A Food Business Operator License is a license granted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India that allows the entity to carry on activities related to any stage of manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution of food, import and includes food services, catering services, sale of food or food ingredients.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 has made it mandatory for entities involved in the activities related to manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution of food or food ingredients to obtain a Food Business Operator License prior to commencing business.

Any person or entity involved in activities related to any stage of manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution of food, import and includes food services, catering services, sale of food or food ingredients must obtain Food Business Operator License. Petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or a temporary stallholder or small scale or cottage or such other industries relating to food business or tiny food business operator are exempt from obtaining Food Business Operator License.

Food Business License can be mainly divided into two categories, state level license and central license. Hotels, Restaurants, Millers with production of less than 1MT per day and other small or medium scale manufactures come under the state level license. Food importers, caterers catering to Railways, Air, Defense establishments and large scale food manufacturers come under the purview of the central license.

The application for Food Business Operator License in the prescribed format along with identity and address proof of the promoters, proof of possession of the premises where the food business is undertaken and the entity�s incorporation certificate or registration certificate must be submitted. In case of food manufactures or processors, additional information such as list of equipment, layout of the unit, category of foods manufactured, etc., maybe required.

Food Business Operator License is given based on the premise and not the entity. Therefore, each premise that handles food must have a separate food business operator license.

Food Business Operator Licenses are typically valid for one or two years. The license can be renewed before the expiry of an existing license.

Food Business Operator License can be obtained in 10-15 working days from date of application along with the required documents.

Operating food business without license is punishable with imprisonment of upto six months and also with a fine of not more than five lakh rupees.

No filings are necessary for maintaining the validity of the Food Business Operator License. Only renewal is necessary towards the end of the validity of an existing license.