Industry Specific
Procedure for Registration of Petty Food Business
Deepti Mudgal
Introduction
As per Section 31(1) & 31(2) of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, every Food Business Operator (FBO) in India shall be licensed or registered under the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The licensing and registration procedures are regulated by the Food Safety & Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011.
Basic FSSAI Registration applies to petty food manufacturers such as petty retailers, hawkers, itinerant vendors, temporary stall holders, or small/cottage scale industries with an annual turnover up to ₹12 lakhs. Food businesses with turnover exceeding this limit shall obtain a license.
Petty food business operators engaged in manufacturing or selling food, including small sweets shops, juice stalls, home-based canteens, repackers, dhabas, and food stalls at fairs or gatherings, shall register if their annual turnover is less than ₹12 lakhs.
| S.NO. | Business | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Production of food capacity (other than milk and meat production) | Up to 100 kg/litre per day |
| 2 | Procurement, handling and collection of milk | Up to 500 litre per day |
| 3 | Slaughtering capacity | 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day or less |
Applicable Provisions
Regulation 2.1.1(1), 2.1.1(2), 2.1.7, 2.1.10 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
Mandatory Requirements
- Authorized person’s address proof
- Passport size photograph
- Business name and address proof
- FSSAI declaration form
- Details of nature of business
Process of Registration
- Petty Food Business Operators shall register with the Registering Authority by submitting an application in Form A under Schedule 2 of the Regulations, along with the prescribed fee as per Schedule 3 (Fees for Application), and a self-attested declaration of adherence to these requirements in the format Annexure-1 (Declaration) under Schedule 2.
- The Registering Authority shall consider the application and either grant registration, reject it with reasons, or order an inspection within 7 days of receipt.
- If an inspection is ordered, registration will be granted within 30 days if premises comply with safety, hygiene, and sanitary conditions as per Schedule 4.
- If no decision is communicated within these timeframes, the applicant may commence business but must comply with any subsequent improvement orders.
- Registration cannot be refused without giving the applicant an opportunity to be heard and providing written reasons.
- Upon registration, a certificate and photo identity card will be issued and shall be displayed prominently at the business location.
- Direct sellers shall apply online with a fee of ₹100 + GST, submitting a photo and government-issued ID.
Process of Renewal
Renewal of registration shall be applied for using Form A at least 30 days before the expiry date indicated in the registration certificate.
Validity of Registration
A registration or license granted under these Regulations shall be valid and subsisting for a period of 1 to 5 years, as chosen by the Food Business Operator, from the date of issue, subject to payment of the applicable fee for the period and compliance with all license conditions.