FSSAI Registration (FSSAI License)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a legal authority that offers a food license to all food business operators (FBO) in India. All the FBOs must follow all the rules and regulations of FSSAI for food quality control. An FBO requires an FSSAI License or Registration all depends upon the parts like the size of production, managing nature of food business activities and range of operation. In the FSSAI Registration process, the FBO will get 14 digit number that needs to be printed on food packages.

FSSAI Registration ensures the security of food products and it is essentially a food safety certificate circulated by the food authority in India. All the manufacturers, traders, restaurants, grocery shops, importers and exporters, etc are eligible for issuing FSSAI Licence. FSSAI Licensing assures that food products undergo specific quality checks, thereby decreasing the cases of adulteration, substandard products.

These persons need to register:

  • FBO likes a wholesaler, distributor, supplier, and retailer, food vending establishments, hawkers, club, canteen, Dhaba, hotel, restaurants, and storage with an annual turnover of less than Rs. 12 lakh, between Rs.12 Lakh- Rs.20 crore or more than Rs. 20 crore.
  • Petty producers manufacturing by itself
  • A makeshift stall selling food products.
  • Businesses involved in selling food at a social or religious gathering, other than a caterer.
  • Cottage industries associated with food products
  • Production or processing units of vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller system. With a capacity to provide not more than 100 kg/liter per day (except milk or meat).
  • Dairy units, involved in procurement/collection/handling/chilling of milk, having a capacity of not more than 500 liters per day, or up to 2.5 Metric Ton of milk solids annually.
  • A slaughtering capacity of not more than 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day.
  • Proprietary Foods
  • Production and processing units of vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit. With a turnover within Rs. 12 lacs to Rs. 20 crores annually.
  • Hotels of 4-star ratings or less or that have been rated 5-star or more.
  • Storages having a capacity of less than 50,000 metric tonnes yearly or with a capacity of more than 50,000 metric tonnes.
  • All food processing units including re-packers, with a daily capacity of not less than 100 kg/liter to up to 2 metric tonnes.
  • 100 % export oriented units involved in food production or processing.
  • Every Importer including the import of food ingredients or additives.
  • Caterers working under Central Government or related agencies such as Railways, Airlines and airport, Seaport, Defence, etc.
  • All food processing units including re-packers and excluding the grains, pulses & cereals milling units with a capacity of over 2 metric tonnes per day.
  • All FBOs involved in producing an item of food, additive or its ingredient, using some new process or technology, and/or a combination thereof, whose safety has not been established yet by the FSSAI. Or they may not have a history of safe usage. It covers the food articles being introduced in the country, for the first time.

Types of FSSAI License:

Basic FSSAI Registration State FSSAI Licence Central FSSAI Licence
The basic registration is for the FBOs which have their turnover up to Rs.12 lakh The state license is for those FBOs which have their turnover up to Rs 12 lakh to Rs.20 crore The central license is for those FBOs which have their turnover more than Rs.20 crore
The basic registration is for the petty food business The state license is for the medium-sized food business The central license is for the large food business.
In this registration, the document required Form A to be filled In this registration, the document required Form B to be filled In this registration, the document required Form B to be filled

Benefits of applying for FSSAI Registration:

  • Consumer Awareness FBOs must know FSSAI Licence adds on the benefit of a reliable & loyal customer base.
  • Legal Advantage FSSAI Registration is done under the regulatory body FSSAI, legal action being taken for any non- compliance.
  • FSSAI Logo FSSAI logo is a mark of validity and an assurance to your consumers that the food is safe to consume.
  • Business Expansion The goodwill of the Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) will make business available and effortless to expand.

Steps for getting the Food license:

  1. Fill FSSAI licensing registration form A on FSSAI website and make the payment for FSSAI application at the FBO nearby your locality.
  2. Once the payment confirmation is reflected in your FSSAI account, you need to file Form B with the government. There are multiple declarations and resolutions that need to be filed with your application. E.g., board resolution, owner self-declaration. These declarations should ideally be prepared by a company secretary.
  3. You will then need to follow-up with the government department for an update on your application. The government may send back your application for edits – if you fail to respond with 15 days of the application, then your application will be rejected.
  4. The government department will take 45-60 working days to completely review your application and approve the same