Loading content...
Food safety regulation in India is governed by the [Food Safety and Standards Act 2006](https://www.fssai.gov.in/) (effective 5 August 2011) and the FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011. The Act consolidated eight earlier statutes including the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, the Fruit Products Order 1955, the Meat Food Products Order 1973, and the Edible Oils Packaging Order 1998. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the apex regulator; the FoSCoS portal (foscos.fssai.gov.in) is the unified licensing system. Food businesses operate on a three-tier turnover-based structure - Basic Registration (Form A) for petty food businesses with annual turnover up to ₹12 lakh, State License (Form B) for businesses ₹12 lakh-₹20 crore, and Central License (Form C) for businesses above ₹20 crore or in dairy, meat, or imported-food categories irrespective of turnover. Annual Form D1 return is mandatory for State/Central Licensees by 31 May. Renewal must be filed within 180 days before expiry (no late fee) or up to 30 days after expiry (₹100/day late fee under Regulation 2.1.7). I-Pro Solutions' FSSAI practice is led by Industry specialists with FoSCoS portal expertise. We handle Form A/B/C filings, product approval for novel/special foods, Form D1 annual returns, and renewal across all 36 States/UTs.
Need help choosing?
⚡ Response within 15 mins
Our specialists & registered CAs will scope the right service and government fees for your business.
Understand key differences between filing classes, applicant types, and statutory protections before choosing your service.
Under the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011: Petty food businesses (manufacturing/processing ≤100 kg/day, turnover ≤₹12 lakh, or specific small categories) require Form A Basic Registration. Businesses with annual turnover ₹12 lakh to ₹20 crore require Form B State License. Businesses with turnover above ₹20 crore, or dairy (≥2 lakh litres/day), meat (≥500 kg/day or large animals ≥2/day), or imported-food businesses irrespective of turnover require Form C Central License.
FSSAI Basic Registration (Form A) is typically issued within 7-30 days from a complete application on the FoSCoS portal. State License (Form B) takes 30-60 days. Central License (Form C) takes 60-90 days. FSSAI Product Approval for novel foods, special dietary foods, and proprietary foods can take 6-12 months due to scientific committee review. Renewal applications filed within 180 days before expiry are typically processed within 30 days.
Yes. A cloud kitchen (also called a dark kitchen or ghost kitchen) is a 'catering' food business under FSSAI categorisation and requires either Basic Registration (turnover ≤₹12 lakh) or State/Central License (above threshold). Additionally, the cloud kitchen must display the FSSAI license number on aggregator platforms (Zomato, Swiggy, Magicpin) - FSSAI Notification dated 9 February 2018 makes this mandatory for all online food sellers.
Government fees under the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011: Basic Registration (Form A) ₹100 per year (1-5 year validity option). State License (Form B) ₹2,000 per year for manufacturing/processing Category 1; ₹3,000-₹7,500 per year for other categories. Central License (Form C) ₹7,500 per year. Renewal fee is the same as the original licence fee. I-Pro professional fees are additional and vary by complexity.
Under Regulation 2.1.13 of the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011, every State and Central Licensee must file Form D1 (Annual Return) by 31 May for the preceding financial year (1 April to 31 March). The return covers the quantity of raw materials, production, sales, and stock of each food product. Basic Registration holders are exempt from Form D1 but must file Form C1 (half-yearly return) only for milk and milk products.