Getting your FSSAI license is only step one. As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011, eligible food business operators must also file their FSSAI Annual Return every year — and missing the deadline triggers a penalty that accumulates daily until you file.
As per regulations of the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), obtaining a food license is one of the most crucial steps for starting a food business. Once you have acquired the food/FSSAI license, you can start your business freely and without any legal complication.
But that's not all. As per FSSAI (Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011, it is equally important to comply with FSSAI compliances and filing of annual returns.
All the food business operators (FBOs) who possess a food license and have an annual turnover of Rs. 12 lakh should file the annual return mandatorily and within the due time.
If anybody fails to file the returns within the stipulated time period, they may have to face grim penalties at Rs. 100 per day.
Form D1 vs Form D2 — Which One Applies to You
Food businesses file only two kinds of returns each year, and which one applies depends entirely on what your business does.
| Form | Who Files It | Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form D1 | Manufacturers, importers, labellers, re-labellers, packers, re-packers | Annual | 31st May every financial year |
| Form D2 | Manufacturers/importers of milk and milk products | Half-yearly | 31st Oct (Apr–Sep) & 30th Apr (Oct–Mar) |
Form D1 must be filed irrespective of whether you actually produced anything in the previous year — a nil return is still a mandatory filing, and it applies per licence, not per FBO. If your business holds two manufacturing units under two separate licenses, each license needs its own return. If you're unsure whether your operation even needs a license in the first place, start by confirming you can check if your business needs an FSSAI license before worrying about the return.
Who Must File the FSSAI Annual Return
Under Clause 2.1.13(1) of the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, the obligation to file Form D1 falls specifically on State or Central FSSAI License holders engaged in:
- Manufacturing or processing of food products
- Importing or exporting food products
- Repacking or re-labelling of food products
- Manufacturing or importing of milk and milk products (also file Form D2, half-yearly)
Businesses holding only a Basic FSSAI Registration — typically those with turnover up to ₹12 lakh, extending to ₹1.5 crore for certain petty categories — are generally not required to file this return, and neither are pure retailers, distributors, transporters, canteens, caterers, restaurants, and grocery stores that don't manufacture, process, or import. If you're unsure which side of that line your business falls on, it's worth confirming before you assume you're exempt.
What Details Go Into Form D1
- FBO name and registered business address
- FSSAI license number
- Name of each food product manufactured, handled, exported, or imported
- Package size — can, bottle, bulk, or other unit
- Quantity handled, in metric tonnes
- For imports/exports: port or country, quantity in kg, and rate per unit (CIF/FOB)
How to File Your FSSAI Annual Return Online
- Log in to the FoSCoS portalUse your FSSAI registration or license number along with your registered business password.
- Select the applicable returnChoose Form D1 (Annual Return) or Form D2 (Half-Yearly Return) based on your business category.
- Enter your business operation detailsFill in production volumes, sales figures, and quantities handled for the reporting period.
- Upload supporting documentsAttach any additional certificates or data required for your specific product category.
- Submit and save your acknowledgementDownload the submission receipt as proof of compliance for your records.
Don't Let a ₹100/Day Penalty Add Up
We prepare, verify, and file your FSSAI Annual Return correctly — before your deadline, not after.
File My Annual Return WhatsApp UsConsequences of Missing the Deadline
Under Clause 2.1.13(3) of the same regulations, a late FSSAI Annual Return attracts a penalty of Rs. 100 per day of delay, running from 1st June onward. FSSAI has since capped this penalty at a maximum of five times the applicable annual license fee, so the fine doesn't grow indefinitely — but it still adds up fast if you sit on it for weeks. Two things make this stricter than it sounds: FoSCoS only accepts online submissions, so there's no offline workaround, and pending returns can hold up your license renewal application until they're cleared.
Related Compliance You Shouldn't Overlook
Depending on your license category, you may also need to keep other registrations current alongside your annual return. If you're operating under a mid-sized food business state license or scaling toward a central FSSAI license for large operators, your filing obligations and thresholds change accordingly. New food businesses starting from scratch should first confirm eligibility for a basic FSSAI registration through FoSCoS, while specialty operators such as butchers should check the specific licensing rules for meat retail outlets.
Most food businesses also carry parallel tax and registration obligations — pairing your FSSAI compliance with GST registration alongside your food license, a Udyam registration for food SMEs, and, depending on your state, a Shop and Establishment registration keeps your entire compliance calendar in one place. If you operate as a registered company, don't forget your separate annual compliance filings as a company run on a different timeline from your FSSAI return.