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FSSAI Registration Package Inclusions
FSSAI registration (Form A) for small food businesses
Document checklist: ID, address, food category list
FoSCoS application filing and fee payment
Department query handling until issued
FSSAI registration certificate with display guidance
Clear scope
You know exactly which filings, documents and handover items belong to your selected plan.
Extra costs shown separately
State-specific and case-specific government charges are shown separately.
No blind upgrade
Choose the tier around the way you plan to operate, not simply the highest price.
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Overview
If you make, sell, store, transport, or distribute food in India — in any form, at any scale — you need permission from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India before you open your doors. That permission comes in one of three tiers: a Basic Registration for small operations, a State License for mid-sized ones, or a Central License for large, multi-state, import, or export businesses.
The law behind this is the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Section 31 of the Act says no food business operator may start a food business without a valid license or registration. Operating without one can bring imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh under Section 63.
When you hold an FSSAI registration or license, you receive a 14-digit FSSAI number. This number must appear on your food labels, on a board at your premises, and on restaurant menus. Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, and most retail chains will not list you without it.
Everything runs through a single online portal: FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System) at foscos.fssai.gov.in. Paper applications are gone; the old FLRS portal was retired years ago.
What changed in April 2026 — read this first
The biggest overhaul of FSSAI licensing in fifteen years took effect on 1 April 2026, through the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026 (notified 10 March 2026) and FSSAI's implementation order of 13 March 2026. Three changes matter to every applicant:
First, the turnover thresholds moved dramatically. Basic Registration now covers annual turnover up to ₹1.5 crore (previously ₹12 lakh). A State License covers ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore (previously ₹12 lakh to ₹20 crore). A Central License applies above ₹50 crore (previously ₹20 crore). This means thousands of restaurants, cloud kitchens, and mid-sized manufacturers that previously needed a State License now qualify for a simple Basic Registration.
Second, renewals are gone. Licenses and registrations now have perpetual validity. The old system of choosing 1 to 5 years and renewing before expiry is abolished; existing licensees migrate through FoSCoS. You still pay the annual government fee on time — missing that payment can lead to deemed suspension.
Third, street food vendors registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 with their municipal corporation or town vending committee are now deemed registered under the FSS Act. They do not need a separate FSSAI registration.
If you are reading older articles that mention ₹12 lakh limits and mandatory annual renewals, they describe the pre-April 2026 system. This page reflects the current law.
Who issues what
FSSAI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Your application goes to one of two authorities by tier: the State Licensing Authority (your state's food safety department) for Basic Registrations and State Licenses, or the Central Licensing Authority (FSSAI's regional offices) for Central Licenses. FoSCoS routes your application automatically once you select your state and kind of business.
Is an FSSAI registration or license the right requirement for your business?
Short answer: if food passes through your hands in the course of business, yes. The Act's definition of "food business" is deliberately wide — manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transport, distribution, retail, wholesale, import, export, catering, restaurants, cloud kitchens, home kitchens, dairy collection, slaughterhouses, and e-commerce food sellers.
Here is an honest way to decide which tier you need.
You need Basic Registration if: your annual food turnover is up to ₹1.5 crore, you operate within one state, and your kind of business does not appear on the mandatory-license list. Most home kitchens, tiffin services, small bakeries, tea stalls, juice shops, petty retailers, and single-outlet eateries land here.
You need a State License if: your turnover exceeds ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore, or your kind of business requires a license regardless of turnover. Many restaurants, sub-five-star hotels, caterers, mid-sized manufacturers, transporters, warehouses, and distributors land here.
You need a Central License if: your turnover exceeds ₹50 crore, you operate in more than one state, you import or export food, you run a 100% export-oriented unit, you operate at airports or seaports, you run a five-star hotel or above, you manufacture nutraceuticals or non-specified foods, or you operate an e-commerce food platform. Central licensing is about reach and risk, not just revenue.
You do not need to apply separately if: you are a street vendor already registered under the Street Vendors Act, 2014 with your local vending committee — you are deemed registered.
A common mistake: assuming turnover alone decides your tier. The Kind of Business (KoB) eligibility matrix on FoSCoS can push you into a license tier even at low turnover. Check your KoB before choosing.
What must be decided before applying
Sort these five things out before you touch the portal. Most rejections come from wrong tier selection and mismatched premises documents, not from the department being difficult.
1. Your correct tier and Kind of Business. Turnover is the starting point, but the KoB decides the final answer. A restaurant doing ₹40 lakh a year still needs a State License under the KoB matrix. An importer doing ₹50 lakh a year needs a Central License regardless of turnover. Pick your KoB code on FoSCoS first, then confirm the tier it assigns you.
2. The premises address. The license is tied to a specific premises. You need proof of possession — a sale deed, rent agreement, or electricity bill in the applicant's name. If you operate from multiple locations, each location generally needs its own registration or license. A cloud kitchen operating from a rented flat needs the rent agreement and a no-objection from the landlord where applicable.
3. The authorised signatory and Form IX nominee. For companies and firms, the application must nominate a responsible person (Form IX nomination) who will be answerable for compliance. Choose someone who will actually be reachable — notices go to this person.
4. Your product and activity list. For licenses, you declare the food categories you handle and your installed capacity. Understating capacity to squeeze into a lower tier is a classic rejection trigger — the department cross-checks against your machinery list and premises size for manufacturers.
5. Validity and fee planning. Under the perpetual-validity system, you no longer pick 1–5 years. But the annual fee still applies per tier, and you should calendar it like a tax deadline. The government fee schedule (Basic ₹100/year; State ₹5,000/year; Central ₹7,500/year) remains the reference for annual payments.
Advantages of holding an FSSAI registration or license
It is the law, and the penalties are real. Operating a food business without the required license or registration can bring up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh under Section 63 of the FSS Act. Inspectors do act on complaints, and competitor complaints are common in the food trade.
Platforms and retailers require it. Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, BigBasket, and modern retail chains ask for your 14-digit FSSAI number before listing. No number, no listing. This is often the immediate commercial reason businesses apply.
Customers read the number. The FSSAI logo and license number on packaging and at premises signal that a business is registered and traceable. In a market where food safety scares make headlines regularly, that small printed number carries weight with buyers.
It unlocks the rest of your compliance. GST registration, Shops and Establishments registration, and trade licenses all sit more comfortably alongside an FSSAI number. Banks and investors reviewing a food business expect to see it in the document set.
It enforces hygiene discipline. The Schedule 4 standards — premises design, personal hygiene, water quality, pest control — are useful operating discipline, not just paperwork. Compliant businesses handle inspections calmly because they are already running to the standard.
Post-2026, compliance got lighter. Perpetual validity means no renewal filings, and the raised thresholds mean most small businesses now need only a ₹100/year registration. The direction is clear: less paperwork for small operators, sharper enforcement on actual safety violations.
Documents required for FSSAI registration and licensing
The exact list depends on your tier and Kind of Business — FoSCoS shows the KoB-wise checklist when you start the application.
For Basic Registration (Form A):
Passport-size photograph of the applicant
Photo ID proof (Aadhaar card, voter ID, or passport)
Address proof of the premises (electricity bill, rent agreement, or sale deed)
Declaration of the kind of business and turnover
For State and Central License (Form B):
List of directors, partners, or proprietor with full addresses and contact details
Photo ID and address proof of proprietor, partners, or directors and the authorised signatory
Proof of possession of premises (sale deed, rent agreement, or electricity bill)
Partnership deed, or memorandum and articles of association, or self-declaration of proprietorship
Form IX: nomination of a responsible person (not required for proprietorships)
Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan or certificate, for manufacturing units
List of machinery and equipment with installed capacity (manufacturers)
Water test report from a recognised laboratory (manufacturing units)
Import Export Code (IEC) issued by DGFT (for importers and exporters)
Layout plan of the premises (for manufacturing and processing units)
NOC from the local authority where applicable
Proof of turnover (for tier verification)
Two practical notes. First, names and addresses must match exactly across every document — the most common reason for applications being "reverted" is a name spelled one way on the Aadhaar card and another on the rent agreement. Second, for manufacturers, the water test report and FSMS plan take longest to arrange — start those before the online application.
What is the 14-digit FSSAI number?
Every registration and license carries a unique 14-digit number. The first digits identify the licensing authority and state; the rest identify your business. You must print it with the FSSAI logo on packaged food labels, display it on a board at your premises, and show it on restaurant menus. It is searchable on the FoSCoS portal, which means any customer can verify your registration in seconds.
What is FoSCoS?
The Food Safety Compliance System (foscos.fssai.gov.in) is FSSAI's single online portal for applications, fee payment, status tracking, returns filing, and license verification. It replaced the older FLRS system. All department communications come through the portal and SMS — keep your registered mobile number active.
Not sure which tier or documents apply to you?
Send us your business details — what you sell, where you operate, and your approximate turnover. A food regulatory consultant will map your exact tier, KoB code, and document list before you pay anything. The tier decision is the one thing you cannot afford to get wrong, because a wrong-tier application means starting over.
FSSAI registration process — step by step
Step 1: Confirm your tier and Kind of Business. We check your turnover, activities, and premises against the KoB eligibility matrix and confirm whether you need Basic Registration, a State License, or a Central License. This ten-minute exercise prevents the most expensive mistake in the process — applying in the wrong tier.
Step 2: Create your FoSCoS account and select the application type. You register on foscos.fssai.gov.in with your mobile number and email, then choose new license or registration, your state, and your Kind of Business. The portal then shows the exact form (Form A for registration, Form B for license) and the document checklist for your category.
Step 3: Fill the application form. Form A (basic registration) is short — business details, address, and a declaration. Form B (license) is detailed — proprietor or company particulars, premises details, food categories handled, installed capacity, and the Form IX nomination. Every field must match your supporting documents exactly.
Step 4: Upload documents and pay the government fee. You upload scanned documents per the KoB checklist and pay the fee online — ₹100/year for basic registration, ₹2,000–₹5,000/year for state license (varies by category), ₹7,500/year for central license. Keep the payment receipt and the 17-digit application reference number the portal generates.
Step 5: Department scrutiny. A designated officer reviews the application. If something is unclear or mismatched, the application is "reverted" with queries — you typically get 30 days to respond. Clean applications with matching documents usually clear scrutiny without queries.Step 6: Inspection (for licenses). State and Central License applications generally involve a physical inspection by a Food Safety Officer, who checks hygiene, layout, storage, and water supply against Schedule 4. Basic registrations are usually granted without inspection. Under the instant (Tatkal) facility, eligible low-risk categories — wholesalers, distributors, retailers, transporters, storage units — can receive system-generated licenses without prior scrutiny. Restaurants and food-preparation businesses are excluded from Tatkal and always go through inspection.
Step 7: Grant of registration or license. Once approved, you download the certificate from FoSCoS. It carries your 14-digit FSSAI number, your licensed activities, and the premises address. Display the number at your premises immediately — you are compliant from the date of grant.
How long does it take?
With complete and matching documents: Basic Registration typically takes 7 to 15 working days. State Licenses take 30 to 60 working days including inspection scheduling. Central Licenses take 45 to 90 working days, as central inspections involve more coordination. Tatkal-eligible applications can be near-instant where the facility applies.
The honest caveat: timelines depend on the state department's workload and how quickly inspections get scheduled. Festival seasons and year-end backlogs slow things down. Applications that get reverted for document mismatches lose 2 to 4 weeks per round of queries — which is why the pre-filing document check matters more than anything else.
How ComplyKart helps in this entire process
You should know who is doing what. Here is how the work is shared.
Tier and KoB mapping. We determine your exact tier and Kind of Business code before anything is filed, so you never pay for the wrong application or lose weeks to a rejection. This includes the edge cases — caterers, cloud kitchens, multi-location operators — where the KoB matrix overrides the turnover rule.
Document preparation and verification. We prepare your document set against the KoB checklist, check name and address consistency across every record, and arrange the slow items — the FSMS plan and water test report for manufacturers.
Form A / Form B filing on FoSCoS. We complete the online application, upload documents, and pay the government fee. You review and approve everything before submission.
Query handling and inspection readiness. If the department reverts the application with queries, we draft and file the response. For license inspections, we brief you on what the Food Safety Officer checks — premises hygiene, storage, water supply, pest control — so the visit goes smoothly.
Post-grant handover. You receive the downloaded certificate, guidance on displaying the FSSAI number and logo correctly, and a compliance calendar for ongoing obligations: annual fee payment, Form D1/D2 returns where applicable, and record-keeping.
After completion — what you receive and what changes
You receive the FSSAI registration certificate or license from FoSCoS, carrying your 14-digit FSSAI number. From the date of grant, you may lawfully operate the declared food activities at the declared premises.
Three things should happen immediately: display the FSSAI logo and number on a board at your premises; print the number on your food labels and packaging; and add it to your Swiggy, Zomato, or marketplace listings. Inspectors do check for display compliance.
Under the post-April 2026 system, your registration or license has perpetual validity — no expiry date, no renewal filing. But the annual government fee must still be paid on time each year. Calendar it like a tax deadline.
Recurring compliance after FSSAI registration
Getting the number is the beginning, not the end. Here is what continues year after year.
Annual fee payment. The government fee for your tier must be paid each year through FoSCoS. Failure to pay on time can lead to deemed suspension. Set a calendar reminder — this is the single most important recurring obligation under the perpetual-validity system.
Annual and half-yearly returns. Licensed manufacturers, importers, exporters, labellers, repackers, and relabellers must file Form D1 by 31 May each year, covering the previous financial year's production, sales, imports, and exports. Milk and milk-product businesses file half-yearly Form D2 — April–September by 31 October, October–March by 30 April. Late filing costs ₹100 per day, capped at five times the annual license fee. Restaurants, retailers, distributors, and transporters are generally not required to file returns — but check your specific license conditions rather than assuming.
Display and labelling discipline. The 14-digit number and FSSAI logo must stay displayed at your premises and on all packaged food. Misbranded food — including labels missing mandatory declarations — attracts a penalty of up to ₹3 lakh under Section 52.
Hygiene and Schedule 4 compliance. Inspections can happen at any time, and the 2026 reforms moved the department toward risk-based inspections driven by product risk and compliance history. Maintain the standards your premises were approved against: clean water, pest control records, personal hygiene, proper storage temperatures, and batch traceability. Unhygienic conditions can draw a penalty up to ₹1 lakh under Section 56.
Modifications and surrender. If you change premises, add food categories, change the business name, or alter capacity, file a modification on FoSCoS — do not operate under the old certificate. If you shut down, surrender the registration or license so fee obligations stop.
Record-keeping. Maintain purchase, production, and sales records that allow batch traceability. If a food safety issue ever traces back to your products, these records are your first line of defence.
Common mistakes and rejection risks
Applying in the wrong tier. The number one rejection reason. A restaurant applies for Basic Registration because turnover is under ₹1.5 crore, not realising the KoB matrix mandates a State License for restaurants. Check the KoB code, not just the turnover.
Name and address mismatches. "Ramesh Kumar" on the Aadhaar card, "Ramesh Kr." on the rent agreement, "Ramesh Kumar Sharma" on the PAN. The system flags these. Make every document agree, character for character.
Understating manufacturing capacity. Declaring 1 MT/day installed capacity while the machinery list shows equipment rated for 3 MT/day. Officers read machinery lists. Declare honestly — the fee difference between slabs is small compared to the cost of a rejected application.
Skipping the FSMS plan. Manufacturing applicants who treat the Food Safety Management System plan as optional get reverted. It need not be a hundred-page document, but it must address your actual processes: receiving, storage, processing, packing, and dispatch controls.
Using a residential address without proper proof. Home kitchens and cloud kitchens in rented flats need a valid rent agreement. Uploading a relative's electricity bill with no link to the applicant gets reverted. The proof of premises must connect to the applicant.
Ignoring the 30-day query window. When an application is reverted with queries, you typically have 30 days to respond. Miss it and the application lapses — you start over and pay the fee again.
Forgetting the annual fee under perpetual validity. The 2026 reform removed renewals, and some businesses will misread that as "no further payments." The annual fee continues. Non-payment risks deemed suspension — operating without a valid license takes you back to Section 63 territory.
Selling on platforms before the number arrives. Listing on Swiggy or Zomato while the application is pending is common and risky. If a complaint or inspection hits during that window, you are operating without a license regardless of your pending application.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
24 answers from our consultants.
You pay for our expert's time — document checking, filing, follow-ups — not the government. The government fee goes to the government; our fee is for the work we do so you don't have to figure it out yourself.
Tell us your situation in plain words — what you're trying to do, not which form you think you need. Half our job is stopping clients from buying the wrong service. The first consultation is free and honest.
Yes. We quote professional fee + government charges + taxes separately, in writing, before you pay. The number doesn't change midway. If the government fee changes, we show you the notification.
Every engagement gets a tracker — you see what's filed, what's pending and what's next. No chasing on WhatsApp for status updates.
Both. Startups get incorporation + early compliance bundles; established companies get annual retainers. About half our clients started with us at incorporation.
Yes — MCA, GST and income tax are central systems, so location doesn't matter for most filings. We're Delhi-based but serve clients across India. State-specific licences (Shops & Establishment, Professional Tax) we handle through our network.
That's most of our cleanup work. We assess the backlog, calculate exact late fees, file everything in the right order and get you current. No judgment — it happens more than you'd think.
Yes. If you sell food regularly — tiffin services, home-baked cakes, pickles, snacks — you are a food business operator under the Act. The good news is that a home kitchen with turnover up to ₹1.5 crore now needs only a Basic Registration: Form A, ₹100 a year, usually granted in one to two weeks without inspection.
Under the post-April 2026 thresholds, ₹40 lakh falls within Basic Registration (up to ₹1.5 crore) — unless your Kind of Business mandates a license. Restaurants, caterers, and hotels, for example, require a State License regardless of turnover. Check your KoB code on FoSCoS before deciding.
Yes, if it is a regular business and not an occasional one-off. Online and social-media food sellers are food business operators. A Basic Registration covers you, and it also lets you expand to Amazon or retail stores later without reapplying for the tier.
FoSCoS classifies every food activity — manufacturing, retail, transport, catering, import, e-commerce, and dozens more — into KoB codes. Your KoB determines your document checklist, whether you need a license regardless of turnover, and whether inspection applies. Picking the wrong KoB is a common cause of rejection, so verify it against your actual activities.
The State License fee ranges from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 per year depending on the business category and manufacturing capacity — for example, different slabs apply to manufacturers by installed capacity versus restaurants, transporters, or retailers. FoSCoS calculates the exact fee once you select your KoB.
A Central License. Multi-state operation requires central licensing regardless of turnover. Each manufacturing or operating premises may need to be covered — discuss your exact footprint with a consultant before applying, because the premises-wise requirements vary by activity.
A Food Safety Officer visits and checks your premises against Schedule 4: layout, water supply, drainage, hygiene facilities, storage, pest control, and documentation. For restaurants, kitchen hygiene and raw material storage get close attention. Be prepared, not afraid.
Yes — for wrong tier selection, document mismatches, inadequate premises, or unanswered queries. A rejection is not the end; you can reapply after fixing the issues. But you pay the fee again, so getting it right the first time is cheaper.
A Central License — importers require central licensing regardless of turnover. You will need your Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT, and your labels must comply with Indian labelling regulations, including the FSSAI logo and license number, nutritional information, and importer details.
No. Restaurants, retailers, distributors, and transporters are generally not required to file returns — but check your specific license conditions rather than assuming.
Form D1 is the annual return that licensed manufacturers, importers, and related categories file on FoSCoS by 31 May each year, reporting the previous financial year's production, sales, imports, and exports. Late filing costs ₹100 per day, capped at five times your annual license fee.
Existing licenses migrate to the perpetual-validity system through FoSCoS. You do not apply afresh, and no additional fee is charged for the conversion. Annual fee payments continue on schedule. Check your FoSCoS dashboard for your license's migration status.
No — licenses are not transferable. The new owner must apply for a fresh registration or license. The old license should be surrendered on FoSCoS. Operating under someone else's FSSAI number is a violation.
Yes. Cloud kitchens are food manufacturing and preparation premises and require at least a Basic Registration (or State License if the KoB matrix so requires — check carefully, as many cloud kitchen operators fall under license categories). You also need it before Swiggy or Zomato will list you.
File a modification application on FoSCoS. The license is premises-specific, so operating from a new address under the old certificate is non-compliant. File before you start operations at the new location.
Street vendors registered under the Street Vendors Act, 2014 are deemed registered under the FSS Act and need no separate FSSAI registration. Beyond that, exemptions are narrow — the Act's definition of food business is intentionally comprehensive. Petty manufacturers below the thresholds still need Basic Registration; there is no "too small to matter" exemption for regular commercial food activity.
Carrying on a food business without the required license or registration can bring imprisonment up to six months and a fine up to ₹5 lakh under Section 63. Separately, failing to comply with a Food Safety Officer's directions can cost up to ₹2 lakh (Section 55), unhygienic processing up to ₹1 lakh (Section 56), and misbranded food up to ₹3 lakh (Section 52). The penalties stack — one inspection can surface several violations at once.
What clients say about working with us
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