Can I open my restaurant while the FSSAI licence application is pending?

Not immediately. A valid licence is necessary to open a food business. There is one exception, the 60-day rule. If the authorities do not issue a licence or make an inquiry/inspection within this period of 60 days, then they cannot deny you permission to start your business.

What do I do if my restaurant's FSSAI licence is lost or damaged?

Apply for a duplicate while the licence is still valid, because a lapsed licence cannot be reissued as a copy. It costs 10% of the original fee, so ₹500 on a ₹5,000 State Licence, and the copy is clearly marked "Duplicate" so it is never mistaken for a second licence covering another outlet.

What if my restaurant outgrows Basic Registration mid-year?

Once you fall outside the petty food business operator category you need a State Licence instead of a Basic Registration. Apply for the licence rather than staying on the registration, because the two are issued under different provisions of the regulation and carry different annual fees.

Is the FSSAI fee for a restaurant charged once or every year?

It is an annual fee, but you may pay for any number of years at once and at any time of the year. A restaurant on a State Licence pays ₹5,000 per annum, on a licence that now has no expiry date. Miss the fee and the licence is deemed suspended. Nothing is refunded on surrender.

Do I need a technically qualified person for a restaurant licence?

No, not for a restaurant. The qualification rule applies where someone supervises a manufacturing process, such as a factory dealing with dairy products. A restaurant is checked against the hygiene standards in the regulations, which is what an inspector works from.

What happens if I miss the annual FSSAI fee?

The licence is deemed suspended, and you must not carry on any food business while it is suspended - doing so counts as non-compliance and attracts a penalty under the Act. The suspension is revoked once you pay the outstanding annual fee, or file the pending return, together with the applicable penalty.

FSSAI Licence for a Restaurant in India 2026

Last updated: 8 September 2026

Quick Answer: It depends on your annual turnover. Up to ₹1.5 crore a restaurant needs only a Basic Registration at ₹100 a year. From ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore it is a State Licence at ₹5,000 a year, and above ₹50 crore a Central Licence at ₹7,500 a year.

An FSSAI licence for restaurant premises comes in three tiers, and which one applies is determined by your annual turnover and whether you operate in more than one state.

Overview


What it is	FSSAI licence or registration, commonly called a food licence for restaurant premises
Issuing authority	State/UT Licensing Authority, or the Central Licensing Authority
Governed by	FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011
Fee for restaurants	₹100 · ₹5,000 · ₹7,500 per year by turnover tier
Mode	Online, through the FoSCoS portal
Decision window	60 days from the date your application ID number is issued
Validity	Valid until suspended, cancelled or surrendered, subject to the annual fee

Latest Update

As of September 2026, a food licence for restaurant premises runs under the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026, notified on 10 March 2026. The fees below come from the FoSCoS eligibility table updated on 1 April 2026. A licence issued on or after that date has no expiry and carries an annual fee instead.

Which FSSAI Licence Does a Restaurant Need?

Restaurants sit under food services in the FoSCoS table, which sets three turnover bands and one category override:

Up to ₹1.5 crore - a Basic Registration at ₹100, on Form A. The threshold rose from ₹12 lakh on 1 April 2026 and FSSAI now sets it administratively.
₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore - a State Licence at ₹5,000 a year.
Above ₹50 crore - a Central Licence at ₹7,500 a year.
Category override, at any turnover - Schedule 1 puts an operator working across two or more states under the Central Licensing Authority, along with catering inside railway, airport, seaport and defence premises.

For the tier-by-tier comparison beyond restaurants, see which FSSAI licence you need.

What About a Restaurant Inside a Hotel?

A hotel restaurant is classified on the hotel's star rating, not turnover: up to 4 star is a State Licence at ₹5,000, five star and above a Central Licence at ₹7,500.

What Does an FSSAI Licence for Restaurant Premises Cost?

A restaurant on a State Licence pays ₹5,000 a year, annual and non-refundable. Your tier comes from the FoSCoS eligibility table, stamped as updated on 1 April 2026 and issued as the 2 April revision; our FSSAI licence fees guide covers other businesses.

Category	Licence	Annual fee
Restaurant, annual turnover up to ₹1.5 crore	Registration	₹100
Restaurant, ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore	State Licence	₹5,000
Restaurant, above ₹50 crore	Central Licence	₹7,500
Hotel restaurant, up to 4 star	State Licence	₹5,000
Hotel restaurant, five star and above	Central Licence	₹7,500
Duplicate certificate or licence	-	10% of the applicable fee

What Documents Does a Restaurant Need?

The paperwork is set per category, so FoSCoS shows the checklist for your kind of business once you select it. For a restaurant the constants are Form B as the application form, a self-attested declaration, and proof of identity and of the premises. Read it there before you start uploading.

How Do You Apply for a Restaurant FSSAI Licence Online?

You apply on the FoSCoS portal using Form B.

Go to the FoSCoS portal and create a login.
Select your state and the food service category that matches your restaurant.
Fill Form B, the licence application form. Basic Registration uses Form A.
Attach the self-attested declaration and the documents FoSCoS lists for your category.
Pay the applicable fee and submit.
Note the application ID number: the 60-day clock runs from the date it is issued.

Jaagruk Bharat can prepare and file it through our FSSAI food licence service; the licence is issued by the licensing authority, not by us.

How Long Does a Restaurant FSSAI Licence Take?

The authority has 60 days from the application ID number to issue the licence. Two shorter deadlines sit inside it:

15 days - the authority scrutinises your application. If anything is missing or it needs more information, it must tell you in writing within this period.
30 days - you then have 30 days from that notice to supply what was asked for.

What If the 60 Days Pass With No Answer?

If 60 days pass with no licence, you may commence trading, provided you have received neither an intimation of inadequacy nor an inspection report noting deficiencies.

How Long Is the Licence Valid, and When Should You Renew?

Your licence stays valid until it is suspended, cancelled or surrendered. Regulation 2.1.7 was substituted on 10 March 2026, removing the old 1-to-5-year term, so there is no expiry date to renew against:

Pay the annual fee when it falls due and file any return that applies.
Miss either and the licence is deemed suspended; you must not trade during a suspension.
If you close, tell the licensing authority in writing within 30 days and surrender the licence. Nothing is refunded.

If the annual fee is due and you would rather hand it over, our FSSAI licence renewal service handles the filing.

What If Your Restaurant's Details Change?

A change of address or menu category is an amendment, not a renewal. More food business guides sit in our food category.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Reading turnover as the only test. For a restaurant turnover does set the tier - Central above ₹50 crore - but Schedule 1 overrides it: two or more states, or catering inside Central government premises, means Central licensing at any turnover.
Using the old ₹12 lakh limit. It rose to ₹1.5 crore on 1 April 2026. A restaurant under ₹1.5 crore needs only the ₹100 Registration, so applying for a State Licence overpays by ₹4,900 a year.
Treating one licence as covering every outlet. A licence attaches to the premises, so each outlet needs its own.
Waiting for a renewal notice. There is no expiry date to renew against any more. Miss the annual fee and the licence is deemed suspended.