A food license is a mandatory requirement for a business that serves edible or food items to the end-users. Selling edible items to consumers without this license is an offense in India. FSSAI has provided FBOs with a long list of guidelines regarding the safety and hygiene of the food items.
Food businesses with FSSAI licenses cannot sell contaminated or unhygienic foods to the consumers as it is perceived as a crime under the FSSAI Act, 2006. It is also viable to transfer the food license that one availed under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
There is a lot of confusion among the FSSAI registered firms regarding the transfer of Food licenses. In this article, we will try to throw light on the same and guide you on how to apply for the same seamlessly.
Role of Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI)
India’s food Standards and Safety Authority (FSSAI) is a government-driven apex body accountable for regulating and overseeing food safety in India. Every food business operator must obtain FSSAI Simple Registration.
During the registration process, the applicant will be asked to provide the details like company’s type, manufacturing size, product formulation or segment, etc. In case of any modification to such details, the business operators are expected to report the same in the predetermined timeline prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
FSSAI Food registration is not only confined to cooking foods; it is applicable at every stage of the supply chain of food, such as procurement of raw material, production, packaging, and distribution. It also encompasses those companies which actively market the food items or delivers the same at the customer’s doorstep. It’s worth noting that a food license covers every food business entity that generates income through its activities.
Read our article:Everything you need to know about FSSAI License Renewal & Validity
Different Classes of Licenses
Businesses having a yearly income below Rs 12 lakh can approach FSSAI to obtain basic Food safety registration. Likewise, companies generating income above the aforesaid limit and up to Rs.20 Lakhs can apply for a state license. And lastly, the businesses whose annual income is more than Rs 20 lakhs can apply for the Central license.
Transfer/Changes/Alteration in the Food License
The alteration of the FSSAI License is only possible through a predetermined legal procedure. Fundamentally, it seeks the submission of an application to alter the FSSAI License or Registration.
The FSSAI license can be passed to any family member or a legal representative of the deceased holder in the event of the demise of the FSSAI license holder.
In such an event, the family member or a legal agent must approach the concerned authority and demand the certificate’s transfer by making a relevant application. The authority may or may not accept the application post verification. However, the applicant will get a chance of being heard before the cancellation of the license.
In the case of the registration holder’s demise, the FSSAI license will continue to serve its purpose if the family member or a legal agent demands the certification transfer. The authority shall not consider any request made after the 90 days of the license holder’s demise. Also, after this timeline, the license will stand invalid.
Online Procedure to Apply for Transfer of Food License
- Enter the following URL to visit the FSSAI online portal. Once you have logged in perform the following steps https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/public/login
- To apply for transfer of food license, head over your cursor over “Duplicate/Surrender/Transfer of License(s)” and select the “Apply for Duplicate/Surrender/Transfer of License(s)” from the drop-down menu.Â
- To apply for transfer, select the “Transfer” option located in the Action column against the correct license number.Â
- Fill in the given information and tap on the “Proceed” tab.Â
- Registered office detail
- Address of the premises for which license is applied
- Correspondence Address
- Contact information
- Information about the technically qualified person in charge of the operations.
- Information about the person accountable for complying with conditions of license.
- New company name, if applicable
- Date of the death of License holder.
- The application shall be routed to the Designated Officer’s account for further processing.
Documents to be uploaded for Transfer of License
- Death certificate of the license holder.
- Legal Heir Certificate
Points to be Noted
- If a person provides any invalid information or produces any credential that a person knows is misleading or false, he/she shall face imprisonment for a maximum tenure of three months along with a monetary fine which might extend to INR 2 Lakhs.
- Manufacturing, processing, distribution, and sale of food items without a food license is an offense under the FSSAI Act. Any individual breaking such rules may confront the imprisonment of 3 years and a monetary fine up to Rs 5 Lakhs.
Conclusion
As it is evident from above, the applicant does not have to endure a tedious procedure for transferring the food license or registration in his/her favor. FSSAI has set up an online procedure to serve such a purpose, user-friendly, and a lot of time for the applicant.
The FBOs can use the aforesaid link to visit the FSSAI portal and avail number the services regarding the food license. This web-enabled system is accessible 24×7 for the license holders as well as the stakeholders[1]. However, it should be noted that the applicant can access these services only after creating the login credential. If you need any sort of advice in this context, kindly head over to the comment section and drop your queries for the same.
Read our article:Renew FSSAI License – When and How to Do it!
