FSSAI Registration

FSSAI registration is the mandatory food-business licence/registration issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Every food business operating in India — home bakers, hawkers, restaurants, cloud kitchens, manufacturers, importers and exporters — must hold a valid FSSAI registration or licence before operating. It is applied for on the FoSCoS portal and results in a unique 14-digit FSSAI number that must be displayed and printed on packaging.

Per the FSSAI Order dated 13 March 2026 (FSS Licensing & Registration Amendment Regulations, 2026, effective 1 April 2026), the categories are: Basic Registration — turnover up to ₹1.5 crore; State Licence — ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore; Central Licence — above ₹50 crore (and mandatory for importers, exporters and multi-state operations regardless of turnover). Choosing the wrong category is non-compliance even if you hold a valid number, so we assess your scale before filing.

Under the 2026 amendment, FSSAI registrations and licences now have perpetual validity — they no longer expire and there is no periodic renewal. However, the credential stays valid only if you remain compliant: the annual fee must be paid (non-payment leads to deemed suspension), and the annual return (Form D-1) must be filed by 31 May each year for manufacturers and certain operators. We track these so your licence never lapses into suspension.

Applications are filed online on the FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System) portal. Form A is used for Basic Registration; Form B for State and Central Licences. State/Central applications need additional documents such as a food safety management plan, product list and layout plan. We handle category determination, document preparation, fee payment and any inspection coordination end-to-end.

Operating a food business without a valid FSSAI registration/licence is an offence under Section 63 of the FSS Act, 2006, attracting a penalty of up to ₹5 lakh and imprisonment up to 6 months. Even selling homemade food commercially without Basic Registration is an offence. Beyond penalties, e-commerce platforms (Swiggy, Zomato) and aggregators will not list you without a valid FSSAI number.

Yes. Cloud kitchens, dark kitchens, and any business listed on food-aggregator platforms must hold at least a State Licence (or Central, by scale). Online-only food sellers are treated the same as physical food businesses. The FSSAI number must be displayed on your platform listing and invoices. We help online and delivery-first brands get the correct licence quickly.

Yes — all food importers and exporters must obtain a Central Licence regardless of turnover. Importers also need the FSSAI number linked for customs clearance of food consignments. If you operate across multiple states, the head office/importer-exporter entity takes a Central Licence while individual units may need State Licences. We map the correct licence structure for multi-location and trade operations.

A business operating in several states generally takes a Central Licence for its head office (and for import/export), with State Licences for individual manufacturing units or branches as applicable. Getting this structure right avoids non-compliance findings during inspections. We assess your footprint and obtain the right combination of Central and State licences.

For Basic: identity/address proof of the proprietor, business address proof, and the nature of the food business. For State/Central: additionally a food safety management plan, product/category list, unit layout plan, list of machinery, water test report (for manufacturers), and incorporation/partnership documents. We provide a tailored checklist by category so the application is approved without back-and-forth.

Basic Registration is typically issued in a few working days; State and Central Licences take longer as they may involve document scrutiny and sometimes an inspection by the food safety officer. Applications are tracked on the FoSCoS portal against the application reference. We coordinate the entire process — including responding to any officer observations — and deliver your 14-digit FSSAI certificate ready to display.