Whether you are in the food industry or not, one thing you must be aware of is FSSAI License. If you don’t know about it, then try to know about it now because it is not only useful for the food business operators but also for the consumers. The main purpose behind this licensing is food safety for those who consume it. To make sure that the food supplied in the market is safe for consumption, the government came up with a law called the FSS Act of 2006.
According to this law it is mandatory for all the food business owners to get FSSAI License in order to run their food business lawfully in the market. The size of business does not matter, whether you are a small food business owner or having a well established food business both needs to get FSSAI License. Only thing that varies in this condition is type of license as FSSAI License is of three types which includes general FSSAI registration, State FSSAI License and Central FSSAI License. To know more about this must read this blog till the last paragraph.
What is FSSAI License?
Permission obtained by the food business owners to do food business in the Indian market after providing FSSAI all the required documentation and information is called FSSAI License. This license has been given under the FSS Act of 2006. As per food safety laws it is mandatory to get FSSAI License for all those who are running food business in the market. The purpose of this license is to ensure food safety.
Types of FSSAI License
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act that is also known as FSS Act of 2006,FSSAI License is of three types which has been mentioned below:
General FSSAI Registration
The General FSSAI License is the lowest level license granted in accordance with food safety regulations. Petty food enterprises will fall under this. The online processes for obtaining this license are quite simple. Additionally, because of its low rates, small food enterprises with low revenue can easily afford it. This will primarily cover the food industry, with a revenue or we can say turnover of less than Rs. 12 lakhs.
State FSSAI Registration
The majority of firms granted a State FSSAI license do so because their annual revenue exceeds Rs. 12 lakhs; however, this is not the sole factor used to determine whether or not a business would be eligible for a state food license. The applicability of a state food license to a firm is determined by a number of different considerations. The state-level food license covers a variety of food-related enterprises.
Central FSSAI License
Certain business categories, such as those involved in the import, export, e-commerce, and health supplement industries, are eligible for the Central FSSAI License. For this license, there is no set turnover restriction. Additionally, turnover varies from company to company; for certain types of organizations, it is irrelevant. According to the food safety law, this is the highest level of food licensing.
Total Cost of FSSAI License in India
In the total cost to get FSSAI License, the cost of many things has been included like government fees, professionals fees etc. Even government fees vary from license to license. Also the total fees depends on the total number of years one is obtaining this license. FSSAI License can be given for minimum 1 year and for maximum 5 years. After five years the owner needs to renew the same. While renewing the license one has to pay the fees again. Given below is the rough idea regarding the fees to get FSSAI License in India:
Cost for General FSSAI License
General food license is for the petty food businesses whose turnover is less than Rs. 12 lakh. For getting this license government fees for one year is Rs. 100 and for five years it will be different. This government fee does not include the charges of other documents required to get this license as well as professional fees. Both of them will cost around Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10,000. It depends on the professional to professional.
Cost for State FSSAI License
This State FSSAI license is for the mid-size businesses. To get this license it is suggested to take help from a professional, because the formalities in this license are more in comparison to general FSSAI license. Government fees for this license is between Rs. 2000- Rs. 5000 for one year. Additionally the cost for documents required for this license as well as professional fees is between Rs.10000-Rs. 20000. Again it varies from professional to professional. As per the expertise people charge for it. There are a number of professionals in the market, hence you must be careful while hiring the one.
Cost for Central FSSAI License
Central food license is the top most license of the food industry. All the big businesses which are well established with high turnovers need to get this license. The registration fees for this license is Rs. 7500, but it does include professional fees as well as the charges of other documents required for the registration of Central FSSAI license. Also this fee of Rs. 7500 is for one year. For the registration of the five years it will be higher. Current rate of professional fees for doing Central FSSAI license is between Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000. This license must be done with the help of the professional who has expired in the same, because it has a very strict registration procedure.
Summary of the FSSAI License Cost in India
Summarization of the cost to get FSSAI License in India without including the professional fees as well as other charges to prepare the documentation in order to get FSSAI License is mentioned below in the table:
| S.No | Details | Fees |
| General FSSAI License or FSSAI Registration | Rs. 100/year | |
| State FSSAI License | Rs. 2000- Rs. 5000/ year | |
| Central FSSAI License | Rs 7500/year | |
| Fees for Renewal | Same as new license | |
| Modification in State or Central FSSAI License | Rs. 1000 | |
| Modification in General FSSAI License or FSSAI Registration | Rs. 100 |
Conclusion
To get FSSAI License in India is crucial for all food business operators to ensure food safety and legitimacy in the market. The cost of acquiring these licenses varies depending on the type and duration. For the General FSSAI License, fees range from Rs. 100 per year; for the State License, it falls between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000 annually; and the Central FSSAI License is Rs. 7500 per year. However, these figures do not encompass professional fees and other documentation charges necessary in order to get FSSAI License, which differ based on expertise and complexity of the process. Whether a small food business or a large established enterprise, the FSSAI License is essential for maintaining food safety standards, offering various options for food business operators based on their needs.
