• Any food business operator (manufacturer, packer, distributor, retailer, etc.)
• Indian entity OR foreign FBO with India operations
• Turnover bracket determines licence type

1. Visit foscos.fssai.gov.in — Click “Apply for Licence/Registration”.
2. Determine your category — Use the in-portal eligibility tool. Basic Reg / State Lic / Central Lic.
3. Sign up + verify mobile — OTP-based account creation.
4. Fill Form A (Basic) or Form B (State/Central) — Business details, FBO type, products, capacity, address, ownership.
5. Upload documents — Aadhaar + PAN of proprietor/partners, address proof, list of food products, NOC from local authority (Central only), water test report (manufacturers), pest control contract.
6. Pay fee online — Rs 100/year (Basic) · Rs 2K-5K/year (State) · Rs 7.5K/year (Central). Pay for 1-5 years upfront.
7. Submit + receive ARN — Application Reference Number. Status tracking via FoSCoS.
8. Inspection (State/Central) — Designated officer visits premises within 30 days. Photos + premise compliance.
9. Issuance — Basic Reg: 7 days · State Lic: 30 days · Central Lic: 30-60 days.
10. Display FSSAI number — Mandatory on packaging + invoices + premises board. 14-digit licence number.

• Online portal: %%FoSCoS%%
• Offline: FBO consultants, FSSAI-empanelled agencies — but self-application via FoSCoS works fine.
• Fee: Basic Reg: Rs 100/year · State Lic: Rs 2,000-5,000/year · Central Lic: Rs 7,500/year
• Timeline: Basic: 7 days · State: 30 days · Central: 30-60 days

See our complete checklist: Documents required for fssai licence — covers mandatory + optional + size/format specs.

• Wrong category chosen — turnover threshold determines category. Choosing higher = higher fee + extra inspection.
• Premise not compliant — water test, pest control, hygiene records mandatory before inspection.
• No NOC from local authority — Central Licence requires Pollution Board / Municipal NOC.
• Renewal forgotten — renew 30 days before expiry; lapse = re-apply (longer + costlier).

Most “delays” or “rejections” clear within 7-15 days of an RTI being filed. Use this 5-question template:

1. Status of my application no. _____ dated _____ as on date.
2. The name + designation of the dealing officer assigned to my file.
3. The reasons for delay beyond the statutory timeline.
4. Copy of any noting / movement of my file in the past 30 days.
5. The likely date of issuance of my certificate / approval.

Auto-fill the PIO details + your case: Open the RTI Drafter →

Track your application status: How to check status guide

Yes — Basic Registration mandatory if turnover > Rs 12L/year. Below: voluntary but recommended.

Up to 5 years. Bigger discount for longer tenure.

No — simpler form B-Renew. Same documents. Apply 30 days before expiry.

No — separate licence per premises. Central licence may cover multiple if same FBO.

Grievance at fssai.gov.in/cms/grievances OR RTI to State Food Safety Commissioner.

• How to check status — 25 high-traffic services
• Documents required — 30 checklists
• All state RTI portals
• Full RTI Playbook — 100+ scenarios

• Official portal: https://foscos.fssai.gov.in
• Citizen feedback collected via AwaazRTI (composite, identifying details removed).
• Statutory references: see relevant Act sections.

Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.