Updated: 18 October 2026 | TaxQue Food Business Compliance Guide
You have found a location, finalised a menu, and are ready to open your food business. Then someone quotes ₹100 for an FSSAI registration, another says ₹5,000 for a State Licence, and a third insists you need a ₹7,500 Central Licence. Which quote is right?
It depends on what your business does, its annual turnover and whether it falls into a specially regulated category. And there is an important 2026 change: some fee tables copied from older websites are now inaccurate.
From 1 April 2026, FSSAI introduced revised turnover limits. Its updated FoSCoS kind-of-business and fee schedule lists ₹100 per year for ordinary registration, ₹5,000 per year for the standard State Licence and ₹7,500 per year for the standard Central Licence. Certain business types and notified fee exemptions follow different rules. This guide shows how to choose correctly and what to budget for after the application.
FSSAI licence fees in 2026: quick comparison
| Category | Main turnover band from 1 April 2026 | Standard government fee per year | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
FSSAI Basic Registration | Up to ₹1.5 crore | ₹100 | Eligible small food retailers, home bakers, eateries and cloud kitchens |
FSSAI State Licence | Above ₹1.5 crore and up to ₹50 crore | ₹5,000 | Eligible medium-sized restaurants, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors |
FSSAI Central Licence | Above ₹50 crore | ₹7,500 | Eligible large food businesses; also certain activities irrespective of turnover |
These are standard annual government fees, not quotations for all food businesses. For example, certain railway and Central Government food-catering activities have a separate Central Licence fee, and eligible hawkers have a fee waiver. The final classification depends on the Kind of Business (KoB) selected on FoSCoS. Check the official FSSAI 2026 category schedule before paying.
The fees are payable on FoSCoS, the official FSSAI portal . A consultant's professional fee, if you hire someone, is separate. Do not pay an agent merely because a website claims that a ₹100 registration costs thousands in government charges.
What exactly changed from 1 April 2026?
Until March 2026, many food operators used older eligibility charts based on a ₹12 lakh registration limit and business-specific State/Central thresholds. The FSSAI order dated 13 March 2026 replaced the general turnover bands with the following three categories:
- Registration: turnover up to and including ₹1.5 crore.
- State Licence: turnover above ₹1.5 crore but not above ₹50 crore.
- Central Licence: turnover above ₹50 crore.
The order took effect on 1 April 2026. At the same time, FSSAI introduced perpetual validity for registrations and licences, subject to compliance, fee payment, suspension, cancellation and surrender. The official FSSAI FAQ dated 27 March 2026 also explains migration of existing businesses.
Does annual turnover mean profit?
No. Turnover is the sales or receipts of the relevant food business; it is not the profit left after paying staff, rent and suppliers. A kitchen with ₹1.8 crore in sales and only ₹8 lakh in profit does not qualify for the basic-registration turnover band just because its profit is small.
Also, do not decide on turnover alone. The activity itself may require a Central Licence, or a different category, even where turnover is low. A food importer, a food e-commerce business operator and certain specialist food-manufacturing activities are examples. The exact classification must be matched to the latest KoB schedule.
Basic FSSAI registration fee: ₹100 per year
Basic registration is the lower-cost option for eligible smaller food businesses within the revised ₹1.5 crore annual-turnover threshold.
Consider a home baker with annual sales of ₹14 lakh or a small tiffin service selling ₹65 lakh of meals a year. If the business activity fits the eligible registration category and no special licensing requirement applies, the standard government registration fee is ₹100 per year.
This does not mean the owner can ignore sanitation, food-handler hygiene, safe storage or applicable food labelling requirements. Registration is still a food-safety obligation, and inspections or compliance checks may follow.
Are hawkers required to pay ₹100?
Not in every case. FSSAI's April 2026 KoB schedule shows the registration fee as ₹0 for the eligible hawker category, following the earlier fee waiver. Separately, its 2026 FAQ explains that street vendors, hawkers, carts and similar food businesses registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 are deemed registered for the applicable FSSAI purpose. The law still requires relevant hygiene and sanitary standards to be followed.
Do not confuse a qualifying street hawker with every restaurant, home kitchen or delivery brand. Check whether the business actually meets the conditions for the exemption or deemed registration.
FSSAI State Licence fee in 2026: the important correction
Here is the correction that many older articles miss: the current standard State Licence government fee is ₹5,000 per year in FSSAI's revised April 2026 category schedule.
Before the reforms, older fee charts commonly quoted different prices for restaurants, certain manufacturers and hotels. Copying those older ₹2,000–₹5,000 tables into a 2026 guide can mislead business owners. The official April 2026 FoSCoS document shows ₹5,000 for the ordinary State Licence entries, including eligible restaurants, general manufacturing and food distribution.
Example: restaurant turnover rises
A restaurant had ₹1.35 crore turnover in one year, but its annual turnover later rises to ₹1.85 crore. Under the ordinary turnover test, it moves from the registration band into the State Licence band. The business should review its FoSCoS category and any required migration or modification promptly rather than assuming its previous ₹100 registration will always remain suitable.
Example: packaged-food manufacturer
A packaged-snacks manufacturer with ₹4 crore turnover may require a State Licence at the standard annual fee of ₹5,000. But its exact activities and products still matter: proprietary foods, certain nutraceutical products, import or other specified categories may require Central licensing irrespective of turnover.
Central FSSAI Licence fee: usually ₹7,500 per year
For the standard Central Licence, the government fee is ₹7,500 per year. Businesses with turnover above ₹50 crore will generally be within the Central Licence band, but the category is not reserved only for large businesses.
For example, the April 2026 schedule identifies certain food-import operations, e-commerce food business operators, and head or registered offices of food businesses operating across two or more states or Union Territories as Central Licence categories irrespective of ordinary turnover thresholds.
When can a Central Licence have a different fee?
The schedule separately lists ₹2,000 for some Central Government institutional food-catering operations and railway-station food-service activities within their specified conditions. These are narrow, activity-specific entries—not a discounted Central Licence available to every applicant.
Always check the activity and authority listed on the current FoSCoS eligibility schedule instead of choosing a lower amount because it appears somewhere in a fee chart.
Why the turnover table is not enough for every activity
The 2026 FoSCoS list retains some category-specific entries. For example, it lists caterers under State or Central licensing criteria rather than providing the same ordinary registration path shown for smaller restaurants. That is why a banquet caterer and a small café with the same sales should not automatically submit identical applications. Check the exact Kind of Business before selecting the fee.
FSSAI fee examples for different food businesses
| Business scenario | Indicative classification | Standard annual fee | What could change the answer? |
|---|---|---|---|
Home-based tiffin kitchen, turnover ₹18 lakh | Registration | ₹100 | Shared premises, other regulated activities, inaccurate KoB selection |
Neighbourhood restaurant, turnover ₹90 lakh | Registration | ₹100 | Special activities or another licensing condition |
Restaurant, turnover ₹2.4 crore | State Licence | ₹5,000 | Other covered activities and premises |
Packaged snack manufacturer, turnover ₹8 crore | State Licence, if standard activity | ₹5,000 | Specialist product/manufacturing category requiring Central Licence |
Standard food retailer, turnover ₹60 crore | Central Licence | ₹7,500 | More than one premises, other legal requirements |
Food importer with turnover below ₹1.5 crore | Central Licence | ₹7,500 | The import activity, not just turnover, determines eligibility |
Eligible hawker within the prescribed category | Registration / deemed registration | May be ₹0 | Eligibility for waiver or the Street Vendors Act arrangement |
These examples illustrate how to think about the rules; they are not a substitute for selecting the correct KoB for your exact premises, products and operations.
Does an FSSAI licence still need renewal in 2026?
For licences and registrations under the amended framework, routine periodic renewal has been replaced by perpetual validity. FSSAI explains that validity continues unless a certificate is suspended, cancelled or surrendered.
However, these three responsibilities remain:
- Pay the applicable annual fee. A perpetual certificate is not a one-time free licence.
- Comply with food-safety conditions. Hygiene, product standards, records, inspections and applicable returns still matter.
- Keep business information current. Update details or obtain an appropriate category change when the premises, business activity or other relevant information changes.
Under the 10 March 2026 amendment notification , failure to pay an annual fee or submit an applicable return on time can lead to the licence or registration being deemed suspended. The notification provides for revocation after payment/submission and any due penalty, as applicable. Food-business operations during suspension may attract enforcement action.
Can I pay FSSAI fees for more than one year?
Yes. FSSAI's March 2026 FAQ, question 5 , says food business operators may select fees for any number of years at once and pay at any time during the year. Review the due status shown in your FoSCoS account rather than assuming an old renewal date still applies.
For a standard State Licence, three annual fees would amount to ₹15,000 before any other charge; a standard registration would be ₹300 for three annual fees. These are fee illustrations, not guarantees that no later classification or payment adjustment will apply.
Already holding a State Licence? You may qualify for migration
A food operator with ₹55 lakh annual turnover may have held a State Licence under earlier rules. Under the revised ordinary turnover bands, that activity might now qualify for Basic Registration.
FSSAI's March 2026 FAQ explains several points:
- Existing operators may migrate through FoSCoS to match the revised thresholds.
- No modification fee is payable solely for migration caused by those revised thresholds.
- The fee already paid for a State Licence is adjusted against the registration fee, where applicable.
- FSSAI states that the licence/registration number does not change merely because the category migrates.
- The authority describes backend migration based on the operator's self-declaration, without a separate approval requirement for that category migration.
Do not surrender a valid certificate and start over without checking your migration status. Review the records, fees and activity category on FoSCoS .
How to check your FSSAI licence fee on FoSCoS
Check fees before submitting an application
-
Open the official portal
Visit https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/ directly rather than paying through a lookalike payment page.
-
Choose the food activity
Select the correct Kind of Business, such as restaurant, manufacturer, retailer, transporter or importer.
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Confirm premises and turnover
Enter the applicable establishment details and business turnover information as requested.
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Review the proposed category
Confirm whether the portal determines registration, State Licence or Central Licence and inspect any special activity conditions.
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Prepare the documents
Keep identity, business constitution, premises and activity-specific documents ready; the portal's checklist depends on the category.
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Review the government fee
Check the official amount before paying and distinguish it from any separate professional-service quotation.
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Save the acknowledgement
Keep the application reference, payment receipt and issued registration or licence details for future verification.
For additional steps and required paperwork, read TaxQue's FSSAI registration guide. If you operate a delivery kitchen, see the cloud-kitchen licensing checklist.
FSSAI's own portal warns about fraudulent payment messages and emails. Make licence payments through the official FoSCoS site , verify the applicant details, and retain the receipt. Do not share your OTP or portal credentials with an unknown caller.
Government fee vs total cost: what should you budget?
The amount payable to the government is not necessarily the same as the total cost of preparing a compliant food business application.
| Cost component | How to treat it |
|---|---|
| FSSAI registration/licence fee | The official amount for the selected category |
| Professional preparation and filing | Optional consultant/CA/CS/other service-provider quotation; separate from the government fee |
| Documents and activity-specific reports | Depends on the actual food business and what its category requires |
| Business licences outside FSSAI | Separate municipal, fire, shop-establishment or other requirements where applicable |
| Additional premises | Check licensing obligations for each operating location and any head-office requirement |
| Annual fee and ongoing compliance | A recurring obligation despite perpetual validity |
Before hiring a professional, ask for an itemised quote clearly identifying the government fee, service fee, and any additional costs. A statement such as “FSSAI licence costs ₹7,500 for everyone” is incorrect.
Common mistakes that increase cost or create compliance problems
Using a fee chart published before April 2026
A copied State Licence table may still show ₹2,000 or ₹3,000 as an ordinary option. Check the 2026 KoB schedule rather than relying on the date at the top of an old blog.
Choosing Registration when the activity requires a Central Licence
Turnover is important, but it is not the only eligibility test. Import, e-commerce food-operator functions and specified food categories can change the classification.
Confusing perpetual validity with permanent exemption
You may no longer need routine renewal applications, but missed annual fees or applicable returns can still result in suspension under the amended rules.
Assuming migration requires a new FSSAI number
The official FAQ says threshold-based category migration does not change the registration/licence number. Check for the updated category in your account before paying unnecessarily for a fresh application.
Ignoring additional kitchen or factory locations
A company name or brand can cover several outlets, but individual premises and any multi-state head-office obligations require separate examination. Don't automatically apply one licence number to every physical location.
Which FSSAI option should you choose?
Start with three questions: What food activities do you conduct? What is your annual turnover? Where are you conducting the business? If a simple restaurant or retailer is within the revised registration threshold, a ₹100 registration may suffice. If its turnover crosses the middle band, it may need a ₹5,000 State Licence. If it is a large operator or belongs to a specially designated activity, check the Central Licence criteria.
The lower fee is not always the correct fee. A properly classified application is more valuable than a cheap application that later faces questions or suspension.
TaxQue helps food businesses prepare the correct documentation and navigate FSSAI registration and licence applications. You can review your business's eligibility before filing so that the licence reflects what you actually do—not merely the least expensive box on a form.
Explore FSSAI Registration Assistance
Official sources and further reading
- FSSAI order of 13 March 2026 — revised turnover thresholds
- FoSCoS revised Kind-of-Business, eligibility and fee schedule (updated 1 April 2026)
- FSSAI FAQ dated 27 March 2026 — perpetual validity, migration and fee credit
- FSSAI 10 March 2026 amendment notification — annual fees, returns and suspension
- FoSCoS — official online registration, licensing and payment portal
Editorial note: Verified against official FSSAI and FoSCoS materials available as of 18 October 2026. Check the portal's latest category and fee display before submitting or paying, especially for special activities and existing licence migrations.
