FSSAI Registration and Licence

Overview

Every business that makes, stores, transports, distributes, sells or imports food in India must be registered or licensed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issues a 14-digit registration or licence number, which must be shown on food labels and displayed at the premises. Applications are made on the FoSCoS portal. Which of the three levels you need (basic registration, state licence or central licence) depends on turnover, the kind of activity and whether you operate in more than one state.

Zenith works out the right category, prepares the application and supporting documents, and follows it through scrutiny and any inspection.

Who needs it

• Manufacturers, processors, packers and re-packers of food, dairy units, bakeries and sweet makers.
• Restaurants, cafes, caterers, cloud kitchens, canteens and street food operators.
• Wholesalers, distributors, retailers, cold storage and warehouses handling food, and food transporters.
• Importers and exporters of food products, and online sellers or aggregators handling food.
• Home-based food businesses, which usually fall under the basic registration.

What Zenith does

• Listens to your food activity, scale and locations, then recommends the category with reasons.
• Prepares the application form, the product list, layout and declarations, and lists the documents you must provide.
• Files on FoSCoS, responds to officer queries and coordinates the inspection when one is called.
• Hands over the certificate with a note on renewal, display, labelling and annual return duties.

Professional fees are customised; government fees are shown separately in the quotation.

Eligibility and key rules

Level	Typical fit (per sources read)	Issued by
Basic registration	Annual turnover up to Rs 12 lakh; petty and home-based operators	Designated officer, State
State licence	Turnover from Rs 12 lakh up to Rs 20 crore, activity within one state	State authority
Central licence	Turnover above Rs 20 crore, multi-state operations, importers and exporters, central government premises, and specified large units	Central licensing authority

• Some categories are tied to capacity rather than turnover (for example large dairy, oil, slaughter, meat processing and storage units), so the type is decided on the full facts of your activity.
• Registration and licence validity runs from one to five years, chosen at filing.
• Premises-based conditions apply: hygiene, water quality, and, for licences, a food safety management plan and trained supervisors.
• A separate application is needed for each premises or each type of activity as the rules require.

Documents required

• Photograph and photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID or passport) of the applicant.
• Proof of address and possession of the premises: ownership deed or rent agreement, plus a utility bill.
• Form A (basic registration) or Form B (licence) with the signed declaration.
• For licences: layout or blueprint of the unit, list of products, list of equipment and capacity, NOC from the local body, water analysis report, partnership deed or incorporation documents, and medical fitness of handlers where needed.
• For central licences: IEC for importers and exporters, 100 percent EOU certificate where relevant, and the declaration and authority documents that FSSAI prescribes.

Process and timeline

1. Zenith confirms category, premises and product list.
2. The account is created or accessed on FoSCoS and the form is completed.
3. Documents are uploaded and the fee is paid online.
4. The designated officer scrutinises the application, raises queries and may inspect the premises.
5. On approval the certificate is issued for download.

Timelines depend on completeness, complexity and authority processing. Sources read describe a first scrutiny within about a week and a longer overall period for licences than for basic registration.

Government fees, penalties and due dates

• Fee: stated by the sources read as Rs 100 per year for basic registration, Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per year for a state licence by category, and Rs 7,500 per year for a central licence, multiplied by the chosen validity.
• Renewal: apply at least 30 days before expiry (as described in the sources read); running with an expired licence is treated as running without one.
• Annual return: licensed operators must file an annual return as notified; Zenith confirms the form and date for your category.
• Penalties under the Act: operating without a licence can attract imprisonment up to six months and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh; substandard, misbranded or unsafe food and false information carry separate penalties.
• Amounts and dates above reflect public sources read in October 2026 and change with notifications, so Zenith confirms the current figures in your quotation.

Common mistakes

• Choosing basic registration when the turnover, activity or locations need a licence.
• Declaring turnover that does not match accounts or GST returns.
• Missing the water analysis, layout or local NOC for a licence.
• Not displaying the certificate or printing the number on labels.
• Missing the renewal window and continuing to trade on an expired licence.
• Forgetting to update FoSCoS when address, product range or partners change.

FAQs