FSSAI Central License — Form B, Fee & Eligibility
An FSSAI central license is granted by FSSAI’s Central Licensing Authority, not by your state. From 1 April 2026 you need one if your turnover is above ₹50 crore, and at any turnover if you import food, run a 100% export-oriented unit, operate a food e-commerce platform or run a food business in two or more states. The fee is ₹7,500 a year.
What it is
An FSSAI central license is the food license for India’s largest food businesses and for a few special categories. Regulation 2.1.2(3) of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 says any business listed in Schedule 1 is licensed by the Central Licensing Authority. That authority is a Designated Officer appointed by FSSAI’s Chief Executive Officer, acting as Food Safety Commissioner.
You apply in Form B on FoSCoS, FSSAI’s Food Safety Compliance System, with the Annexure 2 documents and the Schedule 3 fee. Under the amendment notified on 10 March 2026 and FSSAI’s order of 13 March 2026, the turnover limit rose to above ₹50 crore from 1 April 2026, and licenses issued from that date stay valid until suspended, cancelled or surrendered. FSSAI expects more than 98% of food businesses to fall under state governments after the change.
Who it applies to
Your turnover is above ₹50 crore
From 1 April 2026, FSSAI’s order of 13 March 2026 sets the central threshold at turnover above ₹50 crore. Below that, a state license or registration applies.
You import food
Schedule 1 covers all importers of food items, including food ingredients and additives for commercial use. A Faridabad dry-fruit trader bringing in its first container of almonds needs a central license, however small its sales.
You run a 100% EOU
A 100% EOU needs a central license under Schedule 1, and attaches its Ministry of Commerce certificate to the application.
You run a food e-commerce platform
A platform that lists food businesses or products and facilitates orders needs a central license. FSSAI’s order of 18 March 2026 extends this to ONDC seller and buyer apps.
You operate in two or more states
Schedule 1 lists any food business operator operating in two or more states under the Central Licensing Authority.
You run a large plant or central-agency catering
Plants above the Schedule 1 capacity limits need one. So does food catering in establishments under central government agencies such as railways, airports, seaports and defence.
Central license or state license?
| State license | Central license | |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover (from 1 April 2026) | Above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore | Above ₹50 crore |
| Needed at any turnover for | — | Importers, 100% EOUs, e-commerce platforms, operators in two or more states, central-agency catering |
| Capacity (Schedule 1) | Below the limits | Dairy above 50,000 litres a day; vegetable oil above 2 MT a day; meat processing above 500 kg a day; food processing above 2 MT a day (except grain, cereal and pulse milling) |
| Granted by | State licensing authority | Central Licensing Authority |
| Yearly government fee | ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 | ₹7,500 |
| Validity if issued on or after 1 April 2026 | No expiry date | No expiry date |
Slaughter houses equipped for more than 50 large animals, or 150 or more small animals, or 1,000 or more poultry birds a day are also central. Here is the catch: the turnover change cuts both ways. Take a Faridabad food processor with ₹30 crore turnover. Under the old ₹20 crore limit it needed a central license. From 1 April 2026 it falls in the state band, unless a Schedule 1 category or capacity limit applies.
Why it matters
Stay clear of Section 63
Under Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, running without the required license is an offence. The right license removes that exposure.
Hold one license for good
A central license issued on or after 1 April 2026 stays valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. No renewal filings, only the yearly fee.
Keep a clean record, see fewer officers
Inspections are now risk-based. In practice, your compliance history, enforcement record and third-party audits decide how often officers come.
Documents required
Start with the Annexure 2 set
- Form B signed by the proprietor, a partner or an authorised signatory
- List of directors or partners with contact details
- Certificate of incorporation with MoA and AoA, or partnership deed
- Authority letter naming the responsible person
- Photo identity and address proof
- Proof of possession of the premises and a layout plan
- Food Safety Management System plan and product recall plan
Add the central-only papers
- Import Export Code (IE code) from DGFT, for importers
- Ministry of Commerce certificate, for a 100% EOU
- Proof of turnover, where turnover is the reason
- NOC or product approval from FSSAI, for novel food
- Ministry of Tourism star classification, for hotels
Add plant-specific reports
- List of equipment and machinery with capacity
- Water analysis report from a recognised laboratory
- Milk procurement plan, for dairies
- Source of raw material, for meat processing
- NOC from the municipality and pollution control board, where required
- NOC from the original manufacturer, for relabellers
How it works
Map your premises against Schedule 1
We list every premises and activity, check the turnover band and each Schedule 1 category, and pick the right kind of business on FoSCoS.
Collect the central-specific papers
We gather the Annexure 2 set and the extra paper your category needs, such as the IE code for an importer.
File Form B and pay ₹7,500 a year
We file Form B on FoSCoS and pay the fee for the years you choose. FoSCoS issues an Application ID.
Answer queries and handle the inspection
The Central Licensing Authority may seek more information or direct an inspection. We draft the replies and brief your plant team on what the officer will check.
File returns and keep the fee paid
Manufacturers and importers file the annual return in Form D-1 by 31 May. When products or premises change, we file a license modification.
Timelines
Expect a decision within 60 days
Under Regulation 2.1.4, the license should be issued within 60 days of the Application ID. After an inspection, the authority decides within 30 days of the report.
File Form D-1 by 31 May
Every licensed manufacturer and importer files the annual return by 31 May each year. Dairy units file half-yearly in Form D-2.
Report a closure within 30 days
If you close the business, the amended Regulation 2.1.7 requires you to inform the licensing authority within 30 days and surrender the license. Fees paid are not refunded.
What happens if you skip it
You can be prosecuted
Making, selling, storing, distributing or importing food without the required license can mean up to six months in prison and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh.
An unpaid fee halts the business
The yearly fee stays compulsory under the amended Regulation 2.1.7. Leave it unpaid and the license is treated as suspended, so trading must stop.
A late return costs ₹100 a day
A Form D-1 filed after 31 May attracts a late fee of ₹100 for each day of delay.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs an FSSAI central license?
From 1 April 2026, any food business with turnover above ₹50 crore needs a central license. So do these, whatever their turnover: importers of food, 100% export-oriented units, e-commerce food platforms, operators in two or more states, catering under central government agencies and plants above the Schedule 1 capacity limits. We test your business against each category before filing, so you apply once.
What is the turnover limit for an FSSAI central license?
Above ₹50 crore, from 1 April 2026. FSSAI raised it from ₹20 crore through its order of 13 March 2026. Between ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore, a state license applies. The turnover test does not override Schedule 1, so an importer with small sales still needs a central license. We check both tests for you.
What is the fee for an FSSAI central license?
The government fee is ₹7,500 a year under Schedule 3. FSSAI’s FAQs on the 2026 amendment say the fee can be paid for any number of years at once and at any time of the year. Our professional fee is separate and quoted upfront, so you know the full cost before we file.
Do importers need a central license even with small turnover?
Yes. Schedule 1 puts all importers of food items, including food ingredients and additives for commercial use, under the Central Licensing Authority. Turnover does not matter. The application needs your Import Export Code from DGFT along with the usual Annexure 2 documents. Low-risk importers may qualify for FSSAI’s instant license route. We prepare the file so it is ready before your first consignment.
Does an e-commerce food platform need a central license?
Yes, from day one. FSSAI’s order of 18 March 2026 says e-commerce entities that list food businesses or food products and facilitate orders need a central license. A Faridabad startup whose app lists home bakers and takes orders is caught, whatever its turnover. On ONDC, both seller apps and buyer apps need one. Seller apps must also sign agreements with sellers, who certify compliance with the FSS Act. We file the platform’s license and check the seller agreements.
Does a business operating in two or more states need a central license?
Yes. Schedule 1 lists any food business operator operating in two or more states under the Central Licensing Authority. Form B asks separately for the registered office address and the address of the premises being licensed. We map every premises you run and confirm on FoSCoS which license each one needs, so all your states are covered in one plan.
Does an FSSAI central license expire?
Not if it was issued on or after 1 April 2026. The amendment of 10 March 2026 made licenses valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. Earlier licenses ran for one to five years. The yearly fee is still compulsory, and an unpaid fee leads to deemed suspension. Paying several years at once, which FSSAI allows, keeps that risk away for those years. We track the fee for you.
Who files the annual return, and by when?
Every licensed manufacturer and importer files Form D-1 on or before 31 May each year under Regulation 2.1.13. Dairy units file half-yearly returns in Form D-2 instead. The late fee is ₹100 for each day of delay. We prepare the return from your production and import data, well before the due date.
Our turnover is now below ₹50 crore. Do we move to a state license?
Only if no Schedule 1 category applies. A domestic manufacturer in one state, below the capacity limits and with turnover of ₹50 crore or less, falls in the state band from 1 April 2026. FSSAI’s FAQs say migration due to the revised thresholds is done by FoSCoS on your self-declaration, with no approval, no fee and the same license number. An importer, EOU or multi-state operator stays central. We review your categories before you declare anything.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
| Government fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Central license, per year (Schedule 3) | ₹7,500 |
| Late Form D-1 annual return | ₹100 per day |
Ready to begin?
Tell us your turnover, what you import or sell online, and the states you operate in, and we will file your central license on FoSCoS.