How do I apply for an FSSAI licence?
The steps, the documents, the timeline and the portal.
How do I get an FSSAI licence?
Apply on FoSCoS — foscos.fssai.gov.in — the government’s only licensing portal. Create a login, pick your kind of business, fill Form A for Registration or Form B for a licence, upload the documents, pay the fee, and answer any query the officer raises before the certificate is issued.
Our step-by-step guide walks through every screen, including the parts people get wrong.
What documents do I need?
Every applicant needs photo ID and address proof of the proprietor or partners, a passport-size photograph, proof of the premises, and a declaration. Licences also need a layout plan, an equipment list, a water test report, and the list of food categories you will handle.
The full list depends on your kind of business — our documents checklist splits it by tier.
How long does it take?
Registration is often granted in a few working days. State and Central Licences take longer because the application is scrutinised and may be inspected — plan for a few weeks, and longer if a query is raised or an inspection is scheduled.
Portal queries are the most common delay, and most of them are avoidable document problems.
Can I apply myself?
Yes, and for a straightforward ₹100 Registration you probably should. FoSCoS is open to any applicant. What we add is the tier decision, the document review before filing and the work after the certificate — not access to a portal you already have.
What is FoSCoS?
FoSCoS — the Food Safety Compliance System — is FSSAI’s licensing portal, which replaced the older FLRS. Applications, fees, returns, modifications and certificates all live there, under your own login.
Any site charging you to “access FoSCoS” is charging for something that is free.
Do I need GST registration first?
No. An FSSAI licence does not require GST registration, and the two are separate. You do need proof of the business and the premises, and if you have a GST number the details on both should match.
What if the officer raises a query?
Answer it on the portal within the time allowed. A query usually asks for a clearer document, a corrected layout plan or a missing food-category selection. If it is not answered, the application can be rejected and the fee is not refunded.
How do I download my certificate?
Log in to FoSCoS and open the licence — the certificate can be downloaded and printed from there once it is granted. The certificate must be displayed at the premises.
If you cannot see it, check you are logged into the account the application was filed on.
General information, current as at 12 September 2026. Government fees are paid by you on FoSCoS. Where a figure is a maximum the Act sets, we say so.
The other five sets.
Do I need an FSSAI licence?
Who needs one, who is exempt, and what counts as a food business.
Which FSSAI licence do I need, and what does it cost?
Tiers, government fees, our fees, and what changes the answer.
How do I check or verify an FSSAI licence?
Verifying a number, finding your own, and what the status means.
How do I change, transfer or close an FSSAI licence?
Address changes, new categories, transfers, surrender and revival.
What happens after an FSSAI notice or penalty?
Show-cause notices, adjudication, and what the Act allows.
Still not sure? Ask a person.
A free 10-minute check answers the question for your business, not in general — which licence, what it costs, and what you’ll owe after it’s granted.
- Government fee paid by you, directly to FSSAI
- Filed under your own FoSCoS login
- Fixed fee, confirmed in writing before we start
Not ready to talk? Get the free 2026 checklist or find your licence yourself.