Which FSSAI Licence Do You Need? Basic vs State vs Central 2026

Last Updated: 2 July 2026

An Indian company that operates an Indian food business will depend on their annual revenue to determine which of the three proposed FSSAI Tier requirements they need to follow. If your company's sales are at or below ₹1.5 crore for your annual revenue, you will only need to register your business with a Basic Registration. If your company's annual sales are between ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore, you will need to apply for a State License. Any company who has annual sales in excess of ₹50 crore will need to apply for a Central License. In addition, only a few specific businesses (i.e. importers and exporters, e-commerce food sellers, and several others) are required to obtain a Central License regardless of how large their sales happen to be.

Using the FoSCoS online portal, all three types of FSSAI certificates issued by FSSAI can be found. Which is suitable for your needs?

FSSAI Licence Tiers At A Glance (2026)

Every FBO (Food Business Operator) needs one of these three. This table is the quick answer; the sections below explain the edge cases.

On April 1, 2026, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) revised their turnover thresholds, meaning that many small businesses will no longer need to obtain a state license and instead will be able to operate with basic registration. Basic registration has a much simpler process than obtaining a state license.

What Are The Three Types Of FSSAI Licence?

There are three categories for FSSAI Registration in the Food Industry: Basic Registration, State Licenses, and Central Licenses. Depending on the size of your food business (some very specific types of food products/services) you may only need one form of registration.

• Basic Registration is the entry-level approval for the smallest food businesses.
• State Licence is the middle tier, issued by your state food authority.
• Central Licence is the top tier, issued by FSSAI's central office for large or national operators.

Any requests should go through the same portal to keep things uniform. You will not be able to make a request according to your own criteria on the website; you will only be eligible for one or another according to the list below.

Which FSSAI Licence Do I Need For My Turnover?

Match your expected annual turnover to a slab. If you're a new business, use a realistic first-year estimate.

Tier Levels should increase when crossing a slab; Turnovers will always be the main test for assessing Tier Levels, but the following Special Categories will override Turnover in terms of priority.

Which FSSAI Licence Do I Need For A Home Kitchen Or Cloud Kitchen?

The requirement for a Business Registration applies to both single-location and home-based Cloud Kitchens. If the total gross sales of these kitchens exceed ₹1.5 crore, they will have to obtain a State License after that exceeds limits specified above.

Cloud kitchens listed on Zomato and Swiggy are treated as independent units when calculating revenues for those businesses, so if you're thinking about going down this route, please refer to our guide to setting up a cloud kitchen on Zomato, which explains how to license and list a cloud kitchen.

Normally, operating under one's brand as if they are all physically present in a single location would mean that any multiple kitchen operations will be considered as one business location for purposes of licenses and permits, and thus at the Corporate Office will need to acquire a Central License as outlined below in section (and see Section 3).

Which FSSAI Licence Do I Need For A Restaurant Or Cafe?

A single restaurant or cafe usually needs a Basic Registration or a State Licence, depending on turnover. Under ₹1.5 crore a year means Basic; between ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore means State.

Large restaurant chains, or any operation crossing ₹50 crore, need a Central Licence. Food businesses inside a 5-star (or higher) hotel are also placed in the Central category regardless of turnover, so check your hotel classification.

Which FSSAI Licence Do Importers, Exporters And E-Commerce Sellers Need?

FSSAI has identified certain types of businesses that must obtain a Central License regardless of how much money the business earns (small businesses may fall into this group). Also, there are no breakpoints at ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore for obtaining a Central License; they are only determined by the type of business you run.

You need a Central Licence, whatever your turnover, if you are:

• An importer of food products
• An exporter, or a 100% Export-Oriented Unit (EOU)
• An e-commerce food business operator (online marketplace or aggregator listing food)
• A food business operating at a seaport, airport, or on Indian Railways premises
• A food business run in or for a Central Government agency
• A manufacturer of certain items (nutraceuticals, health supplements, proprietary or non-specified foods, irradiated food)

If none of these apply, fall back to the turnover table above.

What Are The FSSAI Licence Fees For Each Type?

The government charges an annual FSSAI fee to update businesses each year using FSSAI's Fee Schedule according to the business tier level. Below is the FoSCoS Fee Schedule showing the current annual, FSSAI Fee tiers:

Depending on the kind of business you run, your State license fee will be different; for instance, a small merchant would pay less than an industrial manufacturer. The exact fee amounts for State Licences can be found on the FoSCoS Fees page. The fees posted there are government fees; the assisted service fee is not included in the list.

How Long Is Each FSSAI Licence Valid?

FSSAI License & Registration is now indefinite since the new 2026 reform law states that all applications for food safety licenses are valid indefinitely, with no expiration date or requirement for periodic renewals of any of the three categories (tiers).

Your license is still valid, but it will now exist as long as you remain compliant with your licenses' regulations (such as paying your annual fee and continuing to comply with the regulations associated with your license) and/or request a new license if you do not maintain compliance. An old fixed-term license can still be renewed or managed online during this transition and will ultimately convert into an indefinite license (a license that is valid indefinitely).

What If My Turnover Crosses The Limit Later?

When a business exceeds its annual revenue threshold, they will need to upgrade to a higher Tier but cannot remain at their current Tier once they have outgrown it. If an example is given of a Business in the "Basic Registration" level that exceed the ₹1.5 Crore threshold, then it would require to obtain a State license.

To upgrade your FoSCoS licence to a higher tier, you have to apply for an upgrade and give back your current licence at the same time or before you exceed your current licence. You will be considered unlicenced if you are growing in the incorrect tier; therefore, if you know you will likely be increasing your production, you need to submit your upgrade application as early as possible.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Your FSSAI Tier

A few errors trip up food businesses at the choosing stage. Avoid these:

1. Picking Basic to save money when a special category applies. Importers, exporters and e-commerce sellers need Central, whatever their turnover.
2. Using old ₹12 lakh / ₹20 crore limits. Those slabs were replaced on 1 April 2026 by ₹1.5 crore / ₹50 crore.
3. Ignoring multi-state operations. Outlets in several states need a Central Licence for the head office, not just State Licences.
4. Delaying the upgrade after crossing a slab. Staying on a lower tier counts as non-compliance.

How And Where Do You Apply Once You Know Your Tier?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has made it easier for businesses to obtain their Food Safety and Standards (FSSAI) License through FoSCoS, their online web application for licensing, registration and compliance. When applying to the FSSAI for an FSSAI License, a food business must select one of three types of Licences that are available through FoSCoS by selecting the appropriate type of Licence before entering either Form A (for a Registration) or Form B (for a Licence) into the FoSCoS application; the correct document type must also be uploaded as per FoSCoS requirements, and then only appropriate fees would apply before the FSSAI will issue the food business its FSSAI Licence.

Once you make application for the specific tier required by your business and use Jaagruk Bharat's FSSAI food licence service, you will complete less paperwork and experience greater ease lodging a food licence with FSSAI than you would using the 'old way.' You will receive all of the same approvals as if you had completed the process the 'old way' but have to do much less paperwork to obtain them. To know about all step-by-step phases of the process and receive details refer to the FSSAI food licence registration guide.

Read More

• How to apply for an FSSAI food licence online in India
• Setting up a cloud kitchen on Zomato: cost, licence and profit
• Browse more food and licensing guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a GST registration before applying for an FSSAI licence?

FSSAI and GST registration are completely separate processes, therefore there is no requirement to have a valid GST registration before you can obtain an FSSAI license. You can apply for an FSSAI license through FoSCoS by providing proof of identity and address, and then if your sales go above the GST limit, apply for GST registration separately.

What is the penalty for running a food business without the correct licence?

If you do not hold a valid FSSAI registration or conduct food business without a correct FSSAI Level, you will face an FSSAI penalty of up to ₹5,00,000 and a minimum of 6 months in prison according to the FSSAI and Food Safety & Standards Act 2006. This means that food safety regulators will consider your expired lower tier FSSAI as non-compliance.

Can I start with a Basic Registration and upgrade later?

Of course! Plenty of smaller enterprises start by registering as basic entities and subsequently upgrading to either a state-level or central-level license when they exceed their annual revenue of ₹1.5 crores. You will be required to submit a higher-tier registration application through FoSCoS and to de-register your prior basic entity registration before beginning the upgrade process.

I have outlets in more than one state. Which licence do I need?

In most cases, your business is required to obtain a separate State Licence for each state in which it conducts business, as well as being issued a Central Licence for the Head Office or Registered Office of your business. Businesses that conduct business in multiple states will have the Head Office's Central Licence issued by the FSSAI.

Does an e-commerce food seller always need a Central Licence?

Yes. E-commerce food business operators - online marketplaces, aggregators and platforms listing food - must hold a Central Licence irrespective of turnover. This is one of the special categories that skips the turnover slabs, so even a small online seller falls under the central tier.

Is the FSSAI licence still valid for only five years?

Since 2026 has passed, the FSSAI registration/license has been given an indefinite status that is independent of any potential expiration and replaces the prior one to five-year renewal procedures for certifications. As long as you pay your yearly membership fee and meet the risk-based inspection criteria, your approval will remain in effect rather than having to re-apply at set intervals.