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Compliance Pack

FSSAI basic registration and state licence

  • Anyone who makes, sells or delivers food needs an FSSAI registration or licence before starting.
  • Deadline: Before starting the food business
  • Done in Registration: 2 working days to file; grant usually within 7 days. State licence: 3 working days to file; authority has up to 60 days.
  • Prepared by your Savvy, checked by a CA
  1. Photo ID of proprietor or signatory
  2. What exactly do you do
  3. Decide registration
  4. FSSAI registration certificate or licence
The law and the stepsPay and start · ₹1,499One time, then annual fee and annual return where applicable, + 18% GST

Answer in brief

Anyone who makes, sells or delivers food needs an FSSAI registration or licence before starting. We check which one fits your turnover and activity, file it on FoSCoS with the right documents, and track it till you get the 14-digit number.

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From the official sources

What the law says, and what trips people up

From the official portal's manuals and FAQs, with the source for each point.

The law

  • FSS Act 2006, Sec 31(1)

    No person shall run a food business except under a licence (petty businesses register instead)Source

  • FSS Act 2006, Sec 63

    Running a food business without a licence: imprisonment up to six months and fine up to ₹5 lakhSource

  • FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011, Reg 2.1.1

    Petty FBO registers in Form A; authority grants, rejects or orders inspection within 7 days; if no decision within 30 days of inspection order, business may startSource

  • FSS Licensing Regulations 2011, Reg 2.1.2 to 2.1.4

    Licence applied in Form B; authority may ask for missing information within 15 days, applicant replies within 30 days; licence issued in Form C within 60 days and displayed at premisesSource

  • FSS Licensing Regulations 2011, Reg 2.1.13

    Licensed manufacturers and importers file annual return in Form D-1 by 31 May; ₹100 a day penalty for delaySource

  • FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations 2026 (gazette 10 March 2026, applied from 1 April 2026)

    Registration up to ₹1.5 crore turnover; state licence ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore; central above ₹50 crore. Perpetual validity with annual fee; suspension if annual fee or returns are not paid or filedSource

  • Government fee

    Schedule 3 (2017 compendium): registration ₹100 a year; state licence ₹2,000 a year for food service, caterers and most others, ₹3,000 or ₹5,000 for manufacturers by capacity; central ₹7,500. Non-refundable. Source: https://mail.fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Compendium_Licensing_Regulations.pdf . Whether the 2026 amendment changed these amounts is not confirmed.

  • Late fee or penalty

    Old rule: ₹100 a day for late renewal of a licence (not for registration) and ₹100 a day for a late annual return, Reg 2.1.7 and 2.1.13. Source: https://mail.fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Compendium_Licensing_Regulations.pdf . From 1 April 2026 non-payment of the annual fee is reported to cause deemed suspension until dues and penalty are paid (secondary sources: https://www.sansalegal.com/post/fssai-licensing-amendment-2026-perpetual-food-license-new-turnover-thresholds-and-compliance-guid).

On the portal

  1. Open foscos.fssai.gov.in and sign up with mobile and email
  2. License/Registration > Apply for License/Registration > select state and read the note
  3. Choose the kind of business under its group head (manufacturer, trade or retail, food service, etc.) and the eligibility by turnover or capacity
  4. Fill Form A or Form B, add GST, PAN or CIN where asked, and upload documents
  5. Pay the fee online; a receipt with a 17-digit reference number is generated
  6. Track status from the FoSCoS home page and reply to any query; download the certificate when granted

What trips people up

  • Wrong kind of business selected

    Choose food service or manufacturing based on actual activity to avoid queriesSource

  • Selling before approval after onboarding on an app

    Get registration or licence first; platform listing does not replace itSource

  • One FSSAI number used for several kitchens

    Cover each physical premises separatelySource

  • Name, number or menu on aggregator not matching licence

    Keep platform details the same as the FSSAI certificateSource

  • Query raised and not answered in time

    Reply within 30 days or the application is rejectedSource

  • Still using the old ₹12 lakh limit to decide

    Use the 2026 limits and check kind of business on FoSCoSSource

People ask

Do I need FSSAI to sell home-made food on Instagram?

Yes. Any commercial sale of food needs FSSAI registration or a licence.Source

Can Swiggy list me without FSSAI?

No. Restaurants and cloud kitchens need FSSAI before listing.Source

What is the new limit for basic registration?

Up to ₹1.5 crore turnover from 1 April 2026, as reported; earlier it was ₹12 lakh.Source

Do I still need to renew?

Reported 2026 change gives perpetual validity, but the annual fee must still be paid; check old licences expiring before April 2026.Source

How long does registration take?

The authority must grant, reject or order inspection within 7 days of a complete application.Source

What is the penalty for running without a licence?

Up to six months in jail and a fine up to ₹5 lakh under Sec 63.Source

IDFD

How we solve it: 4 steps

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Step 1 of 4 · What we need from you

Tap each one you already have

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  • Photo ID of proprietor or signatory
  • Passport size photo
  • Premises proof or rent agreement
  • Business name, address, kind of business
  • Expected annual turnover
  • List of food categories or items
  • Constitution document (deed, MoA, COI)Optional
  • Local trade or shop licenceOptional
  • Water test report and FSMS planOptional
  • GSTIN, PAN or CINOptional

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₹1,499 + ₹269.82 GST = ₹1,768.82

One time, then annual fee and annual return where applicable. Delivered in Registration: 2 working days to file; grant usually within 7 days. State licence: 3 working days to file; authority has up to 60 days.. Due: Before starting the food business

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