Which FSSAI licence do I need, and what does it cost?
Tiers, government fees, our fees, and what changes the answer.
Which FSSAI licence do I need?
It depends on annual turnover and what you do. Up to ₹1.5 crore is Registration. ₹1.5–50 crore is a State Licence. Above ₹50 crore is a Central Licence — as are importers, exporters, e-commerce food businesses and multi-state head offices, at any turnover.
Since 1 April 2026 the tier turns on turnover, not production capacity.
What are the government fees for an FSSAI licence?
Registration is ₹100 a year. A State Licence is ₹5,000 a year. A Central Licence is ₹7,500 a year. Street vendors and Anganwadi units pay nil. Two kinds of business — Central Government catering and Railways — pay ₹2,000.
Government fees are paid by you on FoSCoS, directly to FSSAI. They never come to us.
What is a basic FSSAI licence?
“Basic” is the old name for FSSAI Registration — the smallest tier, for turnover up to ₹1.5 crore, granted on Form A by the Registering Authority of your area. The certificate carries a 14-digit number you must display at the premises and on packs.
What is the FSSAI licence number on a pack?
It is the 14-digit number FSSAI issues with your certificate. The first digit shows whether the unit is registered or licensed, the next two the state code, and the rest the year and the unit’s serial. Every pack must carry the number of the unit that made it.
You can verify any number on FoSCoS — our licence-check guide shows how.
Do I need a separate licence for each outlet?
Yes. A licence covers one premises. Three outlets means three licences, and if you also run a central production kitchen, that is a fourth. Businesses operating in two or more states also need a head-office Central Licence.
This is where multi-outlet operators are most often under-licensed.
Is a caterer treated differently?
Yes. Caterers cannot take Registration at any turnover — the smallest licence available to a caterer is a State Licence at ₹5,000 a year, and above ₹50 crore it becomes Central.
Event caterers working across state lines usually need the multi-state Central Licence too.
What do you charge on top of the government fee?
Our one-time fee is ₹4,500 for a Registration, ₹12,500 for a State Licence and ₹19,500 for a Central Licence, plus GST. The government fee is always shown separately and paid by you. Both numbers are on our pricing page before you talk to anyone.
Is there still a fee for renewal?
There is no renewal any more. Since 10 March 2026 a licence stays valid unless it is suspended, cancelled or surrendered. What replaced renewal is an annual fee, counted from the date of grant — miss it and the licence can be deemed suspended.
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.
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.
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.