FSSAI mandates closure report for expired licenses, warns of penalties

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has mandated the submission of a closure report upon the expiry of the license or registration. It has also cautioned that food business operators cannot carry out any food-related activity on an expired license or registration. They are required to declare the reasons for the expiration and confirm that no food-related activity is being conducted post-expiry. The Authority said this is crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability in the licensing framework. Failure to comply is a violation of Section 31 of the FSS Act, 2006, and may lead to penalties, it added.

“All Food Business Operators (FBOs) whose FSSAI license/registration has expired during FY 2024-25 are hereby directed to mandatorily submit a closure report. This report must confirm that no food business activity is being conducted at the respective premises under the expired FSSAI license/registration number. Alternatively, food businesses must confirm whether a new license/registration has been obtained. FBOs are also required to provide specific reasons for the non-renewal of the FSSAI license,” the Authority said.

The Authority said that operating a food business on an expired license or registration is a violation of Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and may attract a penalty of up to ₹10 lakh under Section 63.

“Further, for all future cases where the FSSAI license/registration expires, the food business operator is directed to submit the reasons for closure of business or non-renewal of the license/registration,” it added.

The Authority has also released a user manual to file the reasons for non-renewal of license/registration on the FoSCoS portal.

Published on May 22, 2025