FSSAI State License — Form B on FoSCoS
An FSSAI state license is the license for mid-sized food businesses. From 1 April 2026 it covers businesses with an annual turnover above ₹1.5 crore and up to ₹50 crore, unless Schedule 1 sends them to the central license. You apply in Form B on FoSCoS, and a license issued on or after 1 April 2026 no longer expires as long as the yearly fee is paid.
What it is
An FSSAI state license is permission from your state’s food safety licensing authority to run a food business. Section 31(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 says no one shall commence or carry on a food business except under a license. Petty food businesses are the exception. Section 31(2) lets them register instead.
The detail sits in the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Regulation 2.1.3 requires the application in Form B, with the documents listed in Annexure 2 and the fee in Schedule 3. You file it online on FoSCoS, FSSAI’s Food Safety Compliance System. The amendment notified on 10 March 2026 changed the turnover limits and the validity of new licenses.
Who it applies to
Your turnover is above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore
From 1 April 2026, FSSAI’s order of 13 March 2026 puts this turnover band under the state license. Below ₹1.5 crore, basic FSSAI registration is enough.
You are outside the Schedule 1 list
Importers, 100% export-oriented units, e-commerce food businesses, multi-state operators and units above the Schedule 1 capacity limits need a central license instead.
You make, store, move or serve food
Manufacturers, packers, dairies, restaurants, caterers, wholesalers, distributors, storage and transport businesses can all hold a state license. The kind of business you pick on FoSCoS decides your yearly fee.
Registration, state or central license?
| Registration | State license | Central license | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover (from 1 April 2026) | Up to ₹1.5 crore | Above ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore | Above ₹50 crore |
| Application form | Form A | Form B | Form B |
| Yearly government fee | ₹100 | ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 | ₹7,500 |
| Validity if issued on or after 1 April 2026 | No expiry date | No expiry date | No expiry date |
Turnover is one test. Schedule 1 of the regulations is the other. It sends these to the Central Licensing Authority whatever their size: all importers of food, 100% export-oriented units, food business operators in two or more states, catering units under central government agencies such as railways, airports, seaports and defence, and makers of novel foods. It also sets capacity limits: a dairy handling more than 50,000 litres of milk a day, a vegetable oil unit above 2 MT a day, a meat processing unit above 500 kg a day, or a food processing unit above 2 MT a day (other than grain, cereal and pulse milling) needs a central license.
Here is the catch: the two tests work together. Picture a Faridabad namkeen maker that sells only in Haryana and crosses ₹1.5 crore in sales. It needs a state license. The day it starts importing its own spices, it needs a central license, even with sales far below ₹50 crore.
Why it matters
Stay clear of Section 63
Section 31(1) bars any food business without a license, and Section 63 makes it an offence. The right license takes that risk off the table.
Stop chasing renewal dates
A license issued on or after 1 April 2026 stays valid unless it is suspended, cancelled or surrendered. You pay the yearly fee instead of filing renewals.
Earn fewer inspections
Under the 2026 amendment, inspections are risk-based. A clean record and good third-party audits mean fewer visits.
Documents required
About the business
- Form B, signed by the proprietor, a partner or an authorised signatory
- List of directors or partners with addresses and contact details
- Partnership deed, or certificate of incorporation with MoA and AoA
- Authority letter naming the person responsible, with their powers
- Photo identity and address proof of the applicant
About the premises
- Layout plan of the processing unit with dimensions
- Proof of possession: sale deed, rent agreement or electricity bill
- Water analysis report from a recognised laboratory, for manufacturers
- NOC from the municipality and pollution control board, where required
About the food
- Food categories you will make or handle
- List of equipment and machinery with capacity and horsepower
- Food Safety Management System plan
- Product recall plan
- Milk or meat sourcing plan, for dairy and meat units
How it works
Confirm state, central or registration
We check your turnover band and Schedule 1, then pick the right kind of business on FoSCoS. Some low-risk businesses qualify for FSSAI’s instant license route. A Faridabad spice wholesaler might; a dairy will not, because milk, meat and fish products are kept out of it.
Collect the Annexure 2 documents
We match your papers against Annexure 2 and flag gaps, like a missing layout plan, early.
File Form B and pay the fee
We fill Form B on FoSCoS, upload the documents and pay the Schedule 3 fee. The portal then issues an Application ID, and the 60-day clock starts.
Answer queries and prepare for inspection
The licensing authority may ask for more information or direct an inspection. We draft the replies and walk you through what the officer will check.
Pay the yearly fee and file returns
The license stays alive only while the fee is paid. We diarise the yearly fee and, for manufacturers, the annual return in Form D-1 due by 31 May.
Timelines
Expect a decision within 60 days
Regulation 2.1.4 says the license should be issued within 60 days of the Application ID. If an inspection is done, the authority decides within 30 days of the inspection report.
Answer any query within 30 days
The authority can seek more information within 15 days of receiving the application. Reply within 30 days, or the application can be rejected.
File Form D-1 by 31 May
Every licensed manufacturer and importer files Form D-1 by 31 May each year. A late return costs ₹100 for each day of delay.
What happens if you operate without one
You can be prosecuted
Under Section 63, making, selling, storing, distributing or importing food without a required license can mean up to six months in prison and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh.
An unpaid fee suspends the license
The amended Regulation 2.1.7 keeps the yearly fee compulsory. Leave it unpaid and the license is treated as suspended, so the business must stop.
An ignored notice ends in cancellation
Under Section 32, a Designated Officer can issue an improvement notice giving at least 14 days to fix a lapse. If you do not comply, the license can be suspended, and later cancelled after a show-cause notice.
Frequently asked questions
What turnover needs an FSSAI state license?
From 1 April 2026, you need a state license when annual turnover is above ₹1.5 crore and up to ₹50 crore, under FSSAI’s order of 13 March 2026. Below ₹1.5 crore, registration in Form A is enough; above ₹50 crore, you need a central license. Importers and multi-state operators need a central license at any turnover. We check both tests first, so you apply once.
Does an FSSAI state license expire?
Not if it was issued on or after 1 April 2026. The amendment notified on 10 March 2026 made licenses valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. The yearly fee is still payable, and you can pay for several years at once. Older licenses ran for one to five years, as the business chose, with renewal due at least 30 days before expiry. We check where an older license stands on FoSCoS.
What is the government fee for a state license?
It is ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 a year under Schedule 3, depending on the kind of business. Manufacturers above 1 MT a day, dairies handling 10,001 to 50,000 litres a day and hotels rated three-star and above pay ₹5,000. Smaller manufacturers and dairies pay ₹3,000. Other food businesses pay ₹2,000. We confirm the exact slab for your kind of business before you pay.
How long does it take to get a state license?
Regulation 2.1.4 allows the licensing authority 60 days from the Application ID. Within that period it may raise a query, which you answer within 30 days, or order an inspection, after which it decides within 30 days of the report. Some low-risk trading businesses can use FSSAI’s instant license route, which grants the license through digital checks.
Can a food business start before the license is issued?
Normally, no. Section 31(1) bars running a food business without a license. Regulation 2.1.4 has a narrow exception: if the license is not issued within 60 days of the Application ID, the licensing authority cannot stop you from starting. We file early so the license is in hand by your opening date.
Is an inspection compulsory before the license is granted?
No, not in every case. Under Regulation 2.1.4 the licensing authority may direct an inspection after it issues the Application ID. If the inspecting officer suggests improvements, you get time to carry them out. After the license is granted, the 2026 amendment uses risk-based inspection: how often you are inspected depends on your food category, compliance history and third-party audits. A clean record means fewer visits.
Which license applies if turnover is below ₹50 crore but you import ingredients?
You need a central license. Schedule 1 lists all importers of food items, including food ingredients and additives for commercial use, under the Central Licensing Authority, whatever the turnover. The same applies to 100% export-oriented units, e-commerce food businesses and operators in two or more states. The fee is ₹7,500 a year. We confirm the license type before anything is filed.
What if my turnover falls below ₹1.5 crore?
You can move down to registration. Say a Faridabad sweet shop with sales of about ₹1 crore took a state license under the old ₹12 lakh limit. FSSAI’s FAQs on the 2026 amendment say FoSCoS migrates it on your self-declaration, with no approval needed from the licensing authority. No modification fee is charged and the number stays the same. State license fee already paid is adjusted against the registration fee. We file the declaration and check the migration.
Do state license holders file an annual return?
Yes, if you are a manufacturer or importer. Regulation 2.1.13 requires every licensed manufacturer and importer to file Form D-1 on or before 31 May each year. Dairy businesses file half-yearly returns in Form D-2 instead. The late fee is ₹100 for each day of delay. We prepare it from your production and sales figures, well before the due date.
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.
The yearly government fee for a state license under Schedule 3:
| Kind of business | Fee per year |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer above 1 MT a day, or dairy handling 10,001–50,000 litres a day | ₹5,000 |
| Manufacturer below 1 MT a day, or dairy handling 501–10,000 litres a day | ₹3,000 |
| Hotel rated three-star and above | ₹5,000 |
| Other food service providers and all other food businesses | ₹2,000 |
You can pay for several years at once.
Ready to begin?
Send us your turnover, the kind of food business and the premises address, and we will file your Form B on FoSCoS.