What are the Types of Food Licenses?

January 23, 2025

Registrationwala

Any food business in India engaged in manufacturing, storing, transporting or distributing food requires a food license. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issues this license in India. When a food business secures a FSSAI license, it ensures that its food products are safe and of high quality.

FSSAI issues different types of food licenses based on the size of the food business. If you want to find out about all the types of food licenses issued by FSSAI, then go through this article.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory authority that comes under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act of 2006. The Act consolidates various acts and orders to handle food related issues.

FSSAI is mandated by the FSS Act 2006 to lay down standards and guidelines for food articles. The authority actively promotes general awareness about food safety and food standards.

Additionally, it frames guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited laboratories. These rules guarantee that food laboratories are qualified to test food items and that the FSSAI will accept their results.

Any business that is a part of the food industry in India must comply with the rules and regulations of FSSAI. Additionally, they must also secure a Food License from the authority.

Lists of Businesses Requiring Food License

All the food businesses in India engaged in manufacturing, storing, transporting or distributing food products must mandatorily secure a food license from FSSAI. This includes food businesses such as:

Dairy Units.
Slaughterhouses.
Vegetable oil processing units.
Food stalls, temporary stalls, and food vending agencies.
Food importers and exporters.
Businesses that transport food in refrigerated vans/wagons/trucks/tankers.
Cold storage facilities and warehouses.
Five star hotels.
Five star and above hotels
Food caterers in defence
Food caters in units under Central Government agencies, such as airports, railway stations, etc.

Types of Food Licenses

FSSAI issues different types of food licenses depending on the annual turnover and scale of the food businesses.

There are three food licenses in total, namely, FSSAI Basic Registration, FSSAI State License, and FSSAI Central License.:

Types of Food Licenses

FSSAI Basic Registration

As the name suggests, FSSAI Basic Registration is a basic license that is required for all small-scale Food Business Operators (FBOs).

These are businesses with an annual turnover of up to Rs. 12 lakh. It is not a voluntary registration, but a mandatory one.

FSSAI State License

The FSSAI State License must be secured by businesses engaged in medium-scale food operations if their annual turnover is more than Rs 12 lacs and less than Rs 20 crores.

FSSAI Central License

FSSAI Central License is a type of food license that must be obtained by food businesses with an annual turnover exceeding Rs. 20 crore.

FSSAI Basic License Vs. State License Vs. Central License: Differences

The differences between FSSAI basic license, state license and central license can be understood with the help of the following table:

Parameter	FSSAI Basic Registration	FSSAI State License	FSSAI Central License
Eligibility	Small Food Businesses with Annual Turnover up to Rs. 12 lakhs.	Medium-sized Food Businesses with Annual Turnover between Rs. 12 lakhs to Rs. 2 crores.	Large Food Businesses with Annual Turnover exceeding Rs. 20 crores.
Operation Scale	FBOs with Basic Registration are involved in local and small-scale operations.	FBOs with a State License operate medium-scale businesses, such as manufacturing, storing, distributing, and retailing.	FBOs with a Central License conduct large-scale operations, including manufacturing, exporting, importing, and running businesses across multiple states.
License Validity/ Renewal	It remains valid for 1 to 5 years, depending on the choice of the food business applicant. FBOs must renew their license before it expires to continue operating the food business.	It remains valid for 1 to 5 years. Renewal is mandatory to continue operations smoothly and legitimately.	It remains valid for 1 to 5 years. To ensure uninterrupted smooth business operations, renewal is required.

Rules for Food Businesses with Food License

All the food businesses with FSSAI license must adhere to Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Additionally, they must ensure their compliance with rules and regulations of FSSAI to confirm their food is safe for human consumption:

All the food business operators in India must register with FSSAI and get FSSAI Basic Registration, FSSAI State License or FSSAI Central License, depending on annual turnover and scale of their food business.
The food business operators (FBOs) must receive a 14-digital license number from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Food businesses must display the FSSAI license number and logo on all food products and at their premises.
The packaged food products must mention the name of the product, ingredients, date of manufacture, expiration date, nutritional value and the FSSAI license number.
The food business operators must provide details of the technical personnel in charge of operation. This must be done to ensure food safety and compliance with regulations.
They must possess a certificate for their food safety management system.
The food products must be tested for microbiological and chemical contaminants.
FBOs must obtain medical fitness certificates for all food handlers.
The food manufactured for infants cannot contain preservatives, added colors, or flavors as per the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020.

Conclusion

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issues the food license in India. For the same reason, it is also known as FSSAI license. All the food business operators engaged in manufacturing, storing, transporting or distributing food products must possess a valid food license. There are three types of food licenses in India: FSSAI Basic License, FSSAI State License and FSSAI Central License. The food authority grants them depending on the annual turnover and scale of the food businesses.

Want to start a Food Business? Connect with Registrationwala for assistance in securing a Food License from FSSAI.

FAQs on Food License

Q1. What is the full form of FSSAI?

A. The full form of FSSAI is Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Q2. Who must mandatorily secure FSSAI registration?

A. Food business operators involved in manufacturing, storing, transporting or distributing food must mandatorily secure FSSAI registration.

Q3. What are the types of food licenses issued by FSSAI?

A. FSSAI issues three types of food licenses: FSSAI Basic Registration, FSSAI State License and FSSAI Central License.

Q4. What happens if a food business operates without a valid food license?

A. If a food business operates without a valid food license from FSSAI, it is in violation of the provisions of the FSS Act 2006. As a result, the business owner(s) may face imprisonment for up to 6 months, a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh, or both.

Q5. How many digits does the FSSAI license number contain?

A. The FSSAI license number contains 14 digits.