Food: FSSAI
Anyone in the business of food — making it, packing it, storing it, selling it, or shipping it — is a food business operator. Selling through Instagram does not step outside that. From 1 April 2026, FSSAI’s published eligibility generally uses these turnover bands, and some activities ignore turnover entirely.
| Band | Typical turnover | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic registration | Up to ₹1.5 crore | Not available for activities that are listed as licence-only, such as import. |
| State licence | Above ₹1.5 crore up to ₹50 crore | Some premises need a State licence even below the band. |
| Central licence | Above ₹50 crore, and some activities at any size | Includes importers and food exporters. |
Imports and exports: IEC
If you import or export goods in the course of business, you need an Importer Exporter Code from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, unless a specific exemption applies. It is linked to your PAN. Food exporters usually need the IEC and an FSSAI Central licence before the first shipment. Benefits such as RoDTEP often need a separate registration with an export promotion council. We do not bundle those in silently.
The state layer people forget
Shops and Establishments registrations, trade licences and professional tax are state or municipal laws. The form in Maharashtra is not the form in Uttar Pradesh. Tell us the city of the premises and whether anyone is employed. A digital signature, Professional Tax registration and a shop registration are three different jobs, and only some of them apply to a one-person firm working from home.
Questions people ask before they pay
Does every food business need a central FSSAI licence?
No. From 1 April 2026 the general turnover bands are basic registration up to ₹1.5 crore, a State licence above that up to ₹50 crore, and a Central licence above ₹50 crore. Importers, exporters and some e-commerce food businesses need a Central licence even when turnover is smaller. We check the kind-of-business list on FoSCoS.
Does an FSSAI licence expire every year now?
Licences and registrations granted under the rules from 1 April 2026 are treated as perpetual, but annual fees and food-safety duties still apply. Missing the fee can suspend the licence. Older certificates should be checked on FoSCoS rather than assumed.
Is IEC a yearly licence?
DGFT issues a PAN-based IEC. The government fee is ₹500 and there is no renewal fee of the old kind. DGFT does ask for an annual update. If that update is missed, the code can be deactivated. We file it and remind you.
What is a DSC, then?
A digital signature certificate is a signing tool from a licensed certifying authority. It is not a business licence. You need one before most MCA filings. We help you get the right class of certificate in the name of the person who will sign.
Checked 10 November 2026. Thresholds, fees and form numbers change. Vissgro confirms the live rule on the official portal before anything is filed. A certificate is issued by that authority, or by Dun & Bradstreet in the case of a D-U-N-S Number — not by Vissgro.