Who Should Obtain an FSSAI Food License?

Whether you run a local tea stall, a home‑based tiffin service, a cloud kitchen, supermarket, or a multi‑city restaurant brand, an FSSAI food license is essential if you are dealing with food meant for public consumption. This rule applies to businesses that operate offline, online, or through delivery aggregators.

Every Food Business Operator (FBO) must obtain an appropriate category of FSSAI registration or license based on the size of the business, turnover, and geographical reach.

A food license becomes compulsory if your business is involved in any of the following activities:

• Purchasing or sourcing raw food ingredients in bulk
• Manufacturing, processing, or repacking food items
• Distributing or transporting food from one location to another
• Packaging food products under your own brand name
• Operating cold storage, warehouse, or godown for food items
• Selling or serving food directly to consumers, either online or offline

In simple terms, any person or entity handling food at any stage of the supply chain – from production to final sale – must obtain an FSSAI registration or license to run their business legally and safely.

Types of FSSAI Food Licenses: Which One Is Right for You?

The FSSAI framework offers three main categories of registration, depending on the annual turnover and scale of operations:

• 1. FSSAI Basic Registration: For very small food businesses and start‑ups with annual turnover up to the threshold prescribed for petty FBOs.
• 2. FSSAI State License: For medium‑sized units such as restaurants, manufacturers, storage units, and traders operating within a single state with higher turnover.
• 3. FSSAI Central License: For large‑scale manufacturers, importers, exporters, and FBOs operating in multiple states or supplying to central government agencies, railways, or airports.