An FSSAI licence check has two parts: confirm that the number follows the 14-digit FSSAI number format, then run an FSSAI licence verification on FSSAI's FoSCoS portal or the Food Safety Connect app, the only places that confirm the number belongs to that business and is active. This guide explains how to verify an FSSAI number step by step, how to read real-looking examples, the red flags that point to a fake or misused number, and what changed in 2026, when new licences stopped expiring but became liable to deemed suspension if the annual fee is not paid.
How to verify an FSSAI licence number on FoSCoS
Open FoSCoS, choose "FBO Search", enter the 14-digit licence or registration number with the captcha, and compare the result with the business in front of you. FSSAI's own FAQ names FBO Search and the Food Safety Connect app as the ways to check a licence or registration.
- Decode the number with the tool above first, so a typo or an impossible number is caught before you search.
- Open FoSCoS and use the "FBO Search" tab.
- Enter the 14-digit number and the captcha.
- Check the business name, premises address, licence type and status against the label, invoice or shop you are dealing with.
- If you hold the certificate, scan its QR code. FSSAI says the QR code shows the record held in its database, which helps identify fraud.
A match on the number alone is not enough. The name and address must also match, because each premises in a different area needs its own licence under section 31(7) of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
FSSAI number format: worked examples
A valid number has 14 digits, starts with 1 for a licence or 2 for a registration, and starts with 100 for a Central licence. FSSAI does not publish the rest of the structure, but on its own records digits 2 to 3 give the state and digits 4 to 5 the year the number was first issued. The examples below are made up, not real numbers.
| Number (example) | What the tool reads | What to check on FoSCoS |
|---|---|---|
| 11526001000000 | State licence, Maharashtra, first issued 2026 | A premises in Maharashtra |
| 10024001000000 | Central licence, first issued 2024 | An importer, exporter, e-commerce or larger business |
| 21225001000000 | Registration, Karnataka, first issued 2025 | A small business in Karnataka |
| 31526001000000 | First digit 3: not a recognised FSSAI number | Ask for the correct number |
| 2152600100000 | Only 13 digits | A digit is missing |
Example. Bluepeak Foods Private Limited, a made-up Pune distributor, receives a ghee invoice showing 11526001000000. The tool reads a Maharashtra State licence first issued in 2026, which fits a Pune supplier. Bluepeak then searches the number on FoSCoS. If FoSCoS shows a different business name or a Gujarat address, the supplier is using someone else's number, and Bluepeak should not rely on it.
Why a correct format does not prove a licence is valid
The format shows only how a number is built. Anyone can type a plausible 14-digit number, and the digits record the position when the number was first issued, not today's status. Only the FoSCoS record shows the current licence type and whether it is active.
- The first digit can be out of date. FSSAI's FAQ of 27 March 2026 says the number does not change when a business migrates between Central, State and registration under the new turnover limits. A number starting with 1 may now be a registration, and the reverse.
- The year is the first issue year. The number stays the same on renewal, so a 2019 number can belong to a business that is fully current.
- The state code is the state at issue. Older Telangana businesses may hold Andhra Pradesh (01) numbers, and older Ladakh numbers carry Jammu and Kashmir (10).
- Status can change. Under regulation 2.1.7(2), a licence or registration is deemed suspended if the annual fee is not paid or a required return is not filed, and the business must not carry on food business while suspended.
Red flags when you check an FSSAI number
Treat a number with caution if it is not 14 digits, does not start with 1 or 2, shows a year after 2026, or returns a FoSCoS record with a different name, address or status. Any one of these is a reason to ask for the certificate before you pay or list the product.
- A future year. As of October 2026, digits 4 to 5 above 26 cannot be a real issue year, even though the format check passes.
- A state code that does not fit a shop or restaurant. A local premises normally carries its own state's code or 00 for a Central licence. Packaged food is different: the label must show the brand owner's licence number and, if different, the manufacturer's or packer's (which may instead sit in the barcode), so an out-of-state code on a pack can be genuine.
- One number for many sites. A business in several states holds a Central licence for its head office and a separate licence or registration for each unit, per FSSAI's FAQ.
- No number on the bill. Since 1 January 2022, every food business must show its 14-digit number on receipts, invoices, cash memos and bills; FSSAI's order says leaving it out indicates non-compliance or non-registration.
One exception: street vendors registered under the Street Vendors Act 2014 are deemed registered under the FSS Act from the 2026 amendment, so a genuine vendor may have no separate FSSAI number.
Checking a supplier's FSSAI licence before you buy or list
Before the first order, search the supplier's number on FoSCoS, keep a screenshot with the date, and check again at intervals, because a licence can become deemed suspended at any time. In business-to-business trade, the seller must also give you a warranty in Form E, separately or on the bill, cash memo or label, under regulation 2.1.14.
A few checks fit alongside:
- Check the GST number on the same invoice with the GSTIN Validator, then confirm its status on the GST portal.
- For imported food, the importer needs a Central licence at the address on its Importer Exporter Code; check the code with the IEC Code Lookup.
- When a transporter issues both a challan and an invoice, both must carry the FSSAI number. Only the GST e-way bill and similar system-generated government documents are exempt.
What changed for FSSAI licences in 2026
The Licensing and Registration Amendment Regulations, notified on 10 March 2026, made licences and registrations valid unless suspended, cancelled or surrendered, with no renewal. From 1 April 2026, registration covers turnover up to ₹1.5 crore, a State licence up to ₹50 crore and a Central licence above that.
- Any licence or registration issued on or after 1 April 2026 has perpetual validity, but the annual fee must still be paid. You can pay for several years at once.
- Existing businesses that move category because of the new limits keep their number, migrate on FoSCoS by self-declaration and pay no modification fee.
- Inspections are now risk-based under new regulation 2.1.17.
For a licence granted before 1 April 2026, check the status shown on FoSCoS rather than assuming it has no expiry.
What to do if an FSSAI number does not check out
Ask the business for its certificate and search again; a transposed digit is common. If the record still does not match, do not rely on the number, and report the business through FSSAI's Food Safety Connect app, which gives each complaint a number you can track.
If the number is your own and FoSCoS shows it as suspended, pay the due annual fee, or file the overdue return with the penalty, and the suspension is revoked. Licensed manufacturers (including repackers and relabellers), importers and manufacturer-exporters file the annual return in Form D-1 by 31 May; from 1 June the penalty is ₹100 a day, up to five times the annual licence fee. If you close the business, inform the authority and surrender the licence within 30 days.
How Ofin can help with your FSSAI licence
Ofin prepares and files FSSAI registrations and State and Central licences on FoSCoS from ₹1,899, and advises on migration under the 2026 limits and on keeping your licence active. If you are unsure which category you need, use the FSSAI Licence Type Finder, then see FSSAI registration.
