FSSAI registration for Amazon

Selling food products on Amazon India — packaged foods, beverages, supplements, organic items, snacks and ready-to-eat meals — requires the seller to be registered or licensed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Where stocks are stored in Amazon's fulfilment centres (FBA warehouses) across States, additional FSSAI registrations are required for each warehouse location. As Amazon continues to expand its food category in FY 2026-27, getting FSSAI right is the gating compliance for sellers.

Why FSSAI is mandatory for food sellers on Amazon

Section 31 of the FSS Act requires every Food Business Operator (FBO) — including manufacturers, packers, importers, distributors, traders, online aggregators and sellers — to obtain registration or a licence. Amazon, as a marketplace, mandates a valid FSSAI licence at onboarding for every seller listing under the food and grocery category and verifies it before allowing inventory to be shipped to fulfilment centres.

Three categories of FSSAI registration

• Basic FSSAI Registration — for FBOs with annual turnover up to ₹12 lakh
• FSSAI State Licence — for FBOs with annual turnover from ₹12 lakh up to ₹20 crore, operating within one State
• FSSAI Central Licence — for FBOs with turnover above ₹20 crore, importers, large manufacturers and operations across multiple States

Sellers using Amazon's FBA network across multiple States almost always need a Central Licence for the head office plus State Licences (or Central Licences) for each warehouse location where stock is stored.

Why each warehouse needs its own registration

Under FSSAI rules, every premises where food is manufactured, processed, stored, distributed or sold is treated as a separate FBO. When you ship inventory to an Amazon fulfilment centre in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR, each of those warehouses becomes a storage premises requiring an FSSAI licence in the seller's name. Amazon will not allow you to consign goods to a warehouse for which your FSSAI database does not show a registration.

Documents required

• Form B duly filled and signed
• Photo ID and address proof of proprietor / partners / directors
• Proof of possession of premises — rent agreement, NoC from owner, electricity bill
• Partnership deed or MoA & AoA, as applicable
• List of food categories to be handled
• Food safety management plan or self-declaration (depending on category)
• Declaration of Amazon FBA warehouse address along with consent letter from Amazon

Step-by-step process

1. Determine the correct registration category based on turnover and operations.
2. Create an FBO account on the FoSCoS portal.
3. Submit Form A (registration) or Form B (licence) along with documents and fees.
4. Inspector may visit the premises in the case of State and Central Licences.
5. Receive registration certificate or licence with the 14-digit FSSAI number.
6. Update the licence number on Amazon Seller Central before listing food products.

Display and compliance obligations

• Display the FSSAI number prominently on product labels and invoices
• Maintain category-specific records, including manufacturing date, batch number and shelf life
• File annual return in Form D1 (manufacturers) or quarterly return in Form D2 (dairy) where applicable
• Renew licences before expiry — late renewal attracts a penalty of ₹100 per day

Renewal, modifications and ongoing maintenance

FSSAI compliance is a living obligation, not a one-time registration. Licences are typically valid for one to five years, and renewal must be applied for at least 30 days before expiry. Any change in business — new product category, additional warehouse, change of address or proprietorship — requires a modification application on FoSCoS within prescribed timelines.

• Track licence expiry centrally — late renewal attracts ₹100 per day penalty
• File modifications within 15 days of any operational change
• File annual return Form D1 by 31 May for manufacturers and importers
• Display the 14-digit FSSAI number on every product label and online listing
• Maintain category-specific records — batch numbers, manufacturing dates, shelf life and recall traceability

Amazon periodically audits seller FSSAI compliance through its food safety verification programme. Brands that maintain a clean compliance dashboard, accurate labelling and timely renewals avoid the disruptive experience of being suspended mid-season — particularly painful around festive peaks when food sales spike.

Conclusion

FSSAI compliance is the single biggest gate to selling food on Amazon, and the warehouse-level licence requirement is what trips up many growing brands. Plan FBA expansion State-by-State, obtain the right mix of Central and State Licences, and keep your FoSCoS records updated to ensure your inventory never gets blocked at the fulfilment centre. Done well, FSSAI compliance becomes a quiet enabler of nationwide D2C growth.