WHAT IS FSSAI REGISTRATION/LICENSE
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license is mandatory before starting any food business. This food License is location specific and is also term bound. All the manufacturers, traders, restaurants who are involved in food business must obtain a 14-digit registration or a license number which must be printed on food packages.
This step is taken by goverment’s food licensing & registration system to ensure that food products undergo certain quality checks, thereby reducing the instances of adulteration, substandard products and improve accountability of manufacturers by issuing food service license.
TYPE OF LICENSE
- Basic Registration: Applicable for business having annual turnover of below Rs. 12 Lakh per annum
- State License: Applicable for business having annual turnover of between Rs. 12 lakh-20 crore per annum
- Central License: Applicable for business having annual turnover of above 20 crore per annum
WHO REQUIRE FOOD LICENSE
Food Business Operator (FBO): License / registration with FSSAI is mandatory for every Food Business Operator (FBO). Whether a FBO requires a License or registration depends upon the factors like capacity of production/ handling etc., nature of food business activities and area of operation. Before making an application to the authority FBO must undergo the eligibility search to understand whether it needs registration or license (State License/Central License).
Importer of Food: Every person who is an importer has to apply for a central license at their address which has been registered with DGFT while obtaining Import Export Code. A food business carrying on business at different location needs to apply for separate license for each location. Thus each location will be issued a separate license except transporter where one license will be issued for all the vehicles of a single transporter/ business.
Central Food Licence: In case an Food Business Operator is operating in more than two states, it has to obtain one additional central License for the Head Office/ Registered Office and separate license for each location , which will again depend upon the factors like capacity of production/ handling etc. , nature of food business activities and area of operation.
DOCUMENT REQUIRED
- Declaration form
- Authority letter
- Copy of property paper (if owned property)
- Copy of rent agreement (if rented property)
- Food safety management system or certificate
- Electricity/Water bills (for business place)
- Copy of Aadhar card/Voter Id card of proprietor/Partners/Director
- Form IX: Nominations of persons by a company along with Board Resolution
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT FOR MANUFACTURER
- Blue Print/Layout plan of the processing unit
- List of equipment and machinery
- List of food category desired to be manufactured
- Pesticide residues report of water
FSSAI LICENSE NUMBER
- The 14-digit number provides information about the manufacturer’s license or registration details and the manufacturing state which will be called as FSSAI NO.
- The Brand owner shall display the FSSAI logo and his license number on the label of food package.
- In case of imported food products, the importer shall display FSSAI logo and license number along with the name and address of importer on a sticker to be affixed before customs clearance.
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