Check FSSAI License Applicability

Any FBO carrying food business needs to register itself with FSSAI by applying through the online portal of FOSCoS.

Food Safety and standards Authority of India issues FSSAI License and Registration through its licensing at the central and state level.These licensing authorities have designated officers for grant of licence /registration in compliance with the procedure laid down under FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (LICENSING AND REGISTRATION OF FOOD BUSINESSES), REGULATIONS 2011.

No, a single licence / Registration will be sufficient to deal in different food products as you are caring business from the same premises. The food licence /Registration is location specific not food specific, meaning thereby if you have ten outlets of a single food product say ice cream in Delhi,you need to procure licence /registration for each outlet based on its turnover.

No, there is no provision of a common licence for all the units located in different States. The food licence is premise specific. The golden rule is “One premise one licence”.The FBO need to choose one place as its principal place of business/head office and for that place it need to apply for Central licence for all other units it need to apply for central or state licence or registration certificate as per eligibility criteria of each unit in that particular state.

A FBO cannot manufacture or process the food products which are not mentioned in the Licence. So, before starting any manufacturing or processing of food items you need to check whether it falls in the food category for which licence is granted and if not you need to file for modification. Once the licence is duly modified as per the desired food category you can start the business with the same.

The government fee for licence /registration will vary as per the term for which an application for food licence/registration is made.A FBO may choose a maximum term of five years as a validity period at the time of making application for food licence/registration.Government fee for Food licence and registration is as under:

• Food Registration- Rs 100 p.a.
• State Licence- Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 p.a depending on the production capacity of a processing/ manufacturing food unit, in all other cases fee is Rs 2000 p.a
• Central Licence- Rs 7500/- p.a

The food licence /registration can have a maximum validity period of five years.Th e validity period of the food licence/registration will vary from one year to five years as per the choice opted by the FBO at the time of making an application for the same.

The renewal application must be filed 30 days before the expiry of validity period. If an FBO fails to file the renewal within the prescribed time limit it may apply for renewal within the validity period with a late fee of Rs 100 per day.

Illustration

AABC Foodies Private Limited running a restaurant in Delhi with a state licence having validity till 31st March 2021. It failed to apply for its renewal by 1st of March 2021.Now, It is making a renewal application on 31st March 2021 which is the last day of validity of the state licence.

• Renewal fee = Rs 2000 X 3= Rs 6000 ( renewal fee for three years)
• Late fee = Rs 100 X 30 = Rs 3000 (30 days delay )
• Total fee for renewal
• Application for 3 years = Rs 9000/-

Thus the timely filing of renewal could have saved a late fee of Rs 3000/-

Yes , the food licence can be modified if there is any change in the information provided to the licensing authorities at the time of grant of licence but the food registration cannot be modified to food licence.There are two types of modification. These are:

• Form C Modification- If there is any change in the particulars appearing in licencelike name of applicant , its address, production capacity, kind of business,product , FBO need to apply for modification with a fee of Rs 1000 plus fee equal to difference in annual fee in case of upgradation of licence.If there is no upgradation of licence Form C modification fee will be Rs 1000 only.
• Non Form C Modification- It is a type of modification in which particulars appealing in the licence does not change.It could be in case of change of nominee, Change in contact details of authorised person or directors/partners/proprietor of applicant entity, change in any supporting document attached at the time of grant of licence.No fee is required for modification of non-form C details.

Thus the timely filing of renewal could have saved a late fee of Rs 3000/-

The closure of the business is to be intimated to the FSSAI by way of making an online application for surrender of Registration certificate or Licence through FoSCoS. Once the surrender application is approved the Food business is considered to be closed for FSSAI.

No , the food licence /registration shall be valid for 90 days from the death of licence or registration certificate holder for the benefit of legal heir of the deceased. The legal heir shall file an application for transfer of food licence /registration in their favour. If there is a delay in filing the said transfer application the designated office may condone such delay by recording reason in writing.

No, food licence of an entity cannot be transferred but food licence procured by an individual could only be transferred to his/her legal heir in case of death.