Most individuals know that a certified autonomous body exists to ensure your safety and health. It is known as the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and is part of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The autonomous body operates in accordance with the criteria stated in Sections 31(1) & 31(2) of the Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006. Because all food company operators in India are required to register with the FSSAI, owners must be informed of the FSSAI registration process. Here is a comprehensive look at what you need to know regarding the FSSAI registration process.

Food Operators who require FSSAI Registration
 

FBOs conducting the following types of business are needed to get an FSSAI Registration/License:

• Retail stores and petty retailers such as Retail Outlet, Snack Shop, Confectionaries or Bakery Shop, and so on.
• Temporary or fixed stalls or food premises are involved in the preparation, distribution, storage, and so on.
• Hawkers are people who sell packed or freshly prepared meals by travelling from one site to another.   
• Milk Chilling Units, Petty Milkman, and Milk Vendors are examples of dairy units.
• Processing Units for Vegetable Oil
• Meat stores, meat shops, chicken shops, lamb meat shops, & so on.
• Units for meat & fish processing
• All food manufacturing & processing units that are involved in food repackaging.
• Novel food and proprietary food
• Cold/refrigerated storage space
• Food product transporters with a number of specialised vehicles such as an insulated refrigerated van, wagon, milk tankers, food wagons, food trucks, and many more.
• Food wholesaler, supplier, distributor, and marketer.
• Hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs
• Cafeterias & canteens that include mid-day meal canteens
• Caterers & food vending corporations
• Dhabas, PGs that serve meals, banquet halls with catering service facilities, home-based canteens, & food booths at fairs or any religious organisations are all instances of food service establishments.
• Food importers and exporters, including food ingredients
• Cloud kitchens and e-commerce food suppliers

Their qualifying requirements determine the form of FSSAI registration or license required by each company type. The FSSAI website lists the eligibility conditions for each type of company and license/registration.

Forms of FSSAI Registration
 

FSSAI registration process depends on the kind of business, sales, and production capacity. According to their installed capacity and turnover, FBOs can get a basic, central, or state license.

FSSAI Basic Registration  
 

FBOs with less than Rs.12 lakh in annual revenue must get FSSAI basic registration. Form A is the FSSAI registration form that the applicants must complete in order to receive FSSAI basic registration.

FSSAI State License 
 

FBOs with a revenue of more than twelve lakh per annum but less than Rs.20 crore per annum are required to get an FSSAI state license. Form B is the FSSAI registration form that the applicants must complete to get an FSSAI state license.

FSSAI Central License  
 

FBOs with yearly revenue of more than twenty crores are required to get an FSSAI central license. Form B is the FSSAI registration form that the applicants must complete in order to receive an FSSAI central license.

Eligibility for FSSAI Registration
 

FSSAI Registration is a fundamental license that is needed for all FBOs engaged in the small-scale food sector. This category includes the following companies:

• Any FBO having annual revenue of less than twelve lakh.
• A small store sells food goods.
• Any individual who makes or sells food on their own.
• The temporary stall holder sells the food.
• Except for a caterer, someone who distributes food during a religious or social event.
• Small-scale or cottage enterprises involved in the food industry, as well as the following:

FSSAI License Eligibility

• Apart from small-scale enterprises, all other FBOs must get an FSSAI license. FSSAI Licenses are categorised into two types: State FSSAI and Central FSSAI Licenses, depending on whether the business is medium or big in scope.
   
• FBOs with large manufacturing units, importers, exporters, and those dealing in large-scale food businesses must obtain FSSAI registration from the central government. In contrast, FBOs with small to medium-size manufacturing units, transporters, marketers, traders, and so on, must obtain FSSAI registration from the state government. In addition, the FBO must have a revenue of twelve lakh to twenty crores in order to apply for a State License.
   
• Other requirements include manufacturing facilities with a capacity of 2MT per day and dairy units with a capacity of up to five thousand litres per day. 3-star hotels or above, repackers, relabeling units, clubs, canteens, and any other catering enterprises, regardless of turnover, must apply for the license. The license is valid for a time period of 5 years & a minimum of one year.
   
• To apply for a central license, an FBO must have a revenue of more than twenty crores & activities in two or more states. This license is needed for all importers and exporters. The highest tenure is five years, with a one-year minimum.

Documents for FSSAI Registration Process
 

The documents needed for the FSSAI registration process are-

• The FBO's photo identification
• Voter Card,  PAN Card, Ration Card, DL, and other forms of identification are acceptable.
• Aadhaar Card, Passport, Senior Citizenship Card, and so forth.
• Food article proposal list
• Form-B (properly filled & approved by the applicant)
• Articles of Association/ Partnership Deed/ Incorporation Certificate/ Memorandum of Association (MOA) (AOA)
• For example, a lease or renting agreement might serve as proof of the company's location.
• Plan for a food safety management system
• Supporting dossiers (if any, such as Panchayat NOC/the municipal government, health care NOC).
• Suppliers of raw materials.
• IX Form.
• A NABL-certified lab supports water test results.
• DGFT issues an import-export code (also known as an IEC).
• A list of the machinery and equipment available at the facility.
• List of Directors & List of Partners.

Process of FSSAI Registration
 

The basic steps of the FSSAI registration process are stated below:

• Every small FBO must register with the Registering Authority (RA) by submitting a registration form (Form A) as outlined in Schedule 2 of these rules, together with the standard fee outlined in Schedule 3.
   
• The small food maker shall comply with underlying hygiene & safety requirements specified in Part I of Schedule 4 of these rules & permit a self-attested document cum statement of adherence to these norms using the form in the manner stated in Annexure-1 under Schedule.
   
• Within 7 days of receiving a registration form, the Registering Authority shall review it and may either give registration or cancel it, with solid reasons to be documented in writing, or grant notice for inspection.
   
• In the event of an inspection, the RA shall provide registration after being convinced of the underlying requirements for safety, cleanliness, and sanitation of the premises as mentioned in Part II of the Schedule within thirty days.

If registration is not granted or revoked, or if inspection does not take place within the 7-day timeframe specified in sub-regulation (3), or if no decision is communicated within the thirty-day timeframe specified in sub-regulation (4), the entrepreneur may begin its business venture, provided that it is incumbent on the FBOs to meet any development directed by the RA even later

The FSSAI Registration process should not be rejected unless the applicant is given an opportunity to be heard and the reasons are documented in writing.

• In the case of Petty Food Business, the Registering Authority will provide a registration certificate and a picture identity card, which must be displayed at all times in a business space, cart, vehicle, or any other place where a person holds on the food business.
   
• The registered business premises must be inspected at least once a year by the Registering Authority or any other institution authorised for this purpose.

FSSAI License Cost
 

When filing the FSSAI registration form, the applicant/FBO must pay the costs. The following are the FSSAI registration fees for several categories of registration:

• A fee of Rs.100 for FSSAI Basic Registration
• FSSAI State License - Fee from Rs.2,500 to Rs.5,000 (Depends on the sort of business carried out) (Depends on the kind of business carried out)
• Fee for FSSAI Central License: Rs.7,500

FSSAI Registration Status
 

After completing the FSSAI registration process and submission of the concerned form, one can check the status of his or her application. 

• FSSAI sends SMS/Email alerts to applicants at various application processing stages. The applicant can also monitor the FSSAI registration process status by inputting the unique reference number provided after completing the application to FSSAI on the FoSCos website under the 'Track Application Status' option.
   
• Tracking the application status allows you to see the various phases of the FSSAI registration status. For example, when the FSSAI registration process status is 'Application Reversed,' it means that the FSSAI authorities have reverted the application for any necessary changes or clarification. To avoid application rejection, the applicant must send the answer within 30 days after the reversed date.
   
• When the FSSAI officials grant the FSSAI registration certificate, the FSSAI registration status will be shown as 'Registration Certificate Issued.' By login into the FoSCoS website, candidates can download the certificate.

Renewal of FSSAI License
 

The FSSAI license is needed to start a food company, and it is also needed to renew the license. The license is valid for a time of one year or five years; thus, the company must apply for renewal thirty days before the existing license expires.

Conclusion
 

Every food business operator that manufactures, procedures, marts, distributes, or sells food items must get an FSSAI Registration or License.

FSSAI Registration differs from FSSAI License in that FBO should get the relevant registration or license based on the size and type of the business. The Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 govern the licensing and FSSAI registration process and standards.