An FSSAI registration or licence is now valid indefinitely, so there is no renewal to file. You keep it active by paying an annual fee on the FoSCoS portal (lowest for Basic, higher for State, highest for Central). If the annual fee is not paid, the licence is deemed suspended and you cannot operate until it is cleared. CAREALL keeps your annual fee paid so your licence never lapses.
Do I still need to renew my FSSAI licence?
No. An FSSAI registration or licence no longer carries a fixed term and there is no renewal application to file. Once issued, it is valid indefinitely and stays valid unless it is suspended, cancelled or surrendered. What replaces renewal is a recurring annual fee: you pay it each year on the FoSCoS portal to keep the licence active.
This is a change from the older system, where a licence ran for 1 to 5 years and had to be renewed before an expiry date. Under the current model there is no expiry to chase — but the annual fee must be paid on time, because an unpaid annual fee causes the licence to be deemed suspended, and a suspended licence cannot be used to operate.
Licences issued before April 2026 may still show an expiry date on FoSCoS during the transition — we keep your annual fee paid so your licence stays active. We recommend diarising the annual-fee date the moment your licence is granted so it is never missed, and CAREALL sets that reminder for every client we file for.
| Situation | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee paid on time | Licence stays active and valid indefinitely | Nothing further needed until next year |
| Annual-fee date approaching | Fee due to keep the licence active | Pay on FoSCoS before the due date |
| Annual fee unpaid | Licence is deemed suspended | Pay the outstanding fee to restore it; do not operate meanwhile |
| Pre-2026 licence showing an expiry date | Transition-period display only | We keep the annual fee paid so it stays active |
How do I pay the FSSAI annual fee on the FoSCoS portal?
You keep an FSSAI licence active by logging in to the FoSCoS portal (foscos.fssai.gov.in), opening your existing licence, and paying the annual fee due for the year. FoSCoS has replaced the older FLRS system, so the annual fee and any updates to your record are all handled through FoSCoS under the same login you have always used.
There is no renewal application to submit and no term to choose. If any of your details have changed — a new address, revised Form B declaration or updated Food Safety Management plan — you update them through a modification, but the annual fee itself is simply paid to keep the licence live. Once the fee is paid, the licence continues in force.
CAREALL handles this end to end — verifying your existing record, keeping your details current, and paying the annual fee on FoSCoS before it falls due. We track each payment to confirmation rather than promising a fixed number of days.
- Log in to FoSCoS with your registered credentials
- Open the existing licence and check the annual-fee status
- Review and update business, product and premises details if anything changed
- Pay the annual fee online to keep the licence active
- Retain the payment confirmation for your records
What does it cost to keep an FSSAI licence active in 2026?
Keeping a licence active means an annual fee, charged per year for as long as you hold the licence. The government fee depends on your category and capacity — Basic Registration is the lowest, a State Licence higher (it varies with capacity), and a Central Licence the highest (CAREALL shares your exact, all-in cost on WhatsApp before anything is filed).
These are government fees only. The consultant or professional fee for preparing your filing and keeping your licence current is separate. There is one issuance fee when the licence is first granted, then a recurring annual fee thereafter; if the annual fee goes unpaid, the licence is deemed suspended, as explained in the section below.
Because the annual fee recurs every year, the practical priority is never missing the due date rather than choosing a term. CAREALL diarises the annual-fee date and pays it ahead of time so your licence stays continuously active.
| Licence type | Who it applies to | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Registration | Turnover under ₹1.5 crore | Lowest |
| State Licence | ₹1.5 crore–₹50 crore, single state | Higher (varies by capacity) |
| Central Licence | Over ₹50 crore, importers/exporters, multi-state, e-commerce | Highest |
What happens if the annual fee is not paid?
If the annual fee is not paid, the FSSAI licence is deemed suspended. A suspended licence cannot be used, which means you are not authorised to carry on the food business until the outstanding annual fee is cleared and the licence is restored to active status.
This is why the annual-fee date matters more than any expiry ever did: there is no term to run out, but an unpaid fee stops you operating just the same. Operating on a deemed-suspended licence exposes you to separate enforcement action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, so the annual fee should be treated as a fixed obligation, not optional paperwork.
The simplest protection is to pay the annual fee well before it falls due — CAREALL diarises the annual-fee date and pays it ahead of time for every client we manage, so the licence never slips into suspension.
| Annual fee status | Licence status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Paid on time | Active | Valid indefinitely; nothing further needed this year |
| Due soon | Active | Pay on FoSCoS before the due date |
| Unpaid | Deemed suspended | Cannot operate until the fee is cleared |
| Cleared after suspension | Restored to active | Pay the outstanding fee to resume operations |
What documents keep an FSSAI licence current?
To keep an FSSAI licence current you generally need your existing licence details on file, plus updated identity and address proof, a current photograph, and any documents that have changed since issue, such as a revised Form B, updated FSMS plan or fresh premises proof. In most cases your original documents still stand unless something has changed.
State and Central licences may require additional papers such as the Food Safety Management System plan, layout of the premises, list of food products and, for importers and exporters, proof of an Import-Export Code (IEC). Packaged drinking water units must also hold the relevant BIS/ISI certification.
If your business details, ownership, products or premises have changed since the licence was issued, those changes should be captured through a modification on FoSCoS. CAREALL reviews your record first so your licence reflects your current operations accurately.
- Existing FSSAI licence / registration number
- Updated ID and address proof of the proprietor / entity
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Form B declaration (updated if details changed)
- FSMS plan and premises layout (State/Central, where applicable)
- IEC copy for importers and exporters; BIS/ISI for packaged water
Frequently asked questions
Do I still have to renew my FSSAI licence?
No. An FSSAI registration or licence is now valid indefinitely and there is no renewal application. You keep it active by paying an annual fee on FoSCoS. If the annual fee is unpaid the licence is deemed suspended and you cannot operate until it is cleared, so the priority is paying the annual fee on time.
What happens if I do not pay the FSSAI annual fee?
If the annual fee is not paid, the licence is deemed suspended, which means you may not legally carry on the food business until the outstanding fee is cleared and the licence is restored. There is no expiry to chase any more, but an unpaid annual fee stops you operating just the same, so pay it well ahead of the due date.
How much is the FSSAI annual fee?
The annual fee depends on your category and capacity — lowest for Basic Registration, higher for State (it varies by capacity) and highest for Central (CAREALL shares your exact, all-in cost on WhatsApp before anything is filed). There is one issuance fee when the licence is granted, then a recurring annual fee thereafter. Professional or consultant fees are separate from the government fee.
How long is an FSSAI licence valid?
An FSSAI registration or licence is now valid indefinitely — it stays valid unless it is suspended, cancelled or surrendered. There is no fixed 1-to-5-year term any more. What keeps it in force is the annual fee, which must be paid each year on FoSCoS. Licences issued before April 2026 may still show an expiry date on FoSCoS during the transition — we keep your annual fee paid so your licence stays active.
Where do I pay the FSSAI annual fee online?
The annual fee is paid on the FoSCoS portal at foscos.fssai.gov.in, which has replaced the older FLRS system. You log in, open your existing licence, update any details that have changed and pay the annual fee. CAREALL can manage this on your behalf and keep the fee paid ahead of time so the licence stays continuously active.
This guide is kept current for 2026. It is general information, not legal advice — for your specific case, talk to a CAREALL consultant.