Obtaining Your FSSAI License as a Food Business Operator

The Complete 2026 Guide — Including the April 2026 Threshold Overhaul Every FBO Must Know

By Dr. Ashwini Kumar

Founder & CEO, CE Group of Companies  |  Forbes Business Council Member

Regulatory Affairs Expert | Clinical Trials Advisor | Medtech & Food Regulatory Consultant

Why Every Food Business in India Needs an FSSAI License — Without Exception

India’s food regulatory framework is unambiguous on one point: no person shall commence or carry on any food business without a valid license or registration under Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This applies to every entity involved in the food chain — from small-scale home bakers to multinational nutraceutical importers, from roadside hawkers to large e-commerce platforms.

The penalties for non-compliance are equally unambiguous. Operating without a valid FSSAI license can attract fines ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh and imprisonment of up to six months under Section 63 of the FSS Act. With approximately 1.5 crore food business operators in India and only around 62 lakh currently registered on FoSCoS, FSSAI has significantly intensified its enforcement activity — raids on unlicensed operators have increased substantially in recent years.

The Three Tiers of FSSAI Licensing — Revised April 2026

FSSAI operates a three-tier licensing structure based on annual turnover and business type. On 1 April 2026, FSSAI implemented its most significant threshold revision in over a decade, substantially raising the limits for Basic Registration and the State License category. Here is the current framework:

License Type	Turnover Threshold (w.e.f. 1 Apr 2026)	Annual Fee	Validity
Basic Registration	Up to ₹1.5 Crore	₹100 per year	1–5 years
State License	₹1.5 Crore to ₹50 Crore	₹2,000–₹5,000 per year (activity-based)	1–5 years
Central License	Above ₹50 Crore OR mandatory categories (see below)	₹7,500 per year	1–5 years

Table 1

Critical caveat: 

Turnover alone does not determine your license category. Certain business types must obtain a Central License regardless of turnover. Always verify your category against the FoSCoS Kind of Business (KoB) Eligibility Matrix — updated 1 April 2026 — before filing.

Who Must Obtain a Central License — Regardless of Turnover

This is one of the most common areas of misunderstanding. Many food businesses assume that because their turnover is below the Central License threshold, a State License or Basic Registration is sufficient. For certain categories, that assumption is incorrect and can result in rejection of the license application or, worse, regulatory action against the business.

FBO Category	Minimum License Required
Importers (all food categories)	Central License — irrespective of turnover
Exporters / 100% Export Oriented Units (EOUs)	Central License
Nutraceuticals & Health Supplements manufacturers	Central License
Proprietary Food manufacturers	Central or State License (KoB matrix determines)
E-commerce food platforms (selling across states)	Central License
Manufacturers supplying Central Government agencies	Central License
Head Office/Registered Office	Central License (one per head office + state units as applicable)
5-star hotels and above	Central License
Airport and seaport food businesses	Central License
Caterers (mid-day meal and large-scale)	State License minimum
Hawkers and itinerant food vendors	Basic Registration — ₹0 fee (w.e.f. September 2024)

Table 2

Key point for importers: 

As confirmed by the FoSCoS KoB Eligibility Matrix updated, importers must obtain a Central License irrespective of turnover. The annual fee is ₹7,500. This is the baseline requirement before any food product can be commercially imported into India. Additional compliance requirements — NSF approval, FFMF registration, FICS prior intimation — layer on top of this license.

The Step-by-Step FSSAI License Application Process

Step	Action	Detail	Typical Time
1	Determine license category	Check turnover threshold AND KoB Eligibility Matrix on FoSCoS — both must be verified	1–2 days
2	Pre-licensing approvals (if applicable)	Novel Foods, NSFP categories require FSSAI-HQ product approval BEFORE license filing	12–24 months
3	Register on FoSCoS portal	foscos.fssai.gov.in — create FBO account with valid mobile and email	1 day
4	Select Kind of Business (KoB)	CRITICAL — wrong KoB leads to rejection or reversion. Portal auto-suggests license type after KoB selection.	1–2 days
5	Fill Form A / Form B online	Form A for Basic Registration; Form B for State and Central License	2–3 days
6	Upload documents	All mandatory and category-specific documents per FoSCoS checklist	1–2 days
7	Pay fee	Initial Online payment for 1–5 years upfront. Non-refundable after submission.	Same day
8	FSSAI scrutiny & inspection	Designated officer reviews application; may schedule premises inspection (especially for manufacturers)	7–30 days
9	Query resolution (if raised)	Respond to any deficiency notices promptly; delayed responses extend timeline	Within 30 days of query
10	License issued	Downloaded from FoSCoS portal; 14-digit FSSAI License Number must be displayed on all premises and product labels	Once pending payment is made

Table 3

The Tatkal Option — 2024 Update

FSSAI introduced a Tatkal (fast-track) registration option in 2024. Applicants are required to pay the entire fee for the instant license/registration at the time of filing the application. The fee structure for the license/registration is same as per the existing provision. It is available only for selected categories as specified by FSSAI.

The April 2026 Threshold Revision — What It Means for Existing FBOs

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Order dated 13 March 2026, effective 1 April 2026, was India’s most significant FSSAI licensing overhaul in over a decade. The key changes:

• Basic Registration threshold raised 12.5x — from ₹12 lakh to ₹1.5 crore. Hundreds of thousands of small FBOs previously holding State Licenses may now qualify for the simpler Basic Registration category.

• State License range expanded — now covers ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore (previously ₹12 lakh to ₹20 crore).

• Central License threshold raised to above ₹50 crore (previously ₹20 crore) for turnover-based applicants.

• Migration is automatic — existing license holders who now qualify for a different category do not need to file a modification application. Migration happens at the backend based on self-declaration. License number remains unchanged, and fees already paid are adjusted.

What does NOT change:

The mandatory category rules. Importers, e-commerce platforms, nutraceutical manufacturers, multi-state operators, and other mandated categories still require Central Licenses regardless of the new turnover thresholds. The revision affects turnover-based classification only.

How CliniExperts Can Help

CliniExperts has guided over 300 global and domestic food businesses through FSSAI licensing and post-license compliance management. Our FSSAI licensing services include:

• License category determination — KoB mapping, turnover threshold analysis, mandatory category verification

• Pre-license regulatory readiness audit — identify documentation gaps before filing

• End-to-end FoSCoS application management — from KoB selection to license receipt

• Product approval coordination for novel foods, and NSFP categories

• Annual Return (Form D-1) filing and ongoing compliance management

• Third-party food safety audit coordination with FSSAI-empanelled auditors

• License modification, renewal, and multi-state expansion support

• Import license setup including IEC coordination, FFMF/ReFoM registration, and FICS management

Whether you are a domestic food startup filing your first FSSAI registration or a global nutraceutical company navigating the Central License pathway with prior product approvals, our regulatory team can help you get licensed correctly, completely, and efficiently.