FSSAI registration and licence 2026: new limits, fees, steps

In short

From 1 April 2026: registration up to ₹1.5 crore turnover, a state licence above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore, and a central licence above ₹50 crore. The old ₹12 lakh and ₹20 crore limits no longer apply.
Apply on FoSCoS: Form A for registration, Form B for a licence. Registration is decided within 7 days (30 with an inspection), a licence within 60 days.
Registrations and licences issued from 1 April 2026 have no expiry date, but the fee is still yearly: ₹100 for registration, ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 for a state licence, ₹7,500 for a central licence. It can be paid for several years at once.
Licensed manufacturers and importers file the annual return (Form D-1) by 31 May; the late fee is ₹100 a day, up to five times the annual licence fee.
Print the FSSAI number on bills and invoices, display the certificate, and, with a licence, keep a trained Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers.

Registration, state licence or central licence

Limits in force from 1 April 2026
What you need	Annual turnover	Typical businesses
FSSAI registration	Up to ₹1.5 crore	Home bakers, small restaurants and cloud kitchens, grocery and sweet shops, small traders, hawkers and stalls
State licence	Above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore	Larger restaurants and caterers, distributors, manufacturers in one state
Central licence	Above ₹50 crore	Large manufacturers and chains; also importers, e-commerce food platforms and the other categories that always need a central licence

FSSAI's order of 13 March 2026 replaced the earlier limits. The old ₹12 lakh limit for registration and ₹20 crore for a state licence no longer apply.
Already licensed? A business that now falls in a lower tier can move across by a self-declaration on FoSCoS. The number stays the same, there is no fee for moving, and a state licence fee already paid is set off against the registration fee.
Always central, whatever the turnover: importers, 100% export-oriented units, units in central government premises, the head office of a business operating in two or more states, and e-commerce platforms that list food businesses and take orders. FSSAI says these categories did not change in 2026.
Street vendors registered under the Street Vendors Act, 2014 are treated as registered with FSSAI.
Selling through Swiggy, Zomato or other apps: the platform holds its own central licence; your kitchen needs its own registration or licence for its turnover.

Manufacturers and dairy units: the earlier rules also used production capacity to decide the tier. How capacity limits apply after April 2026 is not yet clear from FSSAI's orders, so we check it for your unit before you apply.

Government fees

	Fee a year
Registration	₹100
State licence: restaurants, caterers and other businesses	₹2,000
State licence: manufacturers below 1 tonne a day	₹3,000
State licence: manufacturers above 1 tonne a day, and hotels of 3 stars and above	₹5,000
Central licence	₹7,500

There is no renewal any more, but the fee is still charged for each year. FSSAI allows it to be paid for any number of years at once, at any time of the year.

How to apply on FoSCoS

Sign up on foscos.fssai.gov.in with the business's mobile number and e-mail.
Choose the kind of business (restaurant, retailer, manufacturer and so on) and the food categories. FoSCoS shows whether you need registration or a licence.
Fill Form A (registration) or Form B (licence), upload the documents and pay the fee online.
Track the application on FoSCoS and download the certificate. Display it at the premises.

For registration, the application is Form A with the fee and a self-declaration that you follow the basic hygiene and safety rules in Schedule 4 of the regulations.

For a licence, FoSCoS lists the documents for each kind of business. For a restaurant or caterer they include: proof of expected turnover, photo identity and address proof of the owner or partners, a water test report, and the constitution document (proprietor's declaration, partnership deed or MoA). Companies also give Form IX and the list of directors. Manufacturers add a layout plan of the unit, the list of equipment with capacity, a photo of the production area and proof that they possess the premises.

How long it takes

Registration: the authority must grant it, reject it or order an inspection within 7 days. After an inspection it decides within 30 days. If it does neither, you may start your business.
Licence: issued within 60 days of the application number. If nothing is issued and no query is raised in that time, you may start your business.

Your duties after registration

Display the registration certificate or licence prominently at the premises.
FSSAI number on bills: print the 14-digit registration or licence number on cash memos, bills and invoices. This has applied since 1 January 2022.
Food Safety Supervisor: every licensed business keeps at least one FoSTaC-trained supervisor for every 25 food handlers or part of 25.
Annual return (Form D-1) by 31 May for the previous year, online on FoSCoS, by licensed manufacturers (including repackers and relabellers), importers and manufacturer-exporters. Late fee ₹100 a day, capped at five times the annual licence fee.
Records: since June 2026 businesses that do not manufacture no longer keep daily production and raw-material records, and retailers are exempt from first-in-first-out stock rotation.
Selling online: food delivered through e-commerce must have at least 30% of its shelf life or 45 days left, and the licence details must be shown on the listing.
Changes to the business (address, food categories, ownership) are made by modifying the registration or licence on FoSCoS.

Running a food business that needs a licence without one is an offence under section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 amended that section; ask us for the position in your case rather than relying on older figures quoted online.

Questions people ask

What is the FSSAI registration limit in 2026?

From 1 April 2026, FSSAI registration covers food businesses with annual turnover up to ₹1.5 crore. Above that a state licence is needed up to ₹50 crore, and a central licence above ₹50 crore. The old ₹12 lakh limit no longer applies.

Does an FSSAI licence need to be renewed now?

No. Registrations and licences issued from 1 April 2026 have no expiry date. The yearly fee must still be paid, and it can be paid for several years at once.

How much does FSSAI registration cost?

The government fee is ₹100 a year for registration, ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 a year for a state licence depending on the business, and ₹7,500 a year for a central licence.

Does a home baker or cloud kitchen need FSSAI?

Yes. Every food business needs at least an FSSAI registration, and with the new limits most home bakers and small cloud kitchens (turnover up to ₹1.5 crore) need only registration. Selling through an app does not change this: the app has its own licence, and your kitchen needs its own.

How long does FSSAI registration take?

The authority must decide within 7 days, or within 30 days if it inspects the premises. A licence is issued within 60 days. If the authority does not act in time, the business may start.

Who has to file the FSSAI annual return?

Licensed manufacturers (including repackers and relabellers), importers and manufacturer-exporters file Form D-1 by 31 May on FoSCoS. Restaurants, retailers and businesses with only a registration do not file it.

Sources

Written from these official pages and notifications, checked on 4 Nov 2026. Rules change by notification: before you act, check the latest position or ask us.

General information, not legal or tax advice for your case. Parishrama Consulting Services is a private firm, not a government office.

FSSAI registration and licence in 2026: which one, fees, steps and duties