Last reviewed: 25 September 2026. FSSAI's turnover bands were raised sharply from 1 April 2026 — Basic Registration from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore and the Central threshold from Rs 20 crore to Rs 50 crore. Many small restaurants, cloud kitchens, retailers and traders that needed a State License under the old Rs 12 lakh cut-off now need only the simpler, cheaper Basic Registration. But turnover isn't the whole story. Some activities always need a Central License whatever their turnover (importers, exporters, e-commerce food platforms, nutraceutical manufacturers, five-star hotels, multi-state head offices), and a few, such as caterers, never qualify for Basic Registration. This selector applies both rules.
Old thresholds vs the revised 1 April 2026 thresholds
| Tier | Old turnover band | Revised turnover band |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Registration | Up to Rs 12 lakh | Up to Rs 1.5 crore |
| State License | Rs 12 lakh – Rs 20 crore | Above Rs 1.5 crore – Rs 50 crore |
| Central License | Above Rs 20 crore | Above Rs 50 crore |
Source: Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026, notified in the Gazette on 10 March 2026; FSSAI Order dated 13 March 2026 revising the turnover thresholds from 1 April 2026; and FSSAI's FAQs dated 27 March 2026 (File No. RCD-01002/1/2021-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part(1)), which also confirm perpetual validity. Fees are taken from the FoSCoS kind-of-business fee table updated 1 April 2026. Existing licence holders migrate on FoSCoS by self-declaration, with no migration fee and no change of licence number.
FSSAI Registration/License Selector
Uses the revised threshold effective 1 April 2026 and the activity-based exceptions that override turnover.
Turnover isn't the whole story
A specific list of activity-based categories always needs a Central License, no matter how small the turnover: importers, merchant-exporters and 100% Export Oriented Units; e-commerce food platforms (the platform entity, separate from what each seller on it needs); manufacturers of nutraceuticals, health supplements, proprietary/non-standardised foods, or radiation-processed foods; five-star-and-above hotels; food businesses at central government agency premises, airports and seaports; and registered head offices spanning multiple states. None of these categories get to use Basic Registration or State License purely because their revenue happens to be small.
A foreign food or beverage brand entering India usually meets this rule first as an importer: the Indian importing entity needs a Central License before its first consignment, alongside an IEC and AD code. If that entity is an Indian subsidiary of the overseas brand, its books, FEMA reporting and CFO support are covered on our foreign subsidiary accounting and FEMA page.
Caterers: at least a State License, whatever the turnover
Many summaries of the April 2026 change say that caterers now follow the same turnover bands as restaurants. FSSAI's own kind-of-business table on FoSCoS (updated 1 April 2026) does not say that. The Caterer category, meaning a business that prepares, stores, serves or transports food for a group at a ceremony, celebration or institution, has only two bands: State License up to Rs 50 crore and Central License above it. There is no Basic Registration band for caterers. Mid-day meal caterers follow the same pattern, and grain, cereal and pulses milling units also need a State License whatever their turnover.
A worked example: a home-based tiffin service with Rs 40 lakh annual turnover that distributes packed meals to local households falls under FSSAI's "home based canteens / dabba wallas" category. It needs only Basic Registration: a Rs 100 annual fee and a FoSCoS application usually processed within 7 days. If the same owner starts catering weddings, that activity is Caterer and needs a State License even at Rs 40 lakh. Contrast both with a specialty spice exporter doing just Rs 25 lakh in turnover: because exporting food is one of the fixed activity-based exceptions, that business needs a full Central License despite having a fraction of the tiffin service's revenue. Turnover alone would have suggested the opposite ranking.
What to do once you know your tier
Basic Registration is the fastest route — a straightforward online FoSCoS application, typically processed within 7 days (up to 30 days if an inspection is triggered), with minimal documentation. State and Central License applications ask for more: a food safety management plan or Schedule 4 declaration, layout plans for manufacturing units, water testing reports where applicable, and category-specific annexures depending on what you produce, import or serve. Getting the tier right before you apply avoids the most common rejection reason we see — businesses applying for Basic Registration when their turnover or activity actually required a State or Central License, which gets reverted rather than approved. See our FSSAI rejection and revert fixes guide if that's already happened to you, and our post-licence compliance checklist for what comes next.
Frequently asked questions
What changed with the new Rs 1.5 crore FSSAI threshold?
From 1 April 2026 the turnover bands were raised sharply: Basic Registration went from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore, and the Central threshold from Rs 20 crore to Rs 50 crore. State License now covers turnover above Rs 1.5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore. The change comes from FSSAI's Order of 13 March 2026, issued under the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026 notified on 10 March 2026. Many restaurants, cloud kitchens, retailers and small manufacturers that needed a State License under the old rule now need only Basic Registration.
Are caterers always required to hold a State License, regardless of turnover?
Yes, at least a State License. FSSAI's kind-of-business table on FoSCoS (updated 1 April 2026) has no Basic Registration band for the Caterer category: turnover up to Rs 50 crore needs a State License and turnover above Rs 50 crore a Central License. Home-based canteens and dabba services that only distribute packed meals are a separate category and can register up to Rs 1.5 crore.
My turnover is well under Rs 50 crore, but I export food products — which license do I need?
Central License, regardless of how small your turnover is. Importers, exporters (including merchant-exporters) and 100% Export Oriented Units are activity-based exceptions that always require Central License — turnover never brings them down to State or Basic level.
I run a food delivery app / e-commerce food marketplace — what does the platform itself need?
Central License, for the platform entity itself, regardless of transaction volume or the platform's own revenue structure. This is separate from the licenses each individual restaurant or seller on the platform needs for their own kitchen/premises.
Does a 3-star or 4-star hotel need a Central License like a 5-star does?
No. The always-Central rule applies to hotels rated five-star and above. FSSAI's table puts hotels up to four stars in the State License tier, with Basic Registration available where turnover is within Rs 1.5 crore.
We have outlets in three different states — do we need one Central License or a license per state?
A registered head office spanning multiple states triggers Central License at the head-office level. Each individual outlet, however, still needs its own registration or license based on that specific premises' turnover and category — the Central License at head-office level doesn't replace the need for per-outlet compliance.
What if I'm just below a threshold now but expect to cross it this year?
Apply for the tier you expect to need for the year ahead rather than the one that fits today's numbers — operating above your license's turnover ceiling is itself a compliance breach, separate from whether you've actually been caught. If you're genuinely unsure which side of a threshold you'll land on, the safer and often cheaper long-run choice is to apply one tier up rather than upgrade mid-year.
Is the annual fee the same regardless of which tier I'm in?
No. FSSAI's FoSCoS fee table (updated 1 April 2026) lists Rs 100 a year for Basic Registration, Rs 5,000 a year for a State License and Rs 7,500 a year for a Central License, with a few category exceptions such as railway and central-government catering. Licences and registrations issued from 1 April 2026 have perpetual validity: they stay valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered, so there is no renewal. The fee is still payable and can be paid for several years at once, and returns such as Form D1 still apply.
We handle FSSAI registration and licensing end to end, including document preparation and FoSCoS filing.
FSSAI registration & license Talk to usThis selector reflects the FSSAI thresholds effective 1 April 2026 as reviewed on 25 September 2026. Per-outlet, storage, transport and category-specific rules can add complexity beyond what this tool models — confirm your exact case with us before applying. Related reading: FSSAI Registration & License 2026: The New Rs 1.5 Crore Threshold, FoSCoS Process Step by Step and Documents Required for FSSAI Registration.