Restaurant Licences in India: The 2026 Checklist
By Hamza Ukani ·
- restaurant startup
- licences
- FSSAI
- compliance
Most restaurant openings in India that slip by two months do not slip because of the fit-out. They slip because a licence that depends on another licence was applied for in the wrong order, or because the lease was signed on a property that could never get a fire NOC.
Here is the full list, what changed in 2026, and the sequence that avoids the delay.
The checklist
| Licence | Issued by | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI registration or licence | FSSAI, via the FoSCoS portal | Every food business |
| GST registration | GST Network | Above ₹20 lakh turnover (₹10 lakh in special category states) |
| Shop and Establishment registration | State labour department | Every commercial premises with staff |
| Health / trade licence (eating house) | Municipal corporation | Every restaurant, in most cities |
| Police eating house licence | City police | Some cities, including Delhi and Mumbai |
| Fire NOC | State fire service | Depends on area, seats, building height and gas installation |
| Signage licence | Municipal corporation | Any external board |
| Liquor licence | State excise department | Only if you serve alcohol |
| Music licences | PPL and IPRS | Only if you play recorded music |
Requirements vary by state and city. Treat this as the list to check, then confirm each line with your local authority.
FSSAI: what changed on 1 April 2026
FSSAI raised its turnover thresholds through an order dated 13 March 2026, effective 1 April 2026:
- Registration: turnover up to ₹1.5 crore (previously ₹12 lakh)
- State licence: above ₹1.5 crore and up to ₹50 crore
- Central licence: above ₹50 crore, or for certain activities regardless of turnover
The amended regulations also gave registrations and licences perpetual validity, subject to risk-based inspections. The annual renewal deadline most owners were used to is gone, but that does not make compliance optional — an inspection can still suspend you.
A new single-outlet restaurant will usually start with basic registration. Apply on FoSCoS, and apply for a state licence from the start if your projected turnover will cross ₹1.5 crore within the year.
If you hold a state or central licence, FSSAI expects at least one FoSTaC-certified Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers at each premises. Book the training before opening, not after the first inspection.
GST: 5%, no input tax credit
A standalone restaurant charges 5% GST on food and does not claim input tax credit on its purchases. Restaurants inside hotels with a room tariff of ₹7,500 or more charge 18% with input tax credit.
Since January 2022, Zomato and Swiggy collect and pay the GST on orders placed through their apps. You still report those sales in your returns; you just do not pay the tax on them twice. Have your accountant set this up from the first month — fixing a year of wrongly filed returns costs more than doing it right.
The order that saves two months
1. Before signing the lease. Confirm the property’s permitted use allows a restaurant, and ask the fire department what a NOC needs at that address. A basement, a narrow staircase or a building without the right occupancy certificate can make a fire NOC impossible. Make the lease conditional on approvals, or at least get a rent-free fit-out period that covers them.
2. In the first week. GST registration and Shop and Establishment registration. Both are online and fast, and other applications ask for them.
3. During fit-out. FSSAI registration or licence, health/trade licence, signage licence. Design the kitchen to Schedule 4 hygiene requirements from the start — inspectors check drainage, wash basins, pest proofing and the separation of raw and cooked food.
4. Before the gas is connected. Fire NOC. Piped natural gas (PNG) usually makes this simpler than a bank of LPG cylinders.
5. Before opening night. Police eating house licence where your city requires it, liquor licence if applicable, music licences, and a check that every certificate is displayed where the rules say it should be.
Three mistakes we see every year
Signing the lease first. The most expensive one. The rent clock starts while you discover the building cannot be licensed.
Licensing in a partner’s personal name. When the partnership changes, so must every licence. Set up the business entity first and license it.
Playing music without checking. A Spotify subscription is a personal licence. Playing recorded music publicly in a restaurant needs the right licences — check with PPL (sound recordings) and IPRS (music and lyrics) before opening night.
Questions owners ask
How long does it take to get all restaurant licences in India? Plan for 60 to 90 days from application if the property is suitable. FSSAI registration and GST can be done in days; the fire NOC and municipal licences take longest.
Can I open while a licence is pending? No. Trading without an FSSAI registration or licence is an offence under the Food Safety and Standards Act. Budget the time into your opening date.
Do I need a separate FSSAI licence for a cloud kitchen? Yes, every kitchen location needs its own registration or licence. Multiple brands from one kitchen can operate under one, provided they are all listed.
Do I need to renew my FSSAI licence every year now? Not since 1 April 2026 — licences and registrations have perpetual validity, subject to inspections. Keep your details on FoSCoS up to date.
Sources and further reading
- TaxGuru, FSSAI revises turnover limits to reduce compliance burden on small food businesses — the March 2026 order
- ETV Bharat, FSSAI licences and registrations to have perpetual validity
- FSSAI, FoSCoS — Food Safety Compliance System
- FSSAI, Hygiene requirements (Schedule 4) and FoSTaC training
- GST portal and TaxGuru, GST on restaurants: all you need to know
This is a practical guide, not legal advice. Rules differ by state and change often; confirm each requirement with the issuing authority or a compliance professional.
Opening your first outlet? Our restaurant startup consulting runs the licence sequence alongside the build, so the opening date holds. Planning the kitchen now? Read how to design a commercial kitchen layout first.