Last updated: 17 September 2026
Quick Answer: You download your FSSAI certificate by logging in to the FoSCoS portal and opening the Issued tab on your food business dashboard. After issue, your login ID becomes the licence or registration number. Without logging in, FoSCoS only lets you track an application or check a number, and a mobile number or Aadhaar alone won't fetch the certificate.
An FSSAI certificate download works only after your application has been granted; until then, you track it with the 17-digit reference number. The route is the same for a basic registration certificate and a State or Central licence.
Overview
| Point | What applies |
|---|---|
| Portal | FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System), foscos.fssai.gov.in, run by FSSAI |
| Where the copy sits | Issued tab on the food business dashboard, after login |
| Login ID after issue | Your licence or registration number, with your password |
| Without login | Application tracking and number checks only, no certificate |
| Validity | Licences issued on or after 1 April 2026 stay valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered |
| Official help | FSSAI helpline 1800112100 or helpdesk-foscos@fssai.gov.in |
How do you download the FSSAI certificate from FoSCoS?
For an FSSAI certificate download, log in as a food business, open the Issued tab and download the copy listed against your licence or registration. FSSAI's FoSCoS user manual tells applicants to log in and download the issued copy from the "Issued" bin.
- Open foscos.fssai.gov.in and choose "Login Food Businesses".
- Enter your user ID, password and the captcha. Once your licence or registration is issued, FoSCoS changes your login ID to that number. FSSAI's one-login manual says this is sent to you by email and SMS.
- On the dashboard, open the Issued tab. It lists the licences and registrations issued to you.
- Download the copy against the right number and save it. Print it if you need to display it.
If the copy won't open, the FoSCoS guidance document says the Send Mail button on the Issued tab emails you a copy of the licence.
Can you download the FSSAI certificate without login?
No. Every FSSAI manual that explains getting the issued copy starts with logging in, and FoSCoS's public pages don't offer an FSSAI certificate download. The steps are the same in every state, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, because FoSCoS is FSSAI's national portal.
Here's what you can do without logging in:
| Public option on FoSCoS | What you enter | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Track Application | 17-digit application reference number and a captcha | Status, company name, application date and a prompt to log in |
| FBO search on the home page | The business's licence number or location, plus a captcha | Business details FSSAI holds, not the certificate |
To confirm a supplier's or restaurant's number, follow the steps to check an FSSAI licence number online.
Can you download it with a mobile number, Aadhaar or registration number?
Only the licence or registration number works, and only as your login ID with your password. A number on its own doesn't open the account.
| What you have | Downloads the certificate? | What FoSCoS uses it for |
|---|---|---|
| Licence or registration number + password | Yes | Your login ID after issue |
| 17-digit application reference number | No | Tracking without login; the one-login manual also accepts it as a login ID with your password |
| Mobile number | Not by itself | OTP checks; the guest login for petty food businesses uses an OTP but covers registration functions only |
| Aadhaar number | No | Aadhaar OTP and e-sign to verify identity during some applications |
What does the downloaded FSSAI certificate show?
An FSSAI certificate download for a licence follows Form C of the Licensing Regulations, which carries:
- the licence number
- the licensee's name and registered office address
- the address of the premises it covers
- the kind of business and the category of licence
- the food products authorised, with capacities, for manufacturers, repackers and relabellers
- the date and the issuing Designated Officer's stamp and signature
Older certificates show a validity period. Under the March 2026 amendment, a licence or registration stays valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. FSSAI's FAQs confirm this perpetual validity for anything issued on or after 1 April 2026. If yours was issued earlier, check its status on FoSCoS.
A printout isn't proof that the licence is active today. Under the amended rule, it is "deemed suspended" if the annual fee isn't paid or a required return isn't filed on time. The suspension lifts once you pay the fee, or file the return with its penalty.
What mistakes should you avoid when downloading your FSSAI certificate?
- Using your mobile number or email as the user ID. After issue, your login ID is the licence or registration number, so use that with your password.
- Mixing up the reference number and the licence number. The 17-digit reference number only tracks an application. Your FSSAI licence or registration number has 14 digits, and it appears on the certificate.
- Giving your FoSCoS password to a site that promises a download "without login". Your issued copy sits behind your own FoSCoS login, so learn how to spot a fake government-services website before sharing any login or OTP.
- Downloading again to correct a wrong company name or kind of business. A new copy repeats them; they change only through a modification application on FoSCoS.
Don't have an FSSAI licence yet?
Then there's nothing to download yet. You apply on FoSCoS: choose your state and kind of business, fill Form A for registration or Form B for a licence, upload documents and pay the fee. The guide to apply for an FSSAI food licence online covers each step. If you'd like someone to prepare the application with you, Jaagruk Bharat offers help with a new FSSAI registration or licence on FoSCoS.
