FSSAI makes food business license permanent

NEW DELHI: In a big relief to food businesses, the country’s food regulator has made licenses valid for life.As per the new regulations notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), food licenses and registrations will now be valid permanently unless canceled due to non-compliance. This means thousands of restaurants, eateries and vendors will no longer need to renew their licenses every few years. The move is part of wider reforms aimed at making compliance easier while strengthening physical food safety inspections.One of the biggest beneficiaries of this decision will be street vendors. Those products that are already registered under the Street Vending Act will now also automatically be deemed to be registered under the Food Safety Rules, eliminating the need for multiple registrations and payments.Regulators have also simplified how businesses are classified. Units with a turnover of up to Rs 15 crore require only basic registration, while larger businesses will need a state or central license depending on their size.The new system will come into effect on April 1.Inspections will also change. Instead of conducting routine inspections, authorities will now follow a risk-based system: businesses with a good record will face fewer inspections, while repeat offenders will be subject to stricter inspections. Officials say the aim is to reduce paperwork and focus on actual food safety.At the same time, FSSAI has made it clear that hygiene standards will not be relaxed, especially in high-risk industries such as dairy, meat and packaged water.Since most food businesses will fall under the jurisdiction of national authorities after the reform, states will play a greater role in oversight and enforcement.For small businesses and suppliers, the message is simple: fewer licenses, less hassle, but tighter checks for rule violations.