What happens after an FSSAI notice or penalty?
Show-cause notices, adjudication, and what the Act allows.
What does a show-cause notice mean?
It is the officer asking you to explain, in writing, why action should not be taken — after an inspection finding, a failed sample or a licensing default. It is not a penalty. It is the stage at which a clear, evidenced reply can end the matter.
Deadlines are short. Read the notice for the date before anything else.
Why is a show-cause notice issued?
Common triggers are a sample that fails a standard, a label that does not meet the labelling regulations, hygiene findings at an inspection, trading outside the kind of business on your licence, or a missed return.
What happens after I reply?
The authority may accept the reply and close the matter, ask for more, or refer it to an Adjudicating Officer. At adjudication both sides are heard before any penalty is imposed, and there is an appeal to the Food Safety Appellate Tribunal.
What is the penalty for running without a licence?
Section 63 provides for imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh. That is a court punishment, not an adjudicated penalty, and it is the maximum the section allows — not a standard amount.
What is the penalty for a wrong label?
Misbranded food is dealt with under section 52, which allows a penalty of up to ₹3 lakh — and, in practice, a reprint of every affected pack. Misleading advertising or a false claim falls under section 53, up to ₹10 lakh.
These are ceilings. Section 49 requires the officer to weigh the gain made, the harm caused and whether it repeats.
Can I be penalised without an inspection?
Yes. Deemed suspension for a missed annual return or fee happens on the portal, without a visit and without a notice being served. The first sign is often a buyer or a marketplace telling you your number no longer verifies.
Should I reply myself or get help?
A simple factual reply with the documents attached is often enough. Get help when a sample has failed, when the notice alleges unsafe food, or when the finding could affect multiple premises — those are the ones that escalate.
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 apply for an FSSAI licence?
The steps, the documents, the timeline and the portal.
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.
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.