified the FSS (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations, 2026. By an order dated 13 March 2026, FSSAI then reset the turnover thresholds from 1 April 2026: registration up to ₹1.5 crore, State licence above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore and Central licence above ₹50 crore. Earlier the limits were ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore. The amendment also made registrations and licences perpetually valid, and gave the Food Authority power to fix thresholds by order in future.
Existing licence holders do not need to re-apply. FSSAI's FAQs of 27 March 2026 say migration to the revised tier is done by the system 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.
Who needs an FSSAI licence or registration?
Anyone who handles food commercially needs one of the three approvals. Typical applicants include:
- Restaurants, cafes, cloud kitchens, caterers, sweet shops and dhabas
- Food manufacturers, processors, bakeries, packaged water units and spice or flour mills
- Repackers and relabellers of food products
- Wholesalers, distributors, traders, retailers, supermarkets and kirana stores
- Cold storages, warehouses and transporters of food
- Home-based and homepreneur food sellers, including those selling online
- Importers and exporters of food products
- E-commerce food platforms and food delivery aggregators
- Dairy units, meat shops, fish sellers and other high-risk categories
Benefits of FSSAI Food Licence & Registration
Legal permission to trade
Running a food business without the required approval is an offence under section 63 of the FSS Act. A valid FSSAI number protects you from closure orders and prosecution.
Marketplace and aggregator access
Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, Flipkart and quick-commerce platforms ask for an active FSSAI number and can delist sellers whose licence is suspended or cancelled.
Customer and buyer trust
Retail chains, institutional buyers and export customers check the licence number and category before onboarding a supplier.
Banking and loans
Banks and NBFCs frequently ask for the FSSAI certificate when financing food businesses, especially for working capital and equipment loans.
Gateway to related approvals
FSSAI is often the first document needed for the health trade licence, the eating house licence, liquor licence, APEDA and Spices Board registration.
Eligibility and how the right tier is decided
FoSCoS derives your tier from two inputs: your Kind of Business (KoB) and your annual turnover. Getting both right on day one avoids most rejections.
- Turnover (including all food-related sales across the entity) up to ₹1.5 crore: Basic registration, unless your Kind of Business forces a licence
- Turnover above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore: State licence from the State where the premises is located
- Turnover above ₹50 crore: Central licence
- Certain businesses need a Central licence irrespective of turnover under the long-standing eligibility matrix in Schedule 1 of the 2011 Regulations, for example importers, e-commerce food businesses, 100% export-oriented units, and head offices of multi-State operators (please check the current matrix on FoSCoS for your KoB)
- 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
- The applicant must be the person who controls the business: proprietor, partner, director or authorised signatory
- Premises must meet the hygiene and sanitary requirements of Schedule 4 of the 2011 Regulations for the category you fall in
Documents required
Applicant and entity documents
- Photo identity and address proof of the proprietor, partners or directors (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, voter ID)
- Passport-size photographs
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or LLP agreement, as applicable
- Authority letter or board resolution naming the authorised signatory
- Form IX nominee details for a Central licence
Premises documents
- Ownership proof, or a rent agreement with the owner's no-objection letter
- Latest electricity or water bill of the premises
- Layout plan of the unit for manufacturers and processors, showing flow of raw material to finished product
- Municipal or panchayat NOC or health trade licence where the State asks for it
Business and product documents
- List of food products or categories you will handle
- Turnover self-declaration, which FoSCoS uses to decide the tier
- For manufacturers: list of machinery and equipment with capacity, potable water test report and, where applicable, pollution board consent
- For importers: Import Export Code (IEC) certificate
- For export-oriented units and Central licences: documents proving the Kind of Business, such as IEC or e-commerce platform details
- Food safety management plan and FoSTaC-trained Food Safety Supervisor details for licensed premises
Step-by-step process on FoSCoS
The steps below apply to a fresh application. A business that already holds a licence need not follow them to migrate to the revised tier; use the modification option for any change of details.
Fix your Kind of Business
List every activity you carry out: manufacturing, repacking, wholesale, retail, catering, storage, import. Pick the matching Kind of Business on FoSCoS. This single choice decides whether you need registration, a State licence or a Central licence, and wrong picks are the most common cause of rejection.
Create the FoSCoS account
Register on foscos.fssai.gov.in with mobile number and email, then select the State and district of the premises. The system will suggest the tier from your KoB and the turnover you declare.
Fill Form A or Form B
Registration uses Form A; State and Central licences use Form B. Enter business details, premises address, product list, turnover and nominee or signatory details. Keep the turnover declaration consistent with your GST and ITR filings.
Upload documents
Upload scanned documents in the permitted size and format. Name the files clearly. Manufacturers should upload a proper layout plan and equipment list because the Designated Officer reads these closely.
Pay the fee
Pay the government fee online through the portal. You may pay for any number of years at one time, because approvals issued from 1 April 2026 do not carry an expiry date. A State licence fee already paid is adjusted if you later become eligible for registration.
Scrutiny and inspection
For licences, the Designated Officer scrutinises the application and may order a physical inspection, especially for manufacturers and high-risk categories. Registration is usually granted or an inspection ordered quickly. Eligible trade categories may also get an instant grant through the Tatkal route after digital identity verification.
Respond to queries
If the officer raises a query, answer it on FoSCoS within the time shown on the portal. Unanswered queries lead to rejection and a fresh application.
Download the certificate and go live
Download the registration or licence certificate, display it at the premises, print the 14-digit number on invoices and food labels, and ensure a FoSTaC-trained Food Safety Supervisor is in place where required.
Set up the annual routine
Calendar the annual fee, the annual return in Form D-1 where applicable, and any modification or closure intimation. These now keep your licence alive in place of renewal.
FSSAI fees
FSSAI's own FAQs of 27 March 2026 confirm that fees can be paid for any number of years at one time and that no fee applies for migration due to the new thresholds, but they do not list amounts. The amounts below are the annual fees commonly shown on FoSCoS and in Schedule 3 of the 2011 Regulations. Always confirm the figure for your Kind of Business on the portal before paying, because some categories are charged at lower rates.
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic registration (Form A) | ₹100 per year | Commonly shown fee; hawkers and Anganwadi centres are charged nil |
| State licence (Form B) | ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 per year | Varies by Kind of Business; manufacturers are commonly shown at ₹5,000 |
| Central licence (Form B) | ₹7,500 per year | Certain railway and government-premises catering categories are charged ₹2,000 |
| Annual return D-1 late fee | ₹100 per day | From 1 June, capped at five times the annual licence fee, per FSSAI advisory of April 2024 |
Professional charges are quoted separately after reviewing your case. Government fees are paid directly to the authority on FoSCoS.
How long does an FSSAI licence take?
Timelines depend on tier, Kind of Business and the State's inspection capacity. Registration is the quickest. State and Central licences take longer because of scrutiny and, for many categories, a premises inspection. Query rounds are where most of the delay comes from, so a complete and consistent file matters more than speed of filing.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Basic registration | Usually granted or inspection ordered within about a week; the Regulations also provide for deemed permission if no decision is taken |
| Instant (Tatkal) grant for eligible trade categories | Immediate after digital verification, where available in your State |
| State or Central licence | Commonly 30 to 60 days, longer if an inspection or queries arise |
| Modification of details | Typically a few days to a couple of weeks |
Validity, annual fee and closure
Under the 2026 amendment, registrations and licences issued on or after 1 April 2026 are valid until suspended, cancelled or surrendered. Renewal is no longer required, but the annual fee must still be paid on FoSCoS. Non-payment of the fee or non-filing of the required return can lead to suspension. Licences issued before 1 April 2026 keep their printed expiry date and, on the next renewal step, move to the perpetual regime. If you shut down the business, intimate the closure and surrender the licence on FoSCoS, which the Regulations require within 30 days of closure. Risk-based inspection means compliant units are inspected less often, but dairy, meat, packaged drinking water, infant food and fishery units remain high-risk.
Compliance after you get the FSSAI number
- Pay the annual fee on FoSCoS before the due date to avoid 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; dairy units may also have half-yearly returns
- Display the FSSAI licence or registration certificate and the 14-digit number at the premises
- Print the FSSAI number, logo and veg or non-veg mark on packaged food labels as per the labelling regulations
- Maintain the hygiene standards of Schedule 4 and keep records of cleaning, pest control, water testing and medical fitness of food handlers
- Keep at least one FoSTaC-trained Food Safety Supervisor in licensed premises, as the conditions of licence require
- Apply for modification on FoSCoS when address, product list, partners, directors or constitution change
- Move to a higher tier by fresh application if turnover or business type crosses the threshold
FSSAI Registration vs State Licence vs Central Licence (from 1 April 2026)
| Point | Basic registration | State licence | Central licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | Up to ₹1.5 crore | Above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore | Above ₹50 crore |
| Form | Form A | Form B | Form B |
| Issued by | State food safety authority | State food safety authority | FSSAI regional office |
| Annual fee (commonly shown) | ₹100 | ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 | ₹7,500 |
| Kind of Business override | Not applicable | Not applicable | Importers, e-commerce food businesses and certain others need it regardless of turnover |
| Validity | Perpetual with annual fee | Perpetual with annual fee | Perpetual with annual fee |
Common mistakes and rejection reasons
Wrong Kind of Business
Applying as a retailer when you also repack, or as a trader when you import, produces the wrong tier and an eventual rejection or inspection finding. List all activities before selecting the KoB.
Turnover understated
Declaring a figure that conflicts with your GST returns invites a query or later action. Declare the entity's actual food turnover, not just one outlet's.
One licence for several premises
A State licence covers one premises. A cloud kitchen, warehouse and shop each need their own approval unless a Central licence applies.
Home address used for commercial activity
Using a residential address for manufacturing without owner consent or local compliance leads to inspection objections, especially for bakeries and packaged snacks.
Ignoring annual fee and Form D-1
Because renewal has gone, many owners assume nothing is due. The annual fee and, for manufacturers, the D-1 return are what keep the licence active.
No Food Safety Supervisor
Licensed premises are expected to have a FoSTaC-trained supervisor. Inspectors check the certificate.
Layout plan that does not match the premises
Manufacturers upload generic layouts that do not show raw material, processing, packing and storage areas. The inspector compares the drawing against what he sees.
Penalties for non-compliance
The FSS Act is penal in nature, and State Adjudicating Officers can impose monetary penalties while courts try the more serious offences. Amounts below are as provided in the Act; the exact penalty depends on the facts of the case. Operating after suspension or cancellation is treated as operating without a licence.
| Default | Consequence | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying on a food business without licence or registration | Imprisonment up to 6 months and fine up to ₹5 lakh | Section 63, FSS Act, 2006 |
| Sub-standard food | Penalty up to ₹5 lakh | Section 51, FSS Act, 2006 |
| Misbranded food | Penalty up to ₹3 lakh | Section 52, FSS Act, 2006 |
| Failure to file annual return by 31 May | ₹100 per day, capped at five times the annual licence fee | FSSAI advisory dated 16 April 2024 under Regulation 2.1.13 |
Practitioner tips
- Before filing, open the FoSCoS eligibility check and read the Kind of Business list line by line. If two KoBs look possible, choose the one that matches the highest-risk activity you actually perform.
- Match the turnover declaration to your last filed GST return. Mismatches are the easiest query for an officer to raise and the slowest to resolve.
- For a restaurant or cloud kitchen, line up the FSSAI file, health trade licence and eating house licence together. Excise, aggregator onboarding and bank loans all ask for all three.
- Prepay the annual fee for several years only if your cash flow allows. The FAQ confirms multi-year payment is allowed, and it removes the risk of accidental suspension.
- If your turnover has dropped below the new ₹1.5 crore line, check whether the system has already migrated you. Do not surrender or re-apply; use the modification option only if details are wrong.
How Lawgical Guru helps
Tier and Kind of Business check
We review your activities, turnover and locations and recommend the registration, State licence or Central licence that FoSCoS will accept.
Application preparation and filing
We prepare Form A or Form B, assemble the documents, pay the fee and file on FoSCoS using the correct premises and nominee details.
Query and inspection support
We draft replies to officer queries and give you a pre-inspection checklist based on Schedule 4 so the site matches the file.
Modification, migration and closure
We handle changes in address, product list, partners or constitution, and help you verify the automatic migration to the new tiers.
Annual compliance
We track annual fee dates and prepare the Form D-1 return for manufacturers and importers, so the licence stays active.
Linked licences
We coordinate your FSSAI file with the health trade licence, eating house licence, GST registration and other approvals.
FSSAI Food Licence & Registration: frequently asked questions
What is the turnover limit for FSSAI registration and licence in 2026?
From 1 April 2026, basic registration applies up to ₹1.5 crore turnover, a State licence is needed above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore, and a Central licence above ₹50 crore. Before that date the limits were ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore. Certain business types still need a Central licence regardless of turnover.
Is FSSAI licence renewal still required?
No, for registrations and licences issued from 1 April 2026. They are valid until suspended, cancelled or surrendered, subject to paying the annual fee and meeting compliance conditions. Older licences keep their printed expiry and move to the perpetual regime when renewed. Always check the status of your own certificate on FoSCoS.
How much does an FSSAI licence cost?
The government fee is annual and depends on the tier: commonly ₹100 for registration, ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 for a State licence and ₹7,500 for a Central licence. You may pay for several years in advance. FSSAI's FAQs do not list the amounts, so confirm the exact fee for your Kind of Business on FoSCoS.
Can I run a home-based food business with FSSAI registration?
Yes, if your turnover is within ₹1.5 crore and your Kind of Business does not require a licence, you can apply for basic registration from your home kitchen. You must still follow Schedule 4 hygiene rules and display the 14-digit number. Check your housing society rules and local municipal requirements too.
What documents are required for an FSSAI licence?
You need identity and address proof of the proprietor, partners or directors, photographs, business constitution documents, premises proof, a product list and a turnover declaration. Manufacturers add a layout plan, equipment list and water test report, and importers add the IEC. A Central licence needs Form IX nominee details.
Do I need an FSSAI licence to sell food online?
Yes. Anyone selling food online, whether through their own website or a marketplace, needs a valid FSSAI registration or licence, and platforms ask for the number. E-commerce food businesses operating a platform themselves fall in the Central licence category irrespective of turnover.
What is the penalty for operating without an FSSAI licence?
Section 63 of the FSS Act provides imprisonment up to six months and a fine up to ₹5 lakh for carrying on a food business without licence or registration. The authority can also order closure of the premises. Platforms may delist sellers without a valid number.
Is FSSAI Form D-1 annual return mandatory?
Licensed manufacturers, repackers, relabellers, importers and manufacturer-exporters must file the annual return for the previous financial year on FoSCoS by 31 May. Late filing attracts ₹100 per day, capped at five times the annual licence fee, and FSSAI has said waiver requests will not be considered.
What happens if my turnover crosses the limit?
You must upgrade to the next tier. Because upgrades are treated as a fresh application on the new tier, you should file before you cross the limit, not after. Moves caused by the March 2026 threshold change were handled automatically by the system and did not need a fee.
How do I check whether my FSSAI licence is valid?
Log in to FoSCoS and open your licence or registration details to see its status, or use the public licence verification option on the portal using the 14-digit number. A suspended licence shows as inactive, and platforms and inspectors will treat it as invalid.
Do hotels and restaurants need a Central licence?
Most restaurants hold a State licence or registration depending on turnover. Central licences apply to specific categories such as catering in Central Government premises, airports and seaports, five-star and above hotels and multi-State head offices, or to turnover above ₹50 crore. Check your Kind of Business on FoSCoS before applying.
Related guides
Reviewed by Satyam Gupta, Company Secretary (CS) & Advocate
8+ years of industry experience. This page was last reviewed on 16 October 2026 against the official sources below. Rules and fees change — confirm on the official portal before you apply.