Every restaurant in India needs an FSSAI licence before serving food. Choose by turnover: Basic Registration under ₹1.5 crore, State Licence ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore, Central Licence above ₹50 crore or multi-state. You must display the certificate and keep the recurring annual fee paid to keep the licence active.
Does a restaurant need an FSSAI licence?
Yes, every restaurant in India must hold a valid FSSAI licence or registration before it serves food to the public. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) treats a restaurant as a food business operator, so a dine-in outlet, a takeaway counter, a bar-and-kitchen, or a hotel restaurant all fall under the licensing requirement.
Operating without a valid FSSAI number is an offence and can attract penalties, sealing of the premises, and delisting from delivery platforms. It is also a practical necessity: a valid FSSAI number is required to list on Swiggy, Zomato, and similar aggregators, to raise GST-compliant invoices to corporate clients, and to satisfy landlords and payment gateways.
The licence is issued by FSSAI through the Government FoSCoS portal (foscos.fssai.gov.in), which replaced the older FLRS system. CAREALL acts as your consultant and files the application on that portal on your behalf; we are not the government and do not issue the licence ourselves.
Which FSSAI licence does a restaurant need?
The FSSAI licence a restaurant needs depends on its annual turnover and scale: Basic Registration for turnover below ₹1.5 crore, a State Licence between ₹1.5 crore and ₹50 crore, and a Central Licence above ₹50 crore or where the business is multi-state. Most independent single-outlet restaurants under ₹1.5 crore now need only a Basic Registration; a State Licence applies from ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore.
A small tea shop, kiosk, or a new outlet with modest sales usually begins on Basic Registration. A busy, higher-turnover standalone restaurant, a chain outlet within a single state, or a hotel restaurant that crosses ₹1.5 crore moves up to a State Licence. A restaurant group operating across two or more states, or one running a large central kitchen, moves to the Central Licence, filed with the central FSSAI authority.
If you run a cloud kitchen or take orders through delivery apps, the same turnover thresholds apply, but you must ensure the registered address on the licence matches the kitchen actually preparing the food.
| Licence type | Who it fits | Annual turnover | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Registration | Small kiosk, tea shop, new low-volume outlet | Below ₹1.5 crore | Lowest |
| State Licence | Standalone restaurant, single-state chain, hotel restaurant | ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore | Higher (varies by capacity) |
| Central Licence | Multi-state groups, large central kitchen, above ₹50 crore | Above ₹50 crore or multi-state | Highest |
What documents does a restaurant need for an FSSAI licence?
A restaurant applying for an FSSAI licence needs identity and address proof of the proprietor or directors, proof of the business premises, a list of food categories, and a kitchen layout for a State or Central Licence. The exact set grows as you move from Basic Registration to the State and Central levels.
For a State Licence, restaurants are typically asked for the owner's photo ID and address proof, a rent agreement or ownership proof for the premises, a passport-size photo, the FSSAI-format declaration and Form B, a layout plan of the kitchen and seating, a list of proposed food items, and details of any water source used in cooking. A Central Licence adds documents such as the business incorporation certificate and, where relevant, an Import-Export Code (IEC).
Getting the food-category list and premises proof right is where most applications stall. CAREALL reviews your documents against the FoSCoS checklist before submission to reduce the chance of an objection or rejection.
What are the FSSAI display rules for restaurants?
FSSAI requires every restaurant to display its FSSAI licence or registration certificate at a prominent place visible to customers, showing the 14-digit FSSAI number. Inspectors routinely check for this, and delivery platforms expect the number to be shown on menus and packaging.
In practice this means the physical certificate should be framed and mounted near the entrance or billing counter, and the 14-digit number should appear on your menu cards, on online listings, and on any packaging or bill you issue. Restaurants above a certain scale are also expected to follow FSSAI hygiene and food-handling display norms, including displaying that food handlers are trained where applicable.
A missing or expired display is one of the most common issues flagged during inspection. Keep the certificate current and legible, and make sure the number printed on your Swiggy or Zomato listing matches the licence exactly.
How does a restaurant keep its FSSAI licence active and what happens if the annual fee is unpaid?
An FSSAI licence is now valid indefinitely once issued — there is no fixed one-to-five-year term and no renewal application. To keep it active, the holder pays a recurring annual fee; if that annual fee is left unpaid, the licence is deemed suspended and the restaurant cannot legally operate until it is cleared.
Paying the annual fee on time means there is never a gap in validity, so your listings and operations stay uninterrupted. State and Central Licence holders whose food business crosses the relevant threshold should also file the annual return in Form D1 by 31 May each year. Licences issued before April 2026 may still show an expiry date on FoSCoS during the transition — CAREALL keeps your annual fee paid so your licence stays active.
CAREALL tracks your annual-fee due dates, pays and files on FoSCoS on time, and keeps your compliance current so your restaurant keeps trading without interruption.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Licence validity | Indefinite once issued — no fixed term |
| Annual fee | Paid each year to keep the licence active |
| If annual fee unpaid | Licence is deemed suspended until it is cleared |
| Annual return (Form D1) | Due 31 May for applicable licence holders |
| Where filed | FoSCoS portal (foscos.fssai.gov.in) |
How does CAREALL help a restaurant get and keep its FSSAI licence?
CAREALL is an FSSAI consultancy that files your restaurant's application on the Government FoSCoS portal, tells you exactly which licence you qualify for, prepares the paperwork, and tracks the file through to issuance. The licence itself is granted by FSSAI; our role is to make the process fast, correct, and hassle-free.
We handle the full lifecycle: determining Basic, State, or Central based on your turnover and locations; assembling and checking documents against the FoSCoS checklist; submitting the application; responding to any departmental query; and later keeping your annual fee paid, handling modifications, and filing annual returns. We never guarantee approval or an exact number of days, but we track every file to issuance and keep you informed.
Our professional fee is separate from the government fee, which is charged by FSSAI according to your licence type and capacity. Reach out with your turnover and outlet details and we will confirm the right licence and the documents needed to start.
Frequently asked questions
Can a restaurant operate on Basic FSSAI Registration?
Yes, as long as its annual turnover is below ₹1.5 crore. A small tea shop, kiosk, or a standalone restaurant under ₹1.5 crore can operate on Basic Registration. A State Licence becomes necessary only once turnover crosses ₹1.5 crore, up to ₹50 crore. Review your projected sales before choosing, as under-declaring can lead to problems at inspection.
Where must a restaurant display its FSSAI licence?
FSSAI requires the certificate to be displayed at a prominent, customer-visible spot, typically framed near the entrance or billing counter, showing the 14-digit FSSAI number clearly. The same number should also appear on your menu, bills, packaging, and online listings on Swiggy or Zomato. A missing or expired display is one of the most common issues flagged during a food-safety inspection.
What happens if I stop paying my restaurant's FSSAI annual fee?
If the annual fee goes unpaid, your licence is deemed suspended and you cannot legally operate until it is cleared. The FSSAI licence itself no longer expires on a fixed term — it stays valid indefinitely as long as the annual fee is paid. CAREALL tracks your annual-fee due dates and pays and files on FoSCoS on time to keep you trading.
Do I need an FSSAI licence to list my restaurant on Swiggy or Zomato?
Yes. A valid 14-digit FSSAI number is mandatory to list a restaurant on Swiggy, Zomato, and other aggregators. The number on the platform must match your licence exactly, and the registered address should match the kitchen preparing the food. Without a valid FSSAI licence you cannot onboard or stay listed on delivery platforms.
How long is an FSSAI licence valid for a restaurant?
An FSSAI licence for a restaurant is now valid indefinitely once issued — there is no fixed one-to-five-year term. Instead of renewing, you pay a recurring annual fee to keep it active; if the annual fee is left unpaid, the licence is deemed suspended. CAREALL tracks your annual-fee dates so your outlet stays continuously compliant.
This guide is kept current for 2026. It is general information, not legal advice — for your specific case, talk to a CAREALL consultant.