The FSSAI has two kinds of approval procedures, one is a license and the other is a registration.

A registration is usually for all those involved in petty food businesses and a license is for all others who are in the food business but do not classify as a petty food business and thus, do not fit in the criteria for a registration.

The eligibility criteria for each kind of business and type of license/registration are as follows:

FSSAI Registration

1. Petty Food Business operators (Annual Turnover up to Rs. 12 Lakhs) including

a. Cold Storage Facility
b. Wholesalers, Retailers, Distributors and Suppliers
c. Dhaba Owners and other food vending establishments along with clubs and canteens
d. Hotel/Restaurants/Transporters

2. Small scale or cottage industries dealing in food business and satisfy following:

a. Food Production Capacity (Other than milk and meat): Upto 100g/litre per day
b. Procurement, Handling and Collection of Milk: Upto 500 litre per day
c. Slaughtering Capacity: 2 large animals/10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day

FSSAI License

Food license is for food business operators that do not classify as Petty Food Business. FSSAI License is of two types: State FSSAI License and Central FSSAI License

State FSSAI License

1. Food Business Operators (Annual Turnover of Rs. 12 Lakhs but upto Rs. 20 Crores) including

a. Retailers, Distributors, Suppliers as well as Caterers
b. Dhaba Owners and other food vending establishments along with clubs and canteens
c. Restaurant and Marketers

Note: For wholesalers and Transporters Annual turnover limit is of Rs. 30 Crores instead of Rs. 20 Crores.

2. Other Conditions:

a. Manufacturing Units having a capacity of 2MT per day, dairy units handling business upto 5000 liters per day

b. Hotels having rating 3 stars and above
c. Catering Business and Repackers irrespective of Turnover

d. Slaughtering units: 2-50 Large Animals/10-150 Small Animals or 50-1000 poultry birds per day

Central FSSAI License

1. All the Food Business Operators that doesn’t fall under above mentioned conditions for FSSAI Registration and Central License

2. Other Specific Business:

a. All Importers and Exporters

b. Hotels that have 5 star ratings or above

c. Food Catering Service in establishments and units under Central Government Agencies like Defense, etc.

d. Storage or Wholesalers or Retailers or Distributors having premises in Central Government Agencies.

e. Manufactures of Proprietary Foods

Government Fees Structure for FSSAI Registration/License

1. For FSSAI Registration : Rs. 100/year ( Registration is for 1 year and later on required to be renew every year)

2. For FSSAI State License: Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 5,000 per year (Depends upon type of business)

3. For FSSAI Central License: Rs. 7500 Per year The maximum tenure for License is 5 years and the minimum is 1 year.

Time Taken for FSSAI Registration/License

There is no fixed time for issuing of license by authority for FSSAI.