FSSAI Registration | Types of FSSAI Registration

1. What is FSSAI?

FSSAI or Food Safety and Standards Authority in India is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health of Family Welfare, Government of India. The government entity was established in the year 2006 with a motive to offer license and regulate food safety and hygiene standards among the food business operators across the country.

If you are into the food business, FSSAI registration and getting an FSSAI license is mandatory for you. Here in this article, we have discussed all the basic legal aspects of getting an FSSAI license in India. Scroll through to get the complete overview.

2. What is FSSAI Registration?

FSSAI registration is necessary for all the business operators involved in the food business. No matter if you are a manufacturer, trader of food packages, or restaurant business, getting the 14-digit FSSAI registration number is mandatory for you. In case you manufacture food products, you need to ensure that the FSSAI license number is printed on your food packages.

3. Why It’s Important to Take FSSAI Registration?

The first and foremost thing is it is mandatory to have the FSSAI license. Apart from that, there are a few other reasons why having the FSSAI license is important. Have a look below to learn in-depth.

• Since food can directly impact consumers’ health, it is always one of the most subtle subjects for business. That is the distinct reason why the Food Safety and Standard Authority India maintains strict policies related to food safety. So, whenever a food business operator (FBO) has the license, they need to abide by the regulatory policies.

• At the time of registration of the FSSAI license, government authority proceeds through a verification of the food; hence when one gets the license for the food products, the product becomes much trustworthy to its customer base.

• The purpose of the food license is to chemically test the food produced by a particular organization so that if any adulteration made to the food does not impact the consumers’ health. As we all know, the food business is already susceptible to too many allegations of adulterations. Therefore, when you have the FSSAI license, you are supposed to get free from this type of accusation.

• Having the permit can aid you in the marketing of your food product as well. Since you can directly use the FSSAI logo and license number in food packages, your brand becomes much more trustworthy about standards and quality.

• Lastly, the penalties for not having the FSSAI license while running a food business are much higher than actually the cost of getting the license. Therefore it will always be the wisest choice to have an FSSAI license when you are operating a food business in India.

4. Types of FSSAI Registration

The FSSAI Licensing system is segregated into three different categories. One is the basic registration and the other two forms of FSSAI Registration . This category of FSSAI registration covers the following businesses: are State registration and Central registration.

4.1 FSSAI basic Registration

Every Petty Food Business Operator can opt for the Basic FSSAI Registration. More precisely, speaking FBO with a turnover of up to 12 lakh per annum can go for the Basic Registration. You should choose to register your business with the basic registration if you are a small-sized food product manufacturer, marketer, storage unit owner, retailer, or distributor.

4.2 FSSAI State License

FBOs that are not covered under Schedule 1 of FSS Regulations, 2011, alongside have a turnover of 12 lakh rupees or more annually (up to 20 Crore Rupees) should have State License to continue their business operations. In addition to that, all-grain, cereal, and pulses milling units, no matter their turnover, should have the State FSSAI License.

4.3 FSSAI Central License

Food Business operators operating in more than one state and covered under schedule 1 of FSS Regulations, 2011 need to have the Central License. Apart from that, FBOs with an annual turnover of 20 crores and more must also have the Central FSSAI License.

5. Who needs FSSAI registration?

Every food business needs to be registered with FSSAI, the FSSAI registration is a basic license for all. This category covers the following FBOs-

• FBOs with an annual turnover of less than 12 lakhs per annum.
• Temporary stall vendors selling food also need FSSAI registration.
• Any person who manufactures or sells food by himself/ herself.
• People who distribute food in a social gathering or religious conventions except for caterers.
• Small retailers dealing in food products need FSSAI registration.
• Cottage industries who function as FBOs

Sl.No	Business	Capacity
1	Food production (other than milk and meat)	Up to 100 kg/ltr per day
2	Procurement, handling and collection of milk	Up to 500 ltr per day
3	Slaughtering capacity	2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day or less

6. List of food business falling under the purview of Central Licensing Authority (schedule 1 of FSS Regulations, 2011)

• Dairy units along with milk chilling units can handle the processing of more than 50,000 liters of liquid milk per day or 2500 metric tons of solid milk annually.

• Vegetable oil-producing or processing units that process vegetable oil through the solvent extraction process and refineries having a capacity of more than 2 metric tons per day.

• Slaughterhouses that are equipped to slaughter more than 50 large animals or a minimum of 150 small animals are also covered under Schedule 1 of FSSAI Regulations, 2011.

• Meat processing units can process more than 500 kg of meat per day or 150 metric tons of meat per annum.

• Except for the units mentioned in I and IV, all other food processing units having types of machinery such as relabelled and repackers with a capacity of 2 metric tons per day except grains, cereals, and pulses milling units.

• Businesses that import food items or food ingredients and additives for commercial uses.

• Food business operators who manufacture food items, ingredients, or substances or use certain processing technologies to process or both whose safety is not established by these regulations or don’t have a history of safe use or introduced in the country are also covered under schedule 1.

7. Cases When to apply Central FSSAI Licenses and State FSSAI Licenses

S. No	Condition	Central FSSAI Licenses	State FSSAI Licenses
1	If Operation of business in more than one state	Central License for Head Office	State License for other offices if others conditions also fulfiled
2	Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process	more than 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum.	upto 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum.
3	Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit	installed capacity more than 2 MT per day.	installed capacity upto 2 MT per day.
4	slaughter houses equipped to slaughter	more than 50 large animals or 150 or more small animals including sheep and goats or 1000 or more poultry birds per day.	upto 50 large animals or upto 150  small animals including sheep and goats or upto 1000  poultry birds per day.
5	Meat processing units equipped to handle or process	more than 500 kg of meat per day or 150 MT per annum	upto 500 kg of meat per day or 150 MT per annum
6	All food processing units other than mentioned under (2) to (5) including relabellers and repackers	installed capacity more than 2 MT/day except grains, cereals and pulses milling units.	installed capacity upto 2 MT/day except grains, cereals and pulses milling units.
7	100 % Export Oriented Units.	All	NA
8	Importers importing food items including food ingredients and additives for commercial use.	All	NA
9	Food catering services in establishments and units under Central government Agencies like Railways, Air and airport, Seaport, Defence etc.	All	NA
10	Hotels	with 5 star and above accreditation.	Below 5 Star
11	All E-commerce food businesses.	All	NA
12	Proprietory Foods	All	NA
13	Storage (Other than atmosphere controlled or cold)	Capacity more than 50,000MT	Capacity upto 50,000MT
14	Storage (Cold/ Refregerated)	Capacity more than 10,000MT	Capacity upto 10,000MT
15	Storage (Cold+ controlled atmosphere)	Capacity more than 1,000MT	Capacity upto 1,000MT
16	Wholesaler	TO greater than 30 Crores	TO Upto 30 Crores
17	Retailer	TO greater than 20 Crores	TO Upto 20 Crores
18	Distributor/ Supplier/ caterer/ restaurant	TO greater than 20 Crores	TO Upto 20 Crores
19	Transporter	Having more than 100 Wagons/ vehicles or TO above 30 Crores	Having Upto 100 Wagons/ vehicles or TO Upto 30 Crores
20	Marketor	TO greater than 20 Crores	TO Upto 20 Crores
21	Storage/ wholesaler/ retailer / Distributor	Premises in Central Govt Agencies	NA
22	Foot catering	Airport/ Seaports	NA

8. Results Of Non-compliance of FSSAI License

Under the FSSAI, any licensed or registered individual has to adhere to the FSS Act’s regulations, 2006. The Officer in charge of food safety generally controls the inspection of the FBOs facility & identifies the compliance level under the regulation by maintaining a checklist. On the basis of compliance level, the officer in charge of food safety spots it as:

• Non-compliance (NC)
• Compliance (C)
• Partial compliance (PC)
• Not applicable/Not observed (NA)

On the basis of the above subject, an up-gradation notice can be issued anytime if it’s required as per Sec 32 under the FSSAI Act, 2006. The license may be canceled if the business organization breaks the Compliance related to the improvement notice. Any FBO affronted by the notice may appeal to the State Commissioner of Food Safety even though the decision will be taken by the Honourable High Court or Food safety tribunal.

9. Penalties Related To The Non-compliance with FSSAI Act, 2006

Penalties associated with the Non-compliance are listed below:

Sl. No	Particulars	Penalties
1	Quality of the Food not associated with the Compliance under the Act	2 Lakh Petty manufacturer – 25,000/-
2	Misbranded Food	3 Lakh
3	Degrade Food standard	5 Lakh
4	Misleading advertisement & false information	10 Lakh
5	Fails to comply with direction of the Food safety officer	2 Lakh
6	Extraneous food matter	1 Lakh
7	Unhygienic manufacturers or processings	1 Lakh

10. FSSAI License Renewal

The FSSAI license is effective in commencing the business dealing with food products; likewise, the renewal of the license is an essential factor in operating the business without complexities. 

The validity of the issued license is for 1 or 5 years, so the business must apply for the license renewal 30 days in advance before the expiry of the current license. FSSAI has initiated an online application FLRS- Food Licensing and Registration System. So businesses dealing with the food market can register for licenses using the online platform.

The FLRS is functional in 5 Regional Offices for the certification of entitlements & licenses.

• Eastern Region – Kolkata
• Northern Region -New Delhi
• Western Region – Mumbai and Kerala
• North Eastern Region – Guwahati
• Southern Region – Chennai

Anyway, folks, now we have come to the end of the conversation about FSSAI registration and types of FSSAI registration. However, we have already shared all the necessary details you require to get yourself the FSSAI license. If you need further info to talk to expert professionals. Keep following our blogs to keep yourself updated with the latest tax compliance changes news.

11. FAQs on FSSAI Licenses