How to Get an FSSAI License for Your Food Business
Selling food in India — from a home tiffin service to a full restaurant — legally requires FSSAI registration or a license. Here's which one you need and how to apply.
TCTechToolsCenter TeamAny food business in India — manufacturing, storing, distributing, transporting or selling food — legally needs to be registered with FSSAI (the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). This applies whether you're running a home-based tiffin service, a food truck, a small restaurant, or a full manufacturing unit. Which tier you need depends entirely on your business size.
The three tiers
- Basic Registration — for the smallest food businesses (annual turnover below a threshold set by FSSAI). Simplest paperwork, lowest fee.
- State License — for mid-size businesses above the Basic Registration turnover threshold but below the Central License threshold.
- Central License — for large manufacturers, importers, exporters, or businesses operating across multiple states.
Getting this wrong in either direction causes problems: operating under Basic Registration once you've outgrown it is a compliance risk, while over-applying for a Central License you don't need adds unnecessary paperwork and cost.
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Step-by-step: apply for FSSAI registration or a license
- Determine your correct tier based on annual turnover and business type — check the current thresholds on the official FoSCoS portal since they're periodically revised.
- Register on FoSCoS (foscos.fssai.gov.in), FSSAI's official licensing system.
- Fill in Form A (registration) or Form B (license) with your business, product and premises details.
- Upload the required documents — ID proof, address proof, and (for licenses) a food safety management plan.
- Pay the applicable fee online.
- Track your application status; once approved, download your certificate/license and display it at your premises.
Common mistakes
- Skipping FSSAI registration entirely for a small home-based business, assuming it doesn't apply — it almost always does, even at small scale, just at the lightest (Basic Registration) tier.
- Letting the registration/license lapse without renewing before expiry, which means operating without valid registration.
- Not displaying the certificate/license number at the premises and on packaging where required.
Tools used in this article
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, typically Basic Registration — the lightest tier, for businesses below FSSAI's turnover threshold for that category. Very few food businesses are exempt entirely.
TechToolsCenter Team
Product & Tools
The team behind TechToolsCenter — building fast, private, browser-based tools and writing practical guides on how to get the most out of them.
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