Which FSSAI category you need depends mainly on your annual turnover, with some kinds of business pushed into a higher category regardless of turnover. From 1 April 2026, FSSAI applies these turnover limits to new applications:
| Category | Annual turnover (from 1 April 2026) | Limit before 1 April 2026 | Issued by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic registration | Up to ₹1.5 crore | Up to ₹12 lakh | Registering authority (local food safety office) |
| State licence | Above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore | ₹12 lakh to ₹20 crore | State food safety authority |
| Central licence | Above ₹50 crore | Above ₹20 crore | FSSAI (central licensing authority) |
The revised limits come from an FSSAI order dated 13 March 2026, issued after amendments to the licensing regulations. If you would rather have the right application prepared and filed on FoSCoS, our FSSAI application service handles it for you.
Basic registration: small and simple operations
Registration is the entry category. It now covers a much wider band of businesses than before: home-based food businesses, small shops and stalls, small caterers, and small manufacturers or traders whose turnover stays within ₹1.5 crore and whose activity is not one that needs a licence anyway. Press coverage of FSSAI’s March 2026 reforms also reports that street vendors registered with their municipal body or Town Vending Committee under the Street Vendors Act, 2014 are to be treated as registered with FSSAI.
Registration is applied for on FoSCoS. The registration number, and the FSSAI logo with it, must appear as required on labels and bills.
State licence: the middle band
A state licence is for food businesses above the registration limit and up to ₹50 crore turnover, operating under the state food safety authority. Typical examples are mid-sized manufacturers, processors, larger restaurants and caterers, and wholesalers and distributors within that turnover band. Licences, unlike registration, can involve an inspection of the premises as part of the process.
Central licence: large businesses and specified activities
A central licence, issued by FSSAI itself, is for businesses above ₹50 crore turnover. Separately from turnover, the regulations list kinds of business that need a central licence whatever their size; importers of food are the most common example. Some businesses also have premises in several states, which affects which authority licenses which premises. FSSAI has said the March 2026 changes do not alter the jurisdiction of licensing and registering authorities.
Turnover is not the only test
Do not pick a category on turnover alone. Check:
- Kind of business. FoSCoS asks you to choose the kind of business (manufacturer, storage, transport, trader, food service, importer, and so on). Some kinds of business go to a state or central licence regardless of turnover.
- Production capacity. For several manufacturing categories, such as dairy processing, the regulations have historically used production capacity as well as turnover. Check the current eligibility shown on FoSCoS for your product category.
- Location. Certain premises and supply chains are handled centrally.
- Number of premises. Each premises generally needs its own registration or licence.
FoSCoS shows the applicable category once you enter the kind of business and turnover, so use it as a cross-check before you apply.
Validity and renewal: what changed in 2026
Until 2026, FSSAI registrations and licences were issued for one to five years and had to be renewed before expiry. In its press release of 13 March 2026, FSSAI announced that registrations and licences will have perpetual validity, removing the need for repeated renewals, together with a risk-based inspection framework.
What this means in practice:
- New registrations and licences issued under the amended framework do not carry the old renewal cycle, but they can still be suspended or cancelled for non-compliance.
- Existing registrations and licences issued with an expiry date should be checked on FoSCoS. FSSAI’s FAQ of 27 March 2026 said the new thresholds apply to applications made on or after 1 April 2026 and that existing businesses would be given time to migrate through FoSCoS. Until your record shows otherwise, do not let an existing licence lapse.
- Your obligations continue. Perpetual validity removes the renewal step, not the duty to comply with food safety standards, update details when they change, or meet any filing that still applies to your category.
When your turnover moves across a line
- Growing past your category’s limit: apply for the higher category. Existing licence holders typically do this through a modification on FoSCoS; a registered business moving to a licence applies for the licence.
- Falling into a lower category (for example, a state licensee that now fits within ₹1.5 crore): you can usually move to registration by applying for it and surrendering the licence. Whether that is worth doing depends on your buyers; some institutional buyers and marketplaces ask for a licence anyway.
- Choosing a higher category voluntarily is generally allowed if a buyer or platform asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
I sell only online from home. Which category applies?
Turnover and kind of business decide it, not the sales channel. A home-based business within ₹1.5 crore that only makes and sells its own products would usually start with registration; e-commerce platforms may set their own document requirements for sellers.
Is turnover measured for the business or for each outlet?
Check the FoSCoS eligibility rules for your kind of business. Because registration and licences are issued per premises, businesses with several outlets should check each premises.
Does a food business also need Shop and Establishment registration?
Often, yes. FSSAI deals with food safety; the state shops and establishments law deals with the workplace and staff. Whether you need registration under the state law depends on your state and staff numbers.
Complianto (complianto.in), operated by Mentorcorp Private Limited, is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government body. We do not issue official documents. We charge a professional fee for application assistance and advisory services. Applicants can apply directly to the government without our fees via the official portals: MCA (mca.gov.in), Income Tax (incometax.gov.in), GST (gst.gov.in), MSME (udyamregistration.gov.in), FSSAI (foscos.fssai.gov.in), Startup India (startupindia.gov.in), and IP India (ipindia.gov.in).
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
