Last updated: 22 September 2026
Quick Answer: An FSSAI licence for a water plant costs ₹100 a year for registration, ₹5,000 for a State licence or ₹7,500 for a Central licence. Turnover decides the tier: up to ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore, or above. Packaged drinking water is a high-risk category, so FSSAI inspects before granting it, and BIS certification is no longer mandatory.
Whether you run an RO water plant, a mineral water plant or a water bottle plant, the FSSAI license for water plant work falls under food category 14.1, packaged drinking water and mineral water. Two changes matter most: inspection now comes before the licence, and FSSAI's own testing scheme, not BIS, applies from 1 January 2026.
At a glance
| Point | What applies to a packaged drinking water plant |
|---|---|
| Authority | Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), through its FoSCoS portal |
| Risk status | High-risk food category since 29 November 2024 |
| Tier and fee | By annual turnover: ₹100, ₹5,000 or ₹7,500 a year |
| Inspection | Before the licence is granted, then once a year |
| BIS mark | No longer mandatory under FSSAI's rules |
| Validity | No expiry for licences issued on or after 1 April 2026, while the fee is paid |
Want help with the filing? Jaagruk Bharat's team can guide the application with you, while FSSAI alone issues the licence.
Which FSSAI licence does a water plant need?
Your plant's annual turnover decides it: registration up to ₹1.5 crore, a State licence up to ₹50 crore and a Central licence above that. FSSAI's FAQs on the turnover thresholds from 1 April 2026 apply these bands to every new application.
| Your water plant's turnover | What you need | Form | Fee per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹1.5 crore | FSSAI registration | Form A | ₹100 |
| Above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore | State licence | Form B | ₹5,000 |
| Above ₹50 crore | Central licence | Form B | ₹7,500 |
The same FAQs add that packaged water plants of every size must keep up hygiene, safety and testing. New plant? Go by first-year sales. See how the three FSSAI tiers compare.
Do you still need a BIS licence for packaged drinking water?
No, not as a condition of your FSSAI licence. FSSAI omitted the mandatory BIS certification rule for packaged drinking water and mineral water through an amendment dated 17 October 2024.
It then issued an order dated 29 November 2024 adding packaged drinking water to the high-risk food categories. It made three changes:
- Inspection of manufacturers is mandatory before a licence or registration is granted.
- Plants are inspected once a year.
- Centrally licensed manufacturers need a yearly audit by an FSSAI-recognised third-party agency.
FSSAI's letter of 17 December 2025 is blunt: the mandatory BIS certification mark "is no longer required". The ISI mark is now a separate, optional BIS certification. Older guides that ask for a BIS licence or BIS application receipt with your FSSAI form are out of date.
What documents does FoSCoS ask a water plant for?
A licensed water plant uploads the Form B set from Annexure 2 of the licensing regulations, plus two water reports:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Form B | Signed by the proprietor, a partner or an authorised signatory |
| Layout plan | Dimensions and operation-wise area of the plant |
| Machinery list | Number, installed capacity and horsepower |
| Photo ID and address proof | Of the proprietor, partners or directors |
| Water analysis report | Chemical and bacteriological, from a recognised or public health lab |
| Pesticide residues report of water | Includes the source of raw water and your treatment plan |
| Proof of premises | Sale deed, rent agreement or electricity bill |
| Constitution papers | Partnership deed, or company or cooperative documents |
| Food safety plan and recall plan | Food Safety Management System plan or certificate; recall plan |
| NOCs | Municipality or local body, and State Pollution Control Board (not needed in a notified industrial area) |
If you draw groundwater in an over-exploited area, FSSAI also asks for a Central Ground Water Authority NOC before you apply. FoSCoS shows the exact list for your kind of business on screen.
How do you apply for the licence online?
You get an FSSAI food licence online on FSSAI's FoSCoS portal: check your eligibility, fill Form A or Form B, upload the documents and pay the fee. You'll get an application reference number to track it.
For a water plant, follow these steps:
- Register on FoSCoS and choose your state.
- Pick the general manufacturing kind of business and food category 14, beverages.
- Fill Form A (registration) or Form B (licence), declaring your turnover and capacity.
- Upload the documents in the table above.
- Pay the fee for one year or several years.
- Prepare the plant for the pre-licence inspection.
If you'd rather not file it alone, Jaagruk Bharat offers help with your FSSAI food licence application. The team:
- helps work out which tier and category your plant falls under
- helps organise your documents and checks the details before submission
- answers your queries, and you track the application with its reference number
What testing and inspections follow the licence?
You then test water and packaging on a fixed schedule at an FSSAI-notified, NABL-accredited lab. FSSAI's scheme of testing for packaged drinking water and mineral water applies from 1 January 2026.
| What is tested | How often |
|---|---|
| Source water, all parameters | Before first use, and whenever the source changes |
| Microbiological tests (coliform, salmonella and others) | Once a month |
| Chemical parameters such as barium, copper, iron, nitrate | Once every three months |
| Pesticide residues, and all parameters of the standard | Once every six months |
| Bottles, jars, caps and pouches | Once every six months |
If a six-monthly test fails, it moves to monthly until three consecutive batches pass. After a microbiological failure, you restart dispatch only when five consecutive batches clear. Keep these records for at least five years.
What are the fees for a water plant's FSSAI licence?
The FSSAI license for packaged drinking water costs the same yearly fee as any general manufacturer in your tier: ₹100, ₹5,000 or ₹7,500. There's no separate capacity-based fee for water plants.
Licences issued on or after 1 April 2026 don't expire unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. You can pay for any number of years at once. Other charges are in the full FSSAI licence fee list.
