Food manufacturing sits at the intersection of four regulators: FSSAI for the food, the Factories department for the premises, the Pollution Control Board for the process, and Legal Metrology for the pack. This page maps all of them – including the capacity-based FSSAI tiers that override the new turnover slabs, and the BIS certification that must come BEFORE FSSAI for packaged water.
Updated July 2026. Registrations and fees current as of July 2026 (major recent changes are dated in-line). Rules change by notification – use the official links to confirm before applying.
Registrations and licences you need
| Registration / licence | Applies | Government fee | Authority / portal | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSSAI licence (State / Central) Tier = the HIGHER of the turnover slab (Basic up to 1.5 cr / State 1.5-50 cr / Central 50 cr+, eff 1-Apr-2026) or the UNCHANGED capacity criteria: general processing above 2 MT/day = Central; dairy 501-50,000 LPD = State, above that Central. 100 percent export units = Central regardless of size. | MANDATORY | State Rs 2,000-5,000 per year by capacity; Central Rs 7,500 (as per FoSCoS) | FSSAI (FoSCoS) foscos.fssai.gov.in | PERPETUAL since March 2026 |
| Factory licence Baseline: 10+ workers with power, 20+ without – but several states have already moved to 20/40 and the OSH Code transition is ongoing. Verify your state. | IF APPLICABLE | By horsepower / workers (state-wise) | State Factories Directorate | Annual / multi-year (state-wise) |
| Pollution consents (CTE, then CTO) Most food processing is Orange category; small bakeries are often Green. Consent to Establish BEFORE construction, Consent to Operate before production. | MANDATORY | By capital investment (state-wise) | State Pollution Control Board | CTO typically 5 years (Orange) / 10 years (Green) |
| Legal Metrology packer / manufacturer licence Required for pre-packaged goods, plus LMPC label declarations (MRP, net quantity, dates, FSSAI number). | MANDATORY | About Rs 500 – 2,000 (state-wise) | State Legal Metrology Controller | Annual renewal in many states |
| BIS certification (ISI mark) MANDATORY BEFORE FSSAI for packaged drinking water (IS 14543) and mineral water (IS 13428); also milk powder and infant foods. | IF APPLICABLE | Product-wise | BIS manakonline.in | Licence-based, renewable |
| GST registration Threshold Rs 40 lakh for goods (Rs 20/10 lakh in special-category states). ANY inter-state sale of goods makes registration compulsory regardless of turnover (s.24). Simplified 3-day auto-approval scheme live since 1-Nov-2025. | IF APPLICABLE | Nil | GST portal gst.gov.in | Ongoing (returns apply) |
| Udyam (MSME) registration Not legally compulsory but practically essential: cheaper trademark and expedited fees, priority-sector lending, delayed-payment protection under MSMED Act. | MANDATORY | Free | Ministry of MSME udyamregistration.gov.in | Lifetime |
| EPF and ESI EPF at 20+ employees, ESI at 10+ (wages up to Rs 21,000). Labour Codes in force since 21-Nov-2025; state rules rolling out. | IF APPLICABLE | Free registration | EPFO / ESIC (Shram Suvidha) shramsuvidha.gov.in | Ongoing monthly compliance |
Factory licence thresholds and fees, SPCB consent fees and Legal Metrology fees are all state-subject items – the ranges above are indicative. The FSSAI capacity criteria and BIS mandates are central and uniform.
The right order to do it in
- Fix the product and check for a mandatory BIS standard FIRST (packaged water, milk powder, infant food) – BIS certification is a precondition for the FSSAI licence in those lines.
- Set up the entity and take Udyam registration. Choose your entity first: a proprietorship needs no central registration (PAN + bank account, with GST/Udyam/Shops-and-Establishment serving as business proof); a partnership needs a deed (register with the state Registrar of Firms – an unregistered firm cannot sue); an LLP files FiLLiP and a company files SPICe+ on mca.gov.in – the MCA fee for SPICe+ is NIL up to Rs 15 lakh authorised capital (state stamp duty extra).
- Apply for Consent to Establish from the state PCB BEFORE building out the unit; then the factory plan approval if you cross the worker thresholds.
- Apply for the FSSAI licence on FoSCoS at the tier your CAPACITY and projected turnover demand – going one tier higher than needed is legal and saves a migration later.
- Get the Legal Metrology packer licence and finalise compliant labels (MRP, net quantity, best-before, FSSAI number, nutrition panel).
- Before production: Consent to Operate, factory licence, GST registration, and EPF/ESI once headcount crosses the thresholds.
Documents to keep ready
Your NIC code: Division 10 (food products; beverages are 11). Common Udyam picks: 10712 (bakery products), 10795 (spice processing), 10504 (dairy), 10304 (juices), 11043 (packaged drinking water). Open the NIC Code Finder to search and copy the exact code.
Frequently asked questions
Is the FSSAI licence decided by turnover or plant capacity?
Both – whichever puts you HIGHER. The turnover slabs changed on 1 April 2026 (Basic up to Rs 1.5 crore), but the capacity criteria did not: a unit processing above 2 MT a day needs a Central licence even with tiny turnover, and dairy units are tiered by litres per day. Check both tables on FoSCoS before applying.
Do I need BIS certification before FSSAI?
For packaged drinking water (IS 14543), mineral water (IS 13428), milk powder and infant foods – yes. FSSAI will not license these products without the ISI mark, so the BIS process (which includes factory inspection and testing) must be planned first; it is the longest-lead item in the whole stack.
When do I need a factory licence for a food unit?
At the baseline, 10 or more workers using power (20 without power) makes you a factory – but several states have raised this to 20/40 and the OSH Code transition is rewriting thresholds state by state. Small units below the threshold still need Shops and Establishment registration instead.
What pollution category is food processing?
Mostly Orange (moderate pollution) – which means Consent to Establish before construction and Consent to Operate before production, typically renewed every 5 years. Small bakeries and some dry processes fall in Green (10-year consents). Fees scale with capital investment and vary by state.
Related tools on CalcGuru
Business Registration Guide (all types)HR and Labour Registers (Excel)GST CalculatorCompliance Calendar + email remindersDepreciation Calculator (plant and machinery)
This page lists the registrations COMMONLY required for this type of business – sector-, product- and state-specific requirements may also apply, and thresholds change by notification. It is general information, not professional advice; confirm your specific case with the official portals linked above or a professional before acting. See our full disclaimer.