Home Business & Management FSSAI Registration And Licensing : A Detailed Guide 2020

FSSAI Registration And Licensing : A Detailed Guide 2020

You might have seen a registration or license number written on the packaging of food products displaying FSSAI on it.

This FSSAI registration or license number is a 14 digit unique number given by the government to the food business owner so that the quality of food products is maintained.

Now let us understand more about FSSAI registration and licensing in detail.

Table of Content

  1. What Is FSSAI?
  2. Eligibility For FSSAI Registration And License
  3. Procedure For FSSAI Registration And License
  4. Validity And Renewal
  5. Compliances And Penalties
  6. Advantage Of FSSAI Registration And License
  7. Frequently Asked Questions

What Is FSSAI?

FSSAI Registration And Licensing
number

FSSAI stands for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

It is a government organization responsible for keeping a check on all the businesses involved in the food business in India.

A company involved in any food business in India is known as Food Business Operator (FBO). FSSAI is liable for giving registrations and licenses to any business operating as an FBO in India. 

This body is created so as to ensure that proper quality standards are being followed by all the FBO’s.

It also provides that there is no alteration done in food products and no low standard food products come into the market.

The FSSAI also forms all the rules and regulations for operating a food business in India.

Eligibility For FSSAI Registration And License

fssai eligibility

Any business in India involved in food products such as manufacturing, trading, supplying, storage, distribution, processing, etc is eligible for taking registration or license under FSSAI.

The businesses like food eateries, food chains, restaurants, etc. also have to get themself registered under FSSAI.

FSSAI registration or license is a 14 digit unique number that is given to every business involved in the food business.

This registration or license number is to be printed on the packaging of food products and also to be displayed at the place of business.

The FSSAI registration is specifically divided into three categories depending upon their turnover and the nature of business.

Below are three different types of FSSAI registration – 

1. FSSAI Basic Registration

This registration is for businesses having a turnover of less than 12 lakh. It is mainly for small size FBOs such as retailers, dairies, canteens, traders, stallholders, etc.

2. FSSAI State License

This license is for businesses having a turnover of more than 12 lakh but less than 20 crores.

It is mainly for small to medium size FBOs such as manufacturers, traders, marketers, transporters, dairies, caterers, etc.

3. FSSAI Central License

This license is for businesses having a turnover greater than 20 crores. It is mainly for very large size FBOs such as manufacturers, importers, exporters, etc.

Thus every food-related business has to take any one of the above registrations depending upon their size and turnover.

Procedure For FSSAI Registration And License

FSSAI registration and licensing can be done quickly by applying online on the FSSAI website

fssai documents

Documents required for FSSAI registration are – 

  1. Filed and signed Form A
  2. Passport size photo of the applicant
  3. Identity proof of applicant such as Aadhaar Card, Pan Card, Voter ID, Driving License or Passport
  4. Address proof of place of business (Electricity Bill + Rent Agreement/NOC)

Documents required for FSSAI state and central license are – 

  1. Filed and signed Form B
  2. Passport size photo of the applicant
  3. Identity proof of the applicant
  4. Address proof of place of business (Electricity Bill + Rent Agreement/NOC)
  5. In the case of manufacturing and processing units, additional information is needed such as – 
    • List of Machinery on company letterhead.
    • Blueprint and layout plan of the complete processing unit showing all the dimensions in and area allocation for different operations.
    • Production unit photograph
    • All the details related to equipment and machinery such as name and list of equipment and machinery, their installed capacity, and horsepower used.
    • List of food items desired to be manufactured on letterhead.
    • Water report to be used as an ingredient in food from a recognized/ public health laboratory. 
    • Name and address of 2 responsible persons who will be available at the time of inspection.
  6. Latest audited balance sheet evidencing annual turnover above INR 20 crore or daily production above two metric tons.

The procedure for FSSAI application is as follows – 

  1. Firstly an application form is filled online on the FSSAI website. There are two types of application forms – 
    1. Form A – For FSSAI registration
    2. Form B – For State or Central License
  2. The filled application form is then submitted along with the supporting documents.
  3. The application can then be approved or rejected by the FSSAI department depending upon the information and documents provided.
  4. Once approved, the department issues a registration/license number and certificate.
  5. This certificate has to be permanently displayed at the place of business and also to be printed on the packaging of food products.

Validity And Renewal

The FSSAI registration or license has a particular validity which can be chosen when the registration is done.

The validity of FSSAI license or registration ranges from 1 year to 5 years. 

The applicant has to apply for renewal of registration or license before 30 days of the date of expiry.

If the applicant fails to renew the registration then he/she shall be liable to pay the penalty as described by the FSSAI.

In the case of FSSAI registration, no penalty is charged if the registration is not renewed before the expiry date.

The registration gets cancelled if not renewed before the expiry date, and the applicant has to apply for a new application.

In the case of FSSAI state and central license, if the license is renewed after the expiry date then a penalty of Rs.100 per day is applicable.

The department can also take legal action against the FBO if the license is not renewed timely.

Compliances And Penalties

fssai penalties

Every business registered under FSSAI has to mandatorily follow specific rules, regulations, and compliances as prescribed by the FSSAI.

These compliances are mainly related to parameters such as food quality, hygiene practices, water quality standards, etc. 

Therefore after the issuance of FSSAI registration or license, a food inspector may visit your place of business for inspection.

After a complete review, he gives a compliance rating to your business which can be any one of the following – 

  1. Compliance
  2. Non Compliance
  3. Partial Compliance
  4. Not Applicable

Depending upon the rating given by the officer he can issue a notice of improvement to your business which you need to reply within the given time.

The office also has the authority to cancel the registration or license if he is not satisfied with the level of standards maintained at the place of business. 

Non-compliance with the standards prescribed by the FSSAI can also attract a penalty ranging from Rs.1 lakh up to Rs.10 lakh.

Advantages Of FSSAI Registration And License

fssai registration advantages

There are various advantages of getting an FSSAI registration and license such as – 

  1. FSSAI logo can be used on the packaging of food products so that it creates trust in the customer’s mind.
  2. Businesses then can easily import and export food items.
  3. Good quality food products are manufactured when all the standards of FSSAI are followed.
  4. Legal registration so as to conduct the business without any hassle.
  5. Customers also prefer to deal with businesses registered under FSSAI.

Frequently Asked Questions

frequently asked questions
Q1. What is the time duration for getting FSSAI registration or license?

It generally takes seven working days to get FSSAI registration and around 30 working days for FSSAI State and Central license.

Q2. What is the FSSAI registration and license fees?


Basic Registration – Rs.100 to 500 depending upon the number of years selected.

State license – Rs.2000 to 5000 per year depending upon the state of the applicant.

Central license – Rs.7500 per year

Q3. What license is required if an FBO has units in different states?

If any FBO has multiple units in different states of India, then it needs to apply for the FSSAI central license.

Q4. Can we modify the FSSAI registration/license?

Yes, FSSAI registration or license can be modified by filing a modification application (Form C) online on the FSSAI website.

Q5. Which registration/license is required for caterers?

Any person or company operating a catering food business needs to apply mandatorily for a central license irrespective of their turnover.

Q6. What is the FSSAI criteria for food transporters?


State license – Food transporters having the turnover of less than 30 crores and having up to 100 vehicles.

Central license – Food transporters having turnover more than 30 crores and having more than 100 vehicles.

Q7. What is the FSSAI criteria for diaries?


State license – Diaries processing 500L to 50,000L of milk per day.

Central license – Diaries processing above 50,000L to 2,500MT of milk per day.

Q8. What are the FSSAI criteria for meat processing units?


State license – Units processing 50kg to 150MT of meat per day.

Central license – Units processing above 150MT to meat per day.

Q9. Can the FSSAI license be transferred?


Yes, the FSSAI license can be transferred only in the case of the death of the license holder.

It can be transferred to any authorized person or family member of the holder by applying with the FSSAI department.

Q10. Can an FBO operate multiple businesses under a single license?


FSSAI license is premises or location-based. So if the FBO is operating multiple businesses not related to each other in a single premise, then only a single license is required.

If the FBO is involved in the processing of milk, meat, or fruits or vegetable, then a separate license is required for each business.

Q11. What are other registration required apart from FSSAI for starting a food business?

To start a food business apart from FSSAI, GST registration, Import Export Code (for importing and exporting), Trade or Shop License, etc can be taken.

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