FSSAI Licence by Business Type — Which One You Actually Need
Quick answer: Under the tiers in force since 1 April 2026, most food businesses are decided by turnover — Basic to ₹1.5 crore, State to ₹50 crore, Central above — but importers, exporters, e-commerce operators, large-capacity manufacturers and multi-state head offices are Central regardless. Each cloud-kitchen premises needs its own licence; the platform's does not cover you. This page maps every business type to its licence and what the inspector checks.
Last verified 4 October 2026 — rules on this page checked against the current notifications. We update it the day a rule changes.
Licence type by business type — 2026 tiers
| Business type | Licence | Decided by | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen, tiffin, petty seller, hawker | Basic Registration (Form A) | Turnover ≤ ₹1.5 crore | Premises = home address; platforms need the number |
| Cloud kitchen / virtual brands | Basic or State per kitchen premises | Turnover; each premises separately | Platform's Central licence does not cover you; list every brand's products |
| Restaurant, café, bakery retail, caterer | Basic ≤ ₹1.5 cr · State ≤ ₹50 cr · Central above | Turnover | 4-star+ hotels: higher State fee; bars: Delhi excise (L-17) after FSSAI |
| Manufacturer / processor | State or Central | Turnover, or capacity (> 2 MT/day; dairy > 50,000 L/day → Central) | Capacity declaration; layout plan; water test |
| Trader, wholesaler, distributor, storage | Basic / State / Central by turnover | Turnover; cold storage capacity thresholds | Multiple godowns = multiple licences |
| Importer / exporter | Central | Activity | Port clearance; labelling compliance |
| E-commerce food operator / marketplace | Central | Activity | Sellers on the platform need their own |
| Head office of multi-state units | Central (HO) + licence per unit | Structure | HO licence does not replace unit licences |
| Railways, airports, seaports, Central Govt premises | Central | Location | Regardless of turnover |
What we do
- Kind-of-business and category selection — the most common reason FoSCoS applications are returned
- Form A / Form B filing with layout plan, product list, capacity declaration and water-test report
- Designated Officer inspection coordination; FoSTaC supervisor training and medical certificates arranged
- Multi-premises and multi-brand structuring for cloud kitchens and chains
- Importers: Central licence plus FSSAI import clearance and label compliance
- Annual fee, Form D1, modifications, hygiene rating, and reply to improvement notices or suspension
City pages: Delhi (main) · Noida · Gurugram · Faridabad · Patna.
Talk to us before you file anything
Frequently asked questions
Which FSSAI licence does a cloud kitchen need?
By turnover like any food business — Basic up to ₹1.5 crore, State to ₹50 crore — filed as a manufacturer/caterer at each kitchen premises; every physical kitchen needs its own registration or licence, and virtual brands running from one kitchen sit under that premises' licence with the products listed. The delivery platform's Central e-commerce licence does not cover your kitchen.
Does a home kitchen or tiffin service need FSSAI?
Yes — Basic Registration (Form A, ₹100 a year) up to ₹1.5 crore turnover, with the home address as the premises. Petty manufacturers and hawkers register too. Platforms and corporate clients ask for the number before onboarding.
Restaurant, café, bar — State or Central?
Turnover decides: Basic to ₹1.5 crore, State to ₹50 crore, Central above. A 4-star-plus hotel pays the higher State fee band. A bar needs the excise licence sequenced after FSSAI — the excise file asks for the FSSAI number.
When does a manufacturer need a Central licence regardless of turnover?
Capacity: above 2 MT per day (solids), dairy above 50,000 litres a day, large slaughterhouses and meat processors, and any unit in Central Government premises, railways, airports or seaports. Below those, turnover decides.
Do importers, exporters and e-commerce operators need Central?
Yes — importers and exporters by activity, e-commerce food operators and marketplaces by activity, and a head office of units in more than one state. These are Central regardless of turnover, and importers also deal with FSSAI's import-clearance system at the port.
What does every category need besides the licence?
A FoSTaC-trained food safety supervisor (one per 25 handlers), medical fitness certificates for handlers, a water-test report, pest-control records, the annual fee under perpetual validity, and the annual return (Form D1) for manufacturers and larger FBOs. Hygiene rating is voluntary but now expected by platforms and institutional buyers.