Food & Nutraceuticals
FSSAI Central Licence, filed and followed through
We map your eligibility, build the technical annexures the licensing officer expects, file on FoSCoS and stay on the file until the licence is issued.
- Authority
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Governing rules
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 read with the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 as amended in 2026
- Typical timeline
- 30 to 60 working days in a clean file
- Government fees
- Statutory fee for a Central Licence is Rs 7,500 as notified. Confirm the current schedule on FoSCoS at the time of filing, since fees were revisited alongside the 2026 perpetual-validity reform.
FSSAI Central Licence: what it involves
A Central Licence is issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India itself rather than a state authority. Since the licensing reforms notified in March 2026 and effective from 1 April 2026, it applies to food businesses with annual turnover above Rs 50 crore, and it continues to apply regardless of turnover to importers, exporters, e-commerce food business operators, 100% export oriented units, operators supplying to Central Government agencies such as Railways and Defence, and businesses running food operations in more than one state under a single head office.
The application itself is straightforward. What holds files up is everything attached to it: an FSMS plan that matches your actual process, a layout that shows genuine segregation of raw material, processing and packing, a water test report from the right kind of laboratory, and a product category list that is consistent with what your labels claim. That is the part we take over.
Who needs this
- Manufacturers and processors with annual turnover above Rs 50 crore
- Importers of any food article, irrespective of turnover
- Exporters and 100% export oriented units
- E-commerce food business operators and marketplace sellers
- Head offices coordinating food operations across two or more states
- Operators supplying Indian Railways, Defence establishments or Central Government agencies
- Food businesses at ports, airports and seaport premises
Documentation
Documents required
Arrange these and the file moves. We tell you exactly which format each one has to be in, and we draft the technical annexures ourselves.
- Form B duly completed and signed by the proprietor, partner or authorised signatory
- Blueprint or CAD layout of the processing unit showing dimensions and area allocation
- List of directors, partners or proprietor with full address and photo identity
- Name and list of equipment and machinery with number and installed capacity
- Analysis report of the water used in processing, from an NABL accredited or FSSAI notified laboratory
- List of food categories proposed to be manufactured
- Authority letter nominating a responsible person, with name and address
- Food safety management system plan or certificate
- Proof of possession of premises: sale deed, rent agreement or electricity bill
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or self declaration of proprietorship
- NOC from the municipality or local body, where applicable
- Import Export Code from DGFT for importers and exporters
- Recall plan, where the business distributes nationally
- Source declaration for milk, meat or poultry, for the relevant processors
How we work
The process, stage by stage
Indicative durations for a file where documents arrive on time. We tell you at the outset which stage is most likely to slip in your case.
- 1
Eligibility and category mapping
2 to 3 daysWe confirm whether Central Licence is actually the right tier for you, and lock the exact food category codes your products fall under. Getting this wrong is the single most common cause of a rejected or amended licence.
- 2
Document assembly and technical annexures
7 to 12 daysWe draft the FSMS plan, equipment list, product list and recall plan, review your layout against Schedule 4 hygiene requirements, and flag anything that needs to be fixed on site before an inspector sees it.
- 3
FoSCoS filing and fee payment
1 dayThe application is filed on the FoSCoS portal with the complete annexure set and statutory fee, and the reference number is shared with you the same day.
- 4
Query and inspection handling
15 to 40 daysWe respond to departmental queries within the reversion window and prepare your team for the inspection: what will be asked, what records must be on the shelf, and who should answer.
- 5
Grant and post-licence handover
On grantOnce the licence is granted we hand over the licence copy, the compliance calendar for annual returns, and the record formats your food safety supervisor needs to maintain.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do FSSAI licences still need to be renewed?
No. Under the reforms approved in March 2026, FSSAI registrations and licences carry perpetual validity, so the earlier cycle of one to five year renewals has been removed. You still have to keep the licence details current through modification applications when your products, premises or management change, and you still have to file annual returns where applicable.
My turnover is under Rs 50 crore but I import ingredients. Which licence do I need?
A Central Licence. The turnover threshold is only one trigger. Import, export, e-commerce, multi-state operations and supply to Central Government agencies all require a Central Licence on their own, no matter how small the business is.
How long does a Central Licence actually take?
A well prepared file is usually granted in 30 to 60 working days. Files that go back and forth on queries, or where the site is not ready for inspection, routinely take 90 days or more. Almost all of that delay is avoidable at the documentation stage.
Can one licence cover two manufacturing units?
No. Licences are premises specific, so each manufacturing location needs its own licence. If you operate units in different states with a common head office, the head office also needs a Central Licence.
What happens if I declare the wrong product category?
Your labels and your licence will not match, which is treated as a labelling contravention during inspection and can block consignments at customs for importers. We verify category codes against your actual formulations before filing.
Related services
Often taken together with this
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For food businesses up to Rs 50 crore turnover operating within a single state, including the revised 2026 thresholds.
Typical timeline · Registration is often instant; State Licence takes 21 to 45 working days
Read moreNutraceutical & Health Supplement Manufacturing Licence
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Typical timeline · 45 to 90 days from formulation review to licence grant
Read moreFSMS, HACCP & ISO 22000 Documentation
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Typical timeline · 3 to 8 weeks depending on plant size and certification scope
Read moreTell us what you are manufacturing. We will tell you what you need.
Share your product category, premises and turnover. You will get a written scope covering the exact licences that apply, the documents to arrange, and a realistic timeline.