Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 / Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011

FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance

Turnkey FSSAI Basic Registration, State License, and Central License advisory, FoSCoS portal approvals, food safety audits, and mandatory annual return (Form D-1) compliance for food manufacturers, cloud kitchens, and importers.

CA Due Diligence

Official Portal Filing

State Stamp Advisory

FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance Statutory Advisory

Turnkey Statutory Filing

MCA & Tax Practice

Official Govt of India AuthorityFood Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance Official Portal

Official government portal for FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance filings, statutory compliances, and clearances.

Visit Govt Portal

STATUTORY OVERVIEW

FSSAI Licensing, FoSCoS Regulatory Approval & Food Safety Governance

In India, operating any business involved in manufacturing, processing, packaging, storing, distributing, importing, or retailing food products without a valid license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a punishable criminal offense under Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, punishable with imprisonment up to six months and fines up to Rs. 5 Lakhs. With the rollout of the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal on foscos.fssai.gov.in, regulatory oversight has shifted to digital food safety parameters, mandatory 14-digit packaging numbers, standardized recipe testing, and mandatory annual reporting in Form D-1. Our regulatory team handles end-to-end licensing across Basic, State, and Central categories.

Statutory & Practice Summary • At-A-Glance

ICAI UDIN Authentication Mandate

Governing Framework

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 / Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011

Regulatory Authority

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Professional Assurance

Chartered Accountants Attestation under ICAI Standards & Code of Ethics

DOCUMENTATION MATRIX

Mandatory Documents Checklist

Self-attested scanned copies required

1. Promoters / Partners / Directors KYC

✓Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card & Certificate of Incorporation / Partnership Deed
✓Aadhaar Cards and Photo ID Proofs of Directors, Partners, or Sole Proprietor
✓Proof of Business Premises Ownership (Electricity Bill, Sale Deed, or Registered Rent Agreement with NOC)
✓Dimensioned Blueprint / Layout Plan of the Manufacturing & Processing Facility

2. Registered Office & Premises Proof

✓List of Food Categories & Products to be Manufactured with Standardized FoSCoS Codes
✓Machinery & Equipment List with Installed Capacity, Horsepower & Supplier Details
✓Potable Water Test Report from an NABL-Accredited Laboratory Confirming IS 10500 Standards
✓Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Plan or ISO 22000 / HACCP Certification

PROCEDURAL ROADMAP

Step-by-Step Filing & Approval Process

Structured execution roadmap managed by our Chartered Accountants from pre-filing due diligence to certificate allotment.

01Standard

Category Classification & Code Mapping

Identifying operational capacity, turnover ceiling, and mapping food products to standardized FSSAI food category codes.

02Standard

FoSCoS Electronic Application Dossier

Compiling plant layout drawings, NABL water reports, FSMS documents, and submitting Form B on foscos.fssai.gov.in.

03Standard

Food Safety Officer (FSO) Inspection Support

Addressing scrutiny queries from designated officers, organizing facility inspection walkthroughs, and rectifying observations.

04Standard

14-Digit License Issuance & Label Audits

Downloading digitally signed FSSAI license certificate and reviewing product packaging artwork for statutory labeling compliance.

Three-Tier Licensing Classification (Basic, State & Central)

Practice Scope & Statutory Guidance

We assess your operational scale, production capacity, and distribution reach to determine exact jurisdiction: Basic Registration (Turnover up to Rs. 12 Lakhs for petty retailers/hawkers), State License (Turnover between Rs. 12 Lakhs and Rs. 20 Crores for restaurants, cloud kitchens, state-level distributors), and Central License (Turnover above Rs. 20 Crores, 100% EOUs, multi-state chains, and food importers) on foscos.fssai.gov.in.

FoSCoS Portal Documentation & Food Safety Plans

Practice Scope & Statutory Guidance

Securing a State or Central FSSAI License requires extensive technical submissions: factory blueprints with dimensioned layouts, list of food categories mapped to standardized FSSAI codes, equipment lists with installed horsepower, water test reports from NABL-accredited labs, and Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plans compliant with ISO 22000 / HACCP principles.

Mandatory Annual Reporting (Form D-1) & Packaging Standards

Practice Scope & Statutory Guidance

Every licensed food manufacturer, packer, and importer must submit an annual return in Form D-1 on the FoSCoS portal by May 31 each year, detailing quantities manufactured, imported, and sold. Delay attracts a non-negotiable penalty of Rs. 100 per day. Furthermore, we audit front-of-pack labeling for FSSAI logo placement, 14-digit license number display, allergen warnings, and nutritional disclosures.

STATUTORY MATRIX

Statutory Provisions & Regulatory Comparative Matrix

Comparative analysis of governing sections under the new framework alongside legacy statutory references.

FSSAI License Category	Annual Turnover / Operational Threshold	Statutory Jurisdiction / Portal	Validity Period & Requirements
Basic FSSAI Registration	Annual Turnover up to Rs. 12 Lakhs	Local District Food Safety Officer / https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/	1 to 5 Years; Form A application; minimal documentation
State FSSAI License	Turnover between Rs. 12 Lakhs & Rs. 20 Crores	State Designated Officer (DO) / https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/	1 to 5 Years; Form B application; layout plan, NABL water report
Central FSSAI License	Turnover exceeding Rs. 20 Crores / 100% EOU / Importers	Central Licensing Authority (FSSAI HQ) / https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/	1 to 5 Years; Form B application; mandatory IE Code, multi-state head office
Food Importers / Proprietary Food	All food import consignments (regardless of turnover)	Central Licensing Authority (Customs Single Window / ICEGATE)	Mandatory DGFT IEC linkage + FSSAI Food Import Clearance System (FICS)

ONGOING GOVERNANCE

Mandatory Post-Registration Compliances

Failing to complete statutory post-incorporation actions carries steep daily penalties. Our CA firm manages continuous compliance:

CompliancePeriodic

Annual Return Form D-1 Filing

Mandatory annual submission of production and sales volume on the FoSCoS portal by May 31 to avoid Rs. 100/day fines.

CompliancePeriodic

Semi-Annual NABL Water Testing

Conducting water potability tests from NABL-certified labs every 6 months to substantiate ongoing FSMS safety hygiene.

CompliancePeriodic

Food Safety Supervisor (FoSTaC) Training

Ensuring mandatory training and certification of at least one designated Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers.

CompliancePeriodic

Timely License Renewal (Form A / Form B)

Submitting electronic renewal applications at least 30 days prior to expiry on foscos.fssai.gov.in to maintain legal continuity.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Statutory FAQs & Practical Guidance

Frequently asked questions and procedural guidance regarding FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance.

What is the difference between an FSSAI Registration, State License, and Central License?

FSSAI Basic Registration applies to petty food business operators with an annual turnover up to Rs. 12 Lakhs. An FSSAI State License is required for medium-scale manufacturers, restaurants, distributors, and cloud kitchens with an annual turnover between Rs. 12 Lakhs and Rs. 20 Crores operating within one state. An FSSAI Central License is mandatory for large food businesses with annual turnover exceeding Rs. 20 Crores, 100% Export Oriented Units (EOUs), food importers, and entities operating across multiple states, as governed on the official FoSCoS portal (https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/).

Can a restaurant or cloud kitchen sell on Swiggy and Zomato without an FSSAI License?

No. Under FSSAI e-commerce guidelines, online food delivery platforms (such as Swiggy, Zomato, and Blinkit) are legally prohibited from onboarding any restaurant, caterer, or cloud kitchen without a verified 14-digit FSSAI license or registration number displayed on the merchant profile.

What is the penalty for not filing the FSSAI Annual Return (Form D-1)?

Under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, all licensed food manufacturers and importers must electronically file Form D-1 on the FoSCoS portal by May 31 following each financial year. Failure to file by the due date results in an automatic late fee of Rs. 100 per day until the return is filed, up to a maximum equal to five times the annual license fee.

How long is an FSSAI license valid and when should it be renewed?

An FSSAI license or registration can be obtained for a validity period ranging from 1 to 5 years, chosen by the business operator at the time of application. The license must be renewed at least 30 days prior to its expiry date through the FoSCoS portal to prevent lapse and high late renewal penalties.

STATUTORY ADVISORY DESK • PRACTICE INQUIRIES

Statutory Inquiries & Practice Advisory

In strict conformity with ICAI Council Guidelines No. 1-CA(7)/06/2004, professional engagements for FSSAI Food License Registration & Compliance are accepted following formal conflict verification and statutory documentation. Contact our registered practice offices for procedural guidance.

Contact Practice Office +91 99140-14949