FAQs on Food Safety Licensing & Registration Amendment Regulations, 2026

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued FAQs on the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026 to clarify key reforms aimed at simplifying compliance for Food Business Operators (FBOs). The amendments introduce perpetual validity of licenses, eliminating renewal requirements while maintaining compliance obligations. They also provide deemed registration for street vendors registered under the Street Vendors Act, 2014, reducing dual compliance. A risk-based inspection framework has been implemented to minimize inspections for compliant businesses while focusing on non-compliant entities. Additionally, turnover thresholds have been revised—up to ₹1.5 crore for registration, ₹1.5–50 crore for state licenses, and above ₹50 crore for central licenses—effective from April 1, 2026. The reforms reduce compliance burden, enable automatic migration without fees, and enhance efficiency, while ensuring strict safety and hygiene standards remain intact for high-risk food businesses.

RCD-01002/1/2021-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part(1)

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(a statutory authority established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006)
(Regulatory Compliance Division)
FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi – 110002

Date: March 27, 2026

Subject: FAQs on Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026 – reg.

The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026 notified vide Gazette Notification dated 10.03.2026, introduce key reforms including perpetual validity of licenses/registrations, deemed registration of street food vendors, risk-based inspection framework and provision for revision of turnover thresholds. Subsequently, FSSAI has issued an Order dated 13.03.2026 regarding revision of turnover thresholds for the categorisation of Food Business Operators (FBOs), effective from 01.04.2026.

2. In order to facilitate the smooth implementation of the above reforms and to guide Food Business Operators and field functionaries, a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) has been prepared and is enclosed as Annexure 1.

This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority.

Encl.: As above

Director (Regulatory Compliance Division)

To:

1. All Food Business Operators

2. Commissioners of Food Safety of all States/UTs

3. Directors of all Regional Offices, FSSAI

4. CTO, FSSAI – with a request for uploading on the FSSAI website

Copy for information to:

1. PPS to Chairperson, FSSAI

2. PS to CEO, FSSAI

3. Executive Director – Compliance Strategy

Annexure-1

FAQs on Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026

Q1. What are the key reforms introduced in the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026?

Ans: FSSAI has introduced the following key reforms:

i. Perpetual validity of FSSAI Licenses and Registrations

ii. Deemed registration of street food vendors who are already registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

iii. Risk-based inspection and food safety audit framework for food businesses.

iv. Revised threshold turnover for Registration and Licenses

Q2. What are the revised turnover thresholds for categorization of food businesses under the Licensing and Registration Regulations, and from when will they be implemented?

Ans: FSSAI has replaced the existing turnover thresholds for categorization of food businesses as follows:

These thresholds will be effective from 01^st April 2026 for all Food Business Operators [FBOs] who have applied for new licenses/registrations on or after this date. Further, sufficient time will be provided for migration via FoSCoS for existing FBOs to align with the revised turnover thresholds.

Q.3 Does the Order dated 13 March 2026 change the jurisdiction of the Licensing/ Registering Authority?

Ans: There is no change in the jurisdiction of Licensing/ Registering Authorities.

Q.4 What does “perpetual validity” mean, and how will it help food businesses?

Ans: Perpetual Validity of FSSAI Licenses and Registrations means that they will remain valid, unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered. FBOs are not required to renew their Licenses/ Registrations. However, FBOs must ensure compliance to other statutory requirements related to maintenance of hygiene, safety etc. as applicable.

This will significantly reduce compliance burden and compliance cost for all FBOs.

Q.5 With perpetual validity, how many years’ fee can be paid by FBOs?

Ans: FBOs have the option to select fee for any number of years at once. Fee can be paid at any time of the year.

Q.6 I hold a state license for which I have already paid the fee. But due to a change in turnover threshold, I am eligible for registration. Will my fee be adjusted?

Ans. Yes, the fee paid against the state license will be adjusted against the annual fee for registration.

Q.7 Is the modification fee applicable for migration to new thresholds in case of existing FBOs?

Ans: No fee is applicable for migration due to revised turnover thresholds.

Q.8 How do small business like street food vendors benefit from these reforms?

Ans: The amendment removed the requirement of dual registration and dual fee. Street food vendors, hawkers, food carts, food trucks and similar food businesses registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 shall be deemed to be registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

However, all such vendors shall comply with the hygiene and sanitary requirements specified under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, as applicable.

Q.9 Is perpetual validity and revised turnover threshold applicable to Tatkal Licenses/Registrations as well?

Ans: Yes

Q.10 Does the license or registration number change if there is a change in category, such as from a Central to a State license or State license to Registration, due to a change in turnover threshold?

Ans. There will be no change in the license number in case of migration.

Q.11 Whether a change in category, such as Central to State License or State License to Registration, will require any scrutiny and approval from the Licensing or Registering Authority?

Ans. Migration will be automatically done by the system at the backend based on self-declarations by FBOs and does not require any approval from the Licensing or Registering Authority.

Q.12 My license/registration application is under process [either in document scrutiny stage or reverted with a query or inspection stage]. What will happen to my application after 01.04.2026?

Ans. Any License/ Registration issued on or after 01.04.2026 will have perpetual validity.

Q13.How will modification applications be handled?

Ans. Any modification in the existing License/ Registration Certificate will continue as per the existing procedure.

Q.14 How will the reform related to risk-based inspection benefit FBOs?

Ans. The risk-based inspection is a computer-assisted system which considers the inputs from various sources, such as compliance history of FBO during enforcement, surveillance, self-compliance testing, third-party audits etc. It facilitates a compliant FBO by reducing the frequency of inspection. It aims to reduce repeated inspections of compliant FBOs while targeting repeat non­compliant food businesses.

Q.15 After an increase in the turnover threshold for Registration, how will food safety and hygiene be ensured for high-risk food businesses like dairy, meat, packaged drinking water and Infant Food?

Ans: After an increase in the turnover threshold for Registered food businesses, there is no compromise in the safety and hygiene requirements for high-risk food commodities. All licensed/registered food businesses involved in the manufacturing of dairy, meat, packaged drinking water, infant food and fishery products will have to continue compliance with hygiene, safety and testing requirements, as applicable.

Q.16 Is there any change in the responsibilities of the State Govt. after these reforms?

Ans. The State Government has been entrusted with more responsibilities to ensure the safety of food products. With these reforms, more than 98% Food Businesses will fall under the purview of the State Govt., who will be responsible for their monitoring, inspection and quality control.