FSSAI stands for the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India. FSSAI license certificate number is a 14-digit number, that is required to be printed on every packaged food item and also required to be displayed at the premises. This registration or license is required by every Food Business Operator in the country. It is basically for the petty food manufacturers that includes petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or a temporary stall holder or small or cottage scale industry having annual turnover up to ₹12 lakhs per annum. Some of the other eligibility criteria for this registration are as follows:

• Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process- Up to 500 LPD of milk OR up to 2.5 MT of milk solids per annum
• Slaughtering units- Up to 2 large animals, Up to 10 small animals, 50 Poultry Birds per day
• All food processing units including re-labellers and re-packers- Turnover up to ₹12 lakhs and production capacity of food up to 100kg/ ltr per day

Procedure for obtaining FSSAI Registration:

• A Petty Food Business Operator shall submit an application in Form A- "Application for Registration under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006" to the Registering Authority with the payment of fee.
• A Unique Application Reference Number shall be generated.
• Registration Authority shall, on being satisfied, either grant the registration or on being dissatisfied, reject the registration (with duly recorded reasons in writing) within 7 days of receipt of the registration application.
• Where the registration is granted, the Food Business Operator may start the business.
• Where Registration Authority feels it necessary, may issue a notice for inspection within 7 days.
• If no inspection order is passed, the Food Business Operator may start the business
• If inspection order is passed, then the inspection shall be done within 30 days.
• Where after inspection, registration is granted, the Food Business Operator may start the business.

Documents required for basic FSSAI registration:

• Photo of Food Business Operator
• Identity Proof like Ration Card, Voter ID Card, PAN Card, Driving License, Passport, Aadhar Card, Senior Citizen Card, Department Issued ID
• Address proof like Utility bills (Electricity bill or water bill) for owned premises and Rent or lease agreement with NOC from owner of premises for rented or leased premises
• Supporting documents (if any)- NOC by Municipality/ Panchayat, Health NOC
• List of food items involved in the business

Apart from FSSAI basic registration, there are 2 more licenses that are to be taken based on the eligibility criteria: State license and Central license.

1. State license:This license should be obtained by Food Business Operators having turnover between ₹12 lakhs and ₹20 crores per annum. This is the basic eligibility criteria apart from some other specified parameters. Application is filed in Form B to the State department.

• Details of the Owner/ Proprietor, Partners oDirectors or Authorized signatories along with their Photo ID and Address Proof issued by Government authority
• Photographs of above mentioned persons
• Proof of possession of premises (Sale deed/ Rent agreement/ Electricity bill, etc.)
• NOC from the owners along with their name and address details
• NOC from Municipality or local body
• Partnership deed/ Affidavit of proprietorship/ MOA or AOA of companies (including incorporation certificate)
• List of food items and food category
• Planned Food Safety Management System (FSMS) or certificate ,if any
• Layout plans, Analysis report, equipments or machinery list, etc. specific to specific manufacturing or processing units.

2. Central license : This license should be obtained by Food Business Operators having turnover above ₹20 crores per annum. This is the basic eligibility criteria apart from some other specified parameters. Application is filed in Form B to the Central government.

• This license should be obtained by Food Business Operators having turnover above ₹20 crores per annum. This is the basic eligibility criteria apart from some other specified parameters. Application is filed in Form B to the Central government.
• Annual turnover proof
• Details of the Owner/ Proprietor, Partners or Directors or Authorized signatories along with their Photo ID and Address Proof issued by Government authority
• Photographs of above mentioned persons
• Proof of possession of premises (Sale deed/ Rent agreement/ Electricity bill, etc.)
• NOC from the owners along with their name and address details
• Partnership deed/ Affidavit of proprietorship/ MOA or AOA of companies (including incorporation certificate)
• List of food items and food category
• Planned Food Safety Management System (FSMS) or certificate ,if any
• Layout plans, Analysis report, equipment’s or machinery list, etc. specific to specific manufacturing or processing units.