FSSAI License (Food License)

Types of FSSAI Food Licenses

Food license registration is mandatory for every individual involved in procurement, manufacturing, distribution, processing, packaging and storage of food business. It is essential for each and every food related business to opt for FSSAI food licenses as per their eligibility and get their registration done
to save themselves from the penalties and the legal charges imposed by the government. Businesses involved in food activities need to apply for different types of FSSAI food licenses based on turnover, business scale and type of activity. Due to different types of FSSAI licenses, most of the businesses
generally get confused about the types of food licenses they’re eligible for. The three license categories differ on the basis of scale of business operations are mentioned below along with their criteria.

There are three types of FSSAI Food Licenses -

Lets discuss Types of FSSAI Licence in detail -

FSSAI Basic License
FSSAI State License
FSSAI Central License

1. FSSAI Basic License
It is mandatory for food business operators such as retailers, marketers, distributors, transporters, storage unit, petty food manufacturers and small sized
manufacturers to obtain FSSAI basic license registration. The FSSAI basic registration is applicable on startups or small businesses which are having
annual turnover below Rs.12 lakhs. The minimum tenure for this license is 1 year and the maximum tenure is 5 years. This kind of registration can be
easily upgraded to state license as your sales graph increases.

FSSAI Basic License Eligibility Criteria

Selling of food items by retailers with limited operations.

A makeshift stall selling food products.

Own manufacturing by petty producers.

Association of cottage industries with food products.

Business involved in slaughtering of not exceeding 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds on
per day basis.

Businesses engaged in selling of food at some social or religious gathering except caterer.

Diary units engaged in the business of procurement/handling/collection /chilling of milk having capacity not exceeding 500 litres per day or up to 2.5 metric ton of milk solids annually.

Businesses engaged in processing of vegetable oil with the procedure of solvent extraction & refineries.

The maximum capacity of vegetable oil produced should not be more than 100 kg/litre per day (except milk or meat).


2. FSSAI State License

The FSSAI state license is applicable on medium sized businesses which are having annual turnover between 12-20 Crore rupees. It is mandatory for
every medium sized food businesses such as restaurants, hotels and food manufacturers to obtain state food license from the state authority.
The minimum tenure for this license is 1 year and the maximum tenure is 5 years.

FSSAI State License Eligibility Criteria:-

1 Food business operators such as retailers, wholesalers, distributors, suppliers, food vending establishments, clubs, canteens, restaurant and hotel owners having annual turnover between Rs.12 Lakhs to Rs.20 crores are eligible to apply for FSSAI state license.
2 Hotels having 4 star rating or less
3 Proprietary foods
4 Dairy units (including milk chilling units) with a maximum capacity of handling or processing b/w 500 to 50000 litres per day.
5 Storage capacity of less than 50000 metric tonnes annually
6 Businesses engaged in production and processing of vegetable oil with the procedure of solvent extraction & refineries (including oil expeller unit) having turnover between Rs.12 Lakhs – Rs.20 crores annually.
7 Business having slaughtering capacity of -

2 and maximum 50 large animals per day.
Minimum 10 & maximum 150 small animals per day.  Minimum 50 & maximum 1000 poultry birds.
8 All food processing units including re-packers having minimum capacity of 100kg/litre to maximum capacity of 2 metric tonnes per day.

3. FSSAI Central License

It is mandatory for food business operators such as importers, airports, seaports, 100% export oriented units, large manufacturers and the operators in the central government agencies to obtain central food license. It is issued by the central government.

The FSSAI central license is applicable on large businesses having annual turnover of more than Rs.20 crore. In case your business is operating in one or more state, you need to obtain the central
license for your head office too. This license is also needed when you need to import/export food products or supply the same at the government offices.

The minimum tenure for this license is 1 year and the maximum tenure is 5 years.

FSSAI Central License Eligibility Criteria: -
Food business operators such as retailer, suppliers, restaurants, distributors having annual turnover of more than Rs.20 crore are eligible to apply
for FSSAI central license.

Businesses engaged in manufacturing & processing of vegetable oil having capacity of over 2 metric tonnes per day by the procedure of solvent
extraction & factories (including oil expeller unit)

Hotel having 5 star rating or above

Businesses such as dhaba, canteen, club and other food vending establishments having branches in more than one state & having annual turnover
exceeding Rs.12 Lakhs.

Storage capacity of more than 50000 metric tonnes annually

Wholesalers having turnover of less than Rs.30 crores.

Every importer including import of food ingredient or additives.

Involvement of 100% export oriented units in food production or processing.

Caterers working in railways, airlines, defense, seaport, airport under central government or related agencies. 10 Dairy units (including chilling units) having maximum capacity of handling or processing over 50000 litres per day,

Businesses having slaughtering capacity of minimum 50 large animals or exceeding 150 small animals or exceeding 1000 poultry birds per day,

All food processing units including re-packers excluding pulses, cereals & grains milling units having capacity of over 2 metric tonnes on per day basis.

All food business operator involve

What is FSSAI Registration Fee or Cost?

FSSAI registration cost is the license fee charged by the government from the food business operators.

FSSAI registration fee is divided into two –

1. Government expense

Government expense is the application handling fee charged by the government.

FSSAI registration is divided into three different types –

The FSSAI fees for these registrations are mentioned below:

1 Basic FSSAI license
2 State FSSAI license
3 Central FSSAI license
4 Basic FSSAI License Fees
5 Annual turnover below 12 lakhs - 100/- per year.

2. Expert expense

Expert expense is the application set up fee charged by the professionals.

Documents Required For The Food Safety and Standards Registration

Documentation for FSSAI license totally depends upon the type of license you are applying for. Document varies for each type of license - basic, state and central. You don’t have to go anywhere as the entire process can be done through online. You just have to fill FSSAI registration form along with the
required FSSAI license documents in order to submit it online. The documents required for FSSAI registration process for each license are given below -

Document Required for Basic FSSAI license

Authority letter
Declaration form
Copy of property papers (if owned)
Rent agreement copy (if rented)
Water or electricity bill of a business place
Form 10
Plan or license of the Food Safety Management System.
Identification proof of owner or directors or partners such as Aadhaar Card or Voter ID Card, passport etc.
Document Required for Central FSSAI license
Declaration form  Turnover proof
PA/NOC documents circulated by FSSAI
NOC’s from Municipal Corporation or local body (Optional document)
E-code document issued by DGFT
Form-B signed & completed by the proprietor, partner or authorized signatory
Certificate of food safety mgmt. system plan (in case required)
Proof of possession of premises – electricity bill, sales deed or rental agreement
Copy of co-operatives certificate obtained under co-op-1861 or multi state co-op act 2002.
Certificate from Ministry of Tourism (hotel & restaurant approval and classification committee)
List, complete address and contact details of proprietor, partner, directors, executive members of society, trust etc. It is mandatory for companies
License copy from the manufacturer along with the NOC (compulsory for repackers & relabellers)
Review report in relation to chemical and bacteriological water made by verified or public health laboratory in order to verify the portability
(required for manufacturing & processing units)
List & name of machinery & equipment along with the quantity, installed capacity and horse power applied (Compulsory for production &
manufacturing units only)

Self-declaration of number of vehicles or documented proof of turnover evidence (mandatory for transporters)