FSSAI License or FSSAI Registration is permitted to run a food business across India. FSSAI stands for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and established as per provision Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. FSSAI is the sole authority to issue food licenses in India and regulate monitor and control food business units. The entire food business unit must follow the guidelines issued by the Food Department. FASSAI department also ensures the quality of food products and preconditions to preserve the food products including conditions to sales. The food license department issued three kinds of food license and those are registration, state license, and central license. So it is not necessary for the food business unit to go for these entire three licenses. You have to choose a food license for your food business as per the turnover and nature of the business operation.
Which Kind of Business required FSSAI License?
The Food Business Units (FBO) engage in any business out of manufacturing, processing, storage distribution and sale of food products must mandatory obtain FSSAI Registration or License from FASSAI Department by filing online application. Since FASSAI registration depends on the nature and category of food business application must be filed as per the applicability of license types on a particular food business unit. However the food department has issued an exhaustive list of the business unit need to get themselves registered under FASSAI Act and those are as follows:-
Food Business Units operating as a wholesaler, distributor, supplier, and retailer, food vending establishments, hawkers, club, canteen, Dhaba, hotel, restaurants, and storage
- Manufacturer of petty, tea snakes.
- Stalls selling or engage in food products.
- All food houses selling food products at social or religious gatherings not including caterer.
- Any Cottage business unit associated with food production.
- Business engages in processing or production of vegetable oil using any method of extraction or refining of oil.
- All dairy product units engage in procurement/collection/handling/chilling of milk,
- All business of slaughtering
- All hoteliers having Hotels rating of four stars or five stars or more.
- Storage house/warehouse provides facilities of food preservation or storage.
- Entity engages in re-packaging of food products.
- 100 % export oriented units in the business of production or processing of food products.
- Business Entity engages in the import of food products.
- All caterers working with Railways, Airlines and airport, State Government Seaport, Defense, Central Government, etc.
- All restaurants providing food products wither online or off-line.
List Document required for Food License or FASSAI Registration.
Since Food License is three types so for each type of food business form and documents are different.
For FASSAI Registration:-
- PAN Card as ID proof
- Passport size color photograph of the applicant.
- Declaration form
For State & Central FASSAI License
- Latest Business address proof
- Passport size color photograph of the applicant, if the applicant is a company then a photo of the authorized signatory.
- A list of Directors or Partners or Designated partners on the letterhead of the company.
- Registration Certification or Certificate of Incorporation.
- Memorandum (MOA) and Article (AOA) in the case of the company.
- Partnership Deed in case of the Partnership firm.
- LLP Agreement in the case of LLP.
- Import and Export License in case of Business unit involve in import or export of food products.
- For food manufacturing units, apart from the documents mentioned above, the following additional documents needed:
- The blueprint of the warehouse, plant, factory.
- List of all Installed Machinery
- Water Test report copy obtained from Test Lab.
- Food Category and their list.
Food License or FASSAI License and its types
Company or entity attached in food activities is required to apply for food licenses of different types based on their business turnover, the scale of business, and the type of activity. The Types of FSSAI Food license is as follows:
Basic Registration or license: This license is a primary license issued and required business having turnover INR 12 lakh or less. The business of dairy products and whose sales capacity of not more than 500 ltr per day. Business like tea shops, canteens, food processors, and small warehouses generally needs this basic registration. One can reform the existing basic license ones his business expends beyond 12 turnover or 500 ltr per day.
State Level License: Every food business units having turnover greater than rupees 12 lakh and less than rupees 20 Cores. However the entity can also take a voluntary state-level license.
FSSAI Central License: Large food businesses with a turnover of above 20 crores need to obtain a Central License. An exception to the rule above is when you have operations in more than one state or when you have to import and export food. If you have operations in more than one state or import/export food, you need a Central License irrespective of your revenue.
