FSSAI Food License Registration
The 14-digit number every food business must display.
Any business that manufactures, stores, transports, distributes or sells food in India needs an FSSAI registration or license. Which of the three you need depends on your turnover and how you operate — and applying in the wrong category is the single most common reason applications get rejected.
- Government fee
- ₹100/year (Basic) · ₹2,000–₹5,000/year (State) · ₹7,500/year (Central)
- Timeline
- Basic 7–15 days · State 20–30 days · Central 30–60 days
Get started with FSSAI License
Free eligibility check · No obligation
What FSSAI License is, and who it applies to
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulates food businesses under the FSS Act, 2006. Registration is not a formality — the 14-digit license number must be printed on every food package and displayed at your premises, and operating without one carries a penalty of up to ₹5 lakh along with possible imprisonment of up to six months.
There are three tiers. Basic Registration covers petty food businesses with annual turnover up to ₹12 lakh — small retailers, hawkers, home kitchens and cottage producers. A State License covers turnover between ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore, which is where most restaurants, mid-size manufacturers and distributors sit. A Central License is required above ₹20 crore, and also — regardless of turnover — for importers and exporters, businesses operating in more than one state, e-commerce food sellers, and operators at airports and seaports.
Applications are filed on the FoSCoS portal. Beyond turnover, the category you declare determines which documents the officer expects: a manufacturer needs a layout plan, equipment list and water test report; a restaurant does not. Applicants who file under the wrong category usually get a query, lose two to three weeks, and sometimes have to start over.
Licenses are issued for one to five years, and you choose the term at application. Taking a longer term costs more up front but saves the renewal effort and the risk of lapsing. Renewal must be applied for before expiry — a lapsed license means a fresh application, not a renewal.
Who needs FSSAI License
- Restaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens and food trucks
- Home-based bakers, tiffin services and cottage food producers
- Grocery stores, supermarkets and kirana shops
- Food manufacturers, processors and packers
- Wholesalers, distributors, transporters and cold storage operators
- Importers and exporters of any food product
- Sellers on Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit and other food platforms
- Caterers, canteens and event food vendors
Why it matters
Operate legally
Without a license you face penalties up to ₹5 lakh and possible imprisonment, plus immediate closure risk on inspection.
List on delivery platforms
Swiggy, Zomato and every quick-commerce platform require a valid FSSAI license before onboarding.
Build consumer trust
The displayed license number is a recognised safety signal, and increasingly customers check for it.
Access bigger contracts
Corporate catering, institutional supply and government tenders all require a valid license in the correct category.
Import and export
A Central License is mandatory for customs clearance of any food consignment.
Documents required
Scans on WhatsApp are fine. We check every document against the officer's checklist before filing.
Basic Registration
- Passport-size photograph of the applicant
- PAN and Aadhaar of the proprietor or partners
- Proof of business premises — electricity bill, rent agreement or property papers
- Declaration of the food category handled
- Business constitution proof, where applicable
State License — additional
- Form B, completed and signed
- Blueprint or layout plan of the processing unit, with dimensions
- List of equipment and machinery with capacity
- List of directors or partners with full addresses
- Water test report from an accredited laboratory
- Food safety management plan
- NOC from the local municipality or panchayat
- Proof of turnover — audited accounts or a self-declaration
Central License — additional
- Import Export Code, where importing or exporting
- Ministry of Commerce IE Code certificate
- Source of raw material and milk or meat, where applicable
- NOC from the manufacturer, for repackers and relabellers
- Certificate from the Ministry of Tourism, for hotels
- Recall plan with contact details
How we do it
- 1
Category assessment
We establish from your turnover, premises and operations whether you need Basic, State or Central — the decision that determines everything else.
- 2
Document preparation
We prepare the forms and check your supporting documents against the category checklist, including layout plans and water test reports where required.
- 3
FoSCoS filing
The application is filed on the FSSAI portal with the government fee paid for your chosen license term.
- 4
Inspection support
State and Central applications often involve a premises inspection. We brief you on what the officer will check and how to be ready.
- 5
License issued
You receive your 14-digit license with guidance on display requirements and the annual return obligation.
What it costs
We do not publish a rate card, because the right fee depends on your entity type, turnover and how much of the groundwork is already done. Tell us what your business does and we will quote a fixed figure for your case — before you commit to anything.
We quote a fixed professional fee for your case before any work begins, and it excludes GST. Government fees, where applicable, are shown separately and paid directly to the department. Statutory fees and thresholds change by notification — we confirm the current position for your case before you commit.
What non-compliance costs
- Operating without a license: up to ₹5 lakh and imprisonment up to six months
- Selling substandard food: penalty up to ₹5 lakh
- Misbranded food: penalty up to ₹3 lakh
- Misleading advertisement: penalty up to ₹10 lakh
- Failing to file the annual return in Form D1 by 31 May: ₹100 per day of delay
FSSAI License — frequently asked questions
Which FSSAI license do I need?
It depends on annual turnover and how you operate. Up to ₹12 lakh is Basic Registration. Between ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore is a State License. Above ₹20 crore is Central. Certain businesses need Central regardless of turnover — importers, exporters, e-commerce food sellers, anyone operating in more than one state, and operators at airports or seaports. We confirm your category free of charge before you pay anything.
Do I need an FSSAI license for a home-based food business?
Yes. Home bakers, tiffin services and cloud kitchens operating from home all need at least Basic Registration. If you sell through Swiggy, Zomato or any delivery platform, they will ask for the license number at onboarding and will not list you without it.
How long is an FSSAI license valid?
You choose a term of one to five years at the time of application, and the government fee scales with the term. Renewal must be applied for before expiry. If the license lapses, you cannot renew — you have to apply fresh, which takes longer and interrupts your operations.
What is the 14-digit FSSAI number and where must it appear?
It is your unique license number. It must be displayed prominently at your premises and printed on every food package you sell. For e-commerce and delivery platforms it must be visible on your listing. Failing to display it is itself a compliance breach.
Will there be an inspection of my premises?
Basic Registration usually involves no inspection. State and Central applications frequently do, particularly for manufacturing units. We brief you in advance on what the officer will look for — hygiene, pest control, water quality, storage separation and staff health records are the common points.
Do I need a separate license for each outlet?
Each premises needs its own license. If you operate outlets in more than one state, you additionally need a Central License for the head office. We map this out for multi-outlet businesses so nothing is missed.
What is the annual return and who files it?
Licensed food businesses — not those with Basic Registration — file Form D1 annually by 31 May for the previous financial year. Late filing costs ₹100 per day. Manufacturers of milk and milk products file Form D2 half-yearly.
FSSAI License by city
Local fees, the specific authority handling your application and city-level timelines.
Ready to start your FSSAI License?
Send us a message and we will confirm what you need, what it costs and how long it takes — before you pay anything.
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