FSSAI — Food Safety & Standards Authority of India
If you handle food commercially — manufacture, process, store, distribute, or sell it — you are legally required to hold an FSSAI licence or registration. This is not optional. Apply directly on the government portal with no agents required.
3
Licence types based on your turnover
Direct
Apply at foscos.fssai.gov.in
Mandatory
For all commercial food businesses
Your company holds or is applying for an FSSAI licence and you need to understand what it requires from you. FSSAI requires your business to handle food safely and maintain written records proving it. Your job is to follow food safety procedures and maintain the records.
Daily
Food safety checks required
Written
Procedures for every food handling step
Inspected
FSSAI officers can visit unannounced
Quick reference. FSSAI established under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Three licence types: Basic Registration, State Licence, Central Licence. Current thresholds at fssai.gov.in — verify before advising clients as these can be updated by FSSAI notification. Apply at foscos.fssai.gov.in.
2006
FSSAI Act
3
Licence types
foscos
Official portal
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It consolidated multiple earlier food laws into a single regulatory framework covering manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food.
2006
FSSAI Act enacted
2008
Operationalised
Apex
National food safety regulator
Mandatory for all food businesses in IndiaApply directly at foscos.fssai.gov.inNo agents or consultants needed
What’s on this page
01 —What it isUnderstanding FSSAI
Every food business in India needs this. No exceptions.
FSSAI is India's food safety regulator. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 makes it mandatory for every Food Business Operator (FBO) to obtain a licence or registration before commencing operations.
It doesn't matter if you're a home baker selling online, a restaurant, or a large manufacturer. If you touch food commercially, you need an FSSAI licence.
FSSAI issues licences in three categories based on annual turnover and operational scope. The exact criteria can be updated by FSSAI notification — always verify the current criteria at fssai.gov.in before applying.
Three licence types: Basic Registration for the smallest businesses. State Licence for mid-range operations. Central Licence for businesses above a certain scale, operating across more than one state, or involved in import or export. When in doubt, call FSSAI's toll-free helpline 1800-112-100 or check current criteria at fssai.gov.in.
👥 Illustrative case — details changed for confidentiality
The business
Packaged snacks manufacturer Pune · 35 employees, supplying local retail chains
The trigger
A retail chain asked for their FSSAI licence number before finalising a supply agreement. The manufacturer had a Basic Registration but their turnover had grown and they needed to upgrade to a State Licence.
The challenge
They had no consolidated record of annual turnover by product category — required to confirm the correct licence type. Production records were scattered across notebooks and WhatsApp messages.
Where Clicarity came in
They had deployed Clicarity to track production jobs. Every batch — product type, quantity, date — was already logged with custom fields at each stage. When their consultant asked for a production summary by product category, the data was pulled in minutes.
The result
State Licence obtained. Supply agreement signed.
We always knew what we were making. We just never had it in one place until Clicarity.
02 —Who needs itIs it right for you?
Do you actually need it? Honest answer.
✓ Mandatory for you
Restaurants, hotels, dhabas, cloud kitchens
Food manufacturers and processors
Packaged food brands
Caterers and tiffin services
Home bakers selling commercially
Food importers and exporters
✓ Also mandatory
Grocery stores and supermarkets
Cold storage facilities handling food
Food transport businesses
Wholesalers and distributors
— Check with FSSAI
Farmers selling at farm gate (verify at fssai.gov.in)
Very small petty retailers (Basic Registration may apply)
Non-commercial food preparation
Not sure which category applies? Call FSSAI helpline 1800-112-100 or check fssai.gov.in. Do not rely on a third party's interpretation.
03 —What it requiresWhat is checked
What FSSAI actually requires from your business.
1
A valid FSSAI licence displayed at your premises
Your licence number must be printed on all food packaging and displayed at your premises.
E.g. Licence number on every product label and on a visible board at your premises entry.
2
Hygiene and sanitation records
Written records of cleaning, pest control, and food handling. An FSSAI inspector can visit unannounced and ask to see these.
E.g. A daily cleaning log for each food handling area, signed by the responsible person.Most common gap: Everything is done but nothing is written down.
3
Food safety procedures for your process
Written procedures for how food is received, stored, processed, and despatched. Requirements depend on your food category and licence type.
4
Supplier verification records
Records of supplier details including FSSAI numbers where applicable.
E.g. A register of raw material suppliers with their FSSAI licence numbers.
5
Employee health and hygiene records
Food handlers must be medically fit. Records of health checks and food safety training for all direct food handling staff.
E.g. Annual health check records and signed training acknowledgement for production staff.Most common gap: Training given verbally with no written record of who was trained or when.
6
A documented recall procedure
A written procedure for what to do if a product is found to be unsafe.
E.g. Named responsible person and customer notification plan.
What inspectors really check
An FSSAI officer can arrive unannounced. They check your licence is current and displayed, inspect hygiene conditions on the spot, and ask for records. The most common failure is having no written records — the food may be safe but there is no documented proof.
Gap analysis checklist — tick what you already have
FSSAI licence obtained and displayed at premises
Visible at entry and printed on all packaging.
Licence type matches current operational scope
Verified against current FSSAI criteria at fssai.gov.in.
Daily hygiene and cleaning records maintained
Signed by responsible person each day.
Supplier records with FSSAI numbers where applicable
Register of suppliers and their licence details.
Food safety training records for all food handlers
Who was trained, when, what was covered.
Employee health check records current
Annual health certificates for food handling staff.
Recall procedure written and accessible
Named person and customer notification plan.
Licence renewal tracked and reminder set
FSSAI licences do not auto-renew.
0 of 8 complete
04 —Official bodyWho certifies in India
Who issues this in India — and how to verify it.
FSSAI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Apply directly at the official portal — no agents required.
Apply here and nowhere else: foscos.fssai.gov.in. Any third party offering to apply on your behalf is unnecessary for most applications.
For State and Central licences, a food safety officer may inspect.
Step 5
Licence issued
Timeline varies. Check current timelines at fssai.gov.in.
Renewal
Renew before expiry
Licences do not auto-renew.
▶Where to begin: Use the checklist in Section 3 to assess your readiness before contacting any CB.
Processing timeline
Varies by type
Check published timelines at fssai.gov.in.
Licence validity
1 to 5 years
Choose validity at application. Renew manually before expiry.
Application fee
At foscos.fssai.gov.in
Current fee schedule on the official portal.
If licence expires
Treated as no licence
Same penalties as operating without one.
FSSAI licences do not auto-renew. Operating with an expired licence carries the same penalties as operating without one.
06 —Find certified companiesHow to verify
How to find and verify certified organisations.
Every food business operating legally in India holds an FSSAI licence. You can verify the licence of any food business directly on the official FSSAI portal using their licence number.
How to verify: To confirm whether any organisation holds a current FSSAI certification, use the official register. Verify the issuing CB's accreditation at nabcb.qci.org.in.
Good records are the foundation. A process tracker builds them automatically.
Clicarity — Live Job Process Tracker & Bottleneck Identifier
Clicarity doesn't get you FSSAI licensed. It tracks your food production process — and that tracking becomes your food safety records.
FSSAI requires records proving safe food handling at every stage. In Clicarity, every job starts with a form capturing the order details. As it moves through each production stage, custom fields collect exactly what happened — quantities, temperatures, operators, photos. When a job splits into sub-jobs (different pack sizes, product variants), each is tracked independently. When sub-jobs rejoin, the complete record of every branch is preserved as one traceable job.
Job entry captures supplier name, FSSAI number, lot number, and delivery condition — your supplier verification record, built at the point of receipt.
Custom fields at each stage collect what FSSAI requires: batch numbers, quantities, operator names via dropdown, pass/fail checks — captured as part of doing the work.
When a job splits into pack sizes, wastage at the split point is recorded. Sub-jobs rejoin with full history intact — a complete chain of custody from raw material to despatch.
Clicarity shows where jobs get stuck and since when — bottleneck visibility that surfaces process issues before they become compliance problems.
📄 Job tracked in Clicarity
#WO-4821 — Packaged snack — 500 units
Job created
✎Product type
#Order qty
📅Delivery date
✎Customer
✎Special notes
→
Raw material receipt
▼Supplier name
✎Supplier FSSAI no.
✎Lot number
#Qty received (kg)
▼Condition
📷Photo of delivery
→
Cleaning & sorting
#Qty in (kg)
#Qty passed (kg)
#Qty rejected (kg)
▼Rejection reason
▼Operator
→
Processing
✎Batch no.
#Temp (°C)
#Duration (min)
▼Operator
▼Pass / Fail
▼ Job splits — each component tracked independently
#WO-4821-A
50g pack — 300 units
#Qty into line
▼Seal check
▼Batch code on pack
#WO-4821-B
100g pack — 200 units
#Qty into line
▼Seal check
▼Batch code on pack
▲
Components rejoin as #WO-4821 — complete record of every branch, every data point, every sign-off preserved.
QC inspection
▼Inspector
#Sample size
▼Pass / Fail
✎Defects found
📷Photo
→
Packing & labelling
▼FSSAI no. confirmed
📅MFG date
📅Expiry date
#Qty packed
→
Despatch
#Qty despatched
✎Vehicle no.
📅Despatch date
▼Sign-off
Wastage tracked:▰ Cleaning: rejected material qty and reason▰ Processing: batch yield vs input▰ Each sub-job tracks own pack yield
ⓘ Fields and stage names are fully customisable. This illustrates a typical packaged food manufacturer setup.
👥 Illustrative case — details changed for confidentiality
The business
Packaged snacks manufacturer Pune · 35 employees, supplying local retail chains
The trigger
A retail chain asked for their FSSAI licence number before finalising a supply agreement. The manufacturer had a Basic Registration but their turnover had grown and they needed to upgrade to a State Licence.
The challenge
They had no consolidated record of annual turnover by product category — required to confirm the correct licence type. Production records were scattered across notebooks and WhatsApp messages.
Where Clicarity came in
They had deployed Clicarity to track production jobs. Every batch — product type, quantity, date — was already logged with custom fields at each stage. When their consultant asked for a production summary by product category, the data was pulled in minutes.
The result
State Licence obtained. Supply agreement signed.
We always knew what we were making. We just never had it in one place until Clicarity.
Clicarity is a process tracking tool. It does not provide certification, consulting, or audit services.