Difference Between Fssai Licence and Fssai Registration

Every food business operator or individual who deals in manufacturing, storage and transportation needs to obtain FSSAI Registration or license. The need for registration or license will depend upon the turnover and nature of business.

As per the Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011 all food business operators in India that deal in transportation, manufacturing and transportation need to obtain FSSAI registration or license for doing food business.

The eligibility for registration and license highly depends upon the nature and size of the business, hence the technical differences in registration and licenses are:

FSSAI - Basic Registration

All petty food business operators need to obtain FSSAI basic registration before they can start operating business in India.

On the other hand, for obtaining FSSAI basic registration, the application shall be made in Form A to the Licensing Authority along with the necessary relevant documents, as applicable. Upon the submission of application, the registration shall be granted by the authority upon reviewing the application.

Eligibility for FSSAI Basic Registration

• A Manufacture who sells any article of food himself through any eatery
• a hawker, a vendor, a wholesaler, a petty retailer, a supplier, club/canteen, restaurant, Dhaba, boarding houses, banquet hall, transporter or a stallholder
• Distributor of foods including in any religious or social gathering.
• Food businesses including small scale business or cottage industry or other industries relating to food business with an annual turnover up to Rs 12 lacs.
• Dairy units, including milk chilling units that are equipped to process, vegetable oil processing units, Slaughter units, meat processing units.
• All food processing units including re-labellers & repackers.

FSSAI Licence
Any person or entities who are not a petty food business operator or small-scale food business entity must obtain an FSSAI license for the operation of a food business.

• FSSAI license is granted by the authority for a period of minimum 1 year to a maximum period of 5 years as applied by the food business operator.
• In case the license is obtained for one year, then the license can be renewed by the food business operator upon making an application, no later than 30 days prior to the expiry date of the FSSAI license.
• FSSAI license fee and the procedure are more extensive as compared to obtaining FSSAI basic registration. For obtaining FSSAI license, the application shall be made in Form B to the

Licensing Authority along with the necessary relevant documents, as applicable. Upon the submission of application, the registration shall be granted by the authority upon reviewing the application.

Eligibility for FSSAI – State License

• FSSAI - State license is basically required for medium-sized food manufacturers, processor and transporters.
• A state license is required if the FBOs are having the Food business turnover of more than 12 lacs but less than 20 crores.
• If FBOs having a start-up food business but is into manufacturing unit or into Catering services then irrespective of the turnover criteria, it is mandatory for them to apply for the State License as per the FSSAI Act, 2006.

Eligibility for FSSAI Central License

• FSSAI - Central license is required for large food manufacturer/processors/ transporters and importers of food products.
• Central License is required if the FBOs are having the Food Business turnover of more than 20 Crore.
• It is also mandatory for FBOs to apply for this type of license if they are having an Export-Import business of Food items.
• Where the Food business is being operated in more than one state, then the FBOs are required to obtain one Central License for the Head office & State License for another branch office.