FSSAI Registration vs. FSSAI License

Every individual or Food Business Operator who is any way related to manufacturing, storage, transportation or distribution of food product must compulsorily obtain FSSAI Registration or License. In India, registration or licensing of the food business is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2011. Whether you have to obtain a FSSAI registration or FSSAI License depends upon the size and nature of your business.

FSSAI Registration

FSSAI registration is required for those entire food business operators who are involved in a petty food business. The Petty food business operator is any person or entity who:

• Any person who manufactures or sells any article of food himself or through any other petty retailer; or
• Any hawker, itinerant vendor or temporary stall holder; or
• Any individual who distributes food in any religious or social gathering except a caterer; or
• Other food businesses including a small scale or cottage or such other industries relating to food business or tiny food businesses having an annual turnover of not more than Rs. 12 Lakhs and whose:

1.   The capacity of production of food (other than milk, milk products, meat and meat products) does not exceed 100 kg/ltr per day or;

2.   Procurement, handling, and collection of milk is up to 500 Litre per day or;

3.   Slaughtering capacity is 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day or less.

Eligible individuals/entity to obtain FSSAI Registration:

1	All food processing units including re-labelers and re-packers	Turnover not exceeding 12 lakhs and whose production capacity of food do not exceed 100kg/ltr per day.
2	Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process	Up to 500 liters per day or up- to 2.5 MT per annum.
3	Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit	Turnover up-to 12 lakhs annum.
4	Slaughtering units	ü  Large animals up to 2 ü  Small animals up to 10 ü  Poultry birds up-to 50 per day.
5	Meat processing units	Turnover up-to 12 lakhs annum.

Procedure for obtaining FSSAI Registration:

• Petty food business operators are required to obtain FSSAI registration also known as a basic license.
• This registration can be obtained by submitting an application to food and Safety Department.
• The application shall be submitted in Form A.
• The application for registration can be accepted or it may be rejected by the Department.
• If the application is accepted or rejected it shall be intimated by the Department within 7 days from the date of submission of the application.
• The decision of the Department regarding the accepting or rejecting the application of the FBO should be intimated in writing.
• The registration certificate granted by the Department after accepting the application shall contain the registration number and the photo of the applicant.
• At the time of carrying on the food business, the Food Business Operator should prominently display the certificate of registration at the place of business.

FSSAI License

FSSAI License can be classified into two types i.e.:

1. State FSSAI License.
2. Central FSSAI License.

This license is to be obtained by any person or entity that does not classify as a pretty food business operator. A person or entity has to obtain State FSSAI License or Central FSSAI License depends upon the size and nature of the business and the licensing authority would change accordingly.

Any large food manufacturer, processors, transporters and importers of food products require Central FSSAI License.

And medium sized manufacturer, processors or transporters require State FSSAI License.

Note: the fee and procedure to obtain FSSAI License is more extensive and cumbersome as and when compared to FSSAI registration.

Eligible individuals/entity to obtain FSSAI License:

State License:

1	All food processing units including re-labelers and re-packers	More than100kg/ltr per day to 2 MT per day.
2	Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process	501 liters per day to 50,000 liters per day milk or more than 2.5 MT of milk solids per annum.
3	Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit	Up-to 2 MT and Turnover above 12 lakhs per annum.
4	Slaughtering units	ü  Large animals more than 2 and up to 50 ü  Small animals more than 10 and up to 50 ü  Poultry birds more than 50 and up to 1000 per day.
5	Meat processing units	500 kg meat per day or 150 MT per annum.
6	Wholesaler	Turnover up-to 30 Crore.
7	Retailer	Turnover up-to 20 Crore
8	Distributer	Turnover up-to 20 Crore
9	Supplier	Turnover up-to 20 Crore

Central License:

1	All food processing units including re-labelers and re-packers	More than 2 MT per day.
2	Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process	More than 50,000 liters per day milk or more than 2500 MT of milk solids per annum.
3	Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit	More 2 MT per day.
4	Slaughtering units	ü  Large animals more than 2 and up to 50 ü  Small animals more than 10 and up to 50 ü  Poultry birds more than 50 and up to 1000 per day.
5	Meat processing units	More than 500 kg meat per day or 150 MT per annum.
6	Wholesaler	Turnover up-to 30 Crore.
7	Retailer	Turnover up-to 20 Crore
8	Distributer	Turnover up-to 20 Crore
9	Supplier	Turnover up-to 20 Crore

Procedure to obtain FSSAI License:

• To obtain the FSSAI Central License the Food Business Operator shall make an application to the Licensing Authority.
• This application is made in Form B.
• The application should be annexed with self-declaration, affidavit, and Annexure as applicable.
• This license is granted for a period of 1 to 5 years as the time limit requested by the food business operator.
• Higher the period for which license is obtained the higher would be the application fees.
• The license can be renewed by making an application.

The application for renewal should be made not later than 30 days prior to the expiry of the FSSAI License.

Source by: https://enterslice.com/learning/difference-fssai-registration-fssai-license/