FSSAI number on restaurant bills: is it mandatory?
Yes. Here is the FSSAI order behind it, the date it applies from, what exactly to print, and what else FSSAI expects you to display at the restaurant.
Updated 5 October 2026
Yes. Under FSSAI’s order dated 8 June 2021, every food business, restaurants included, must print its 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number on bills, cash receipts, cash memos and invoices. The deadline was moved from 1 October 2021 to 1 January 2022, and the rule has applied since then. Only system-generated government documents like e-way bills are exempt.
What does the FSSAI order say?
On 8 June 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ordered food business operators to mention their FSSAI licence or registration number on cash receipts, purchase invoices, cash memos and bills issued on the sale of food. The stated reason: so consumers know which business to complain about if something goes wrong (SCC Online on the order).
The order was first due from 1 October 2021. On 30 September 2021 FSSAI deferred it, after representations from industry associations, to 1 January 2022 (File No. 15(31)2020/FoSCoS/RCD/FSSAI; deferral order via Taxguru). It has applied since then.
Which documents need the FSSAI number?
- Dine-in bills and tax invoices
- Takeaway and delivery receipts you issue
- Cash memos and handwritten bills, if you still use them
- Invoices for catering or bulk orders
The exemption covers only the GST e-way bill and other documents generated by government systems.
What exactly should I print?
The 14-digit number from your FSSAI licence or registration certificate, labelled so a guest can recognise it, for example:
FSSAI Lic. No: 1XXXXXXXXXXXXX
| You hold | Number starts with | |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI basic registration (small businesses) | 2 | Your 14-digit registration number |
| State licence | 1 | Your 14-digit licence number |
| Central licence | 1 | Your 14-digit licence number |
If you have several outlets, each outlet prints its own number. Put it near the top of the bill with your name, address and GSTIN. Our restaurant bill format guide shows where everything goes.
What happens if the FSSAI number is missing?
The order does not set a separate fine for this. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provides a penalty of up to ₹2 lakh for contraventions that have no specific penalty of their own (Section 58). Food safety officers can also issue improvement notices for breaking licence conditions. Running a food business with no licence or registration at all is a separate, more serious offence (Section 63: up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh). See the Act’s penalty sections at Section 58 and Section 63.
In practice, the bigger risk is a guest complaint or an inspection finding. Printing the number costs nothing once it is set up in your billing software. The other must-haves on a bill, like GSTIN and CGST/SGST, are covered in GST on restaurant food.
What else must a restaurant display?
- A true copy of the FSSAI licence or registration at a prominent place in the premises, at all times.
- FSSAI’s Food Safety Display Board, which shows your FSSAI number, basic hygiene points and how guests can give feedback to FSSAI (PIB on display boards).
How can a guest check an FSSAI number?
On FSSAI’s FoSCoS portal, anyone can check whether a licence or registration number is valid and whom it belongs to. An expired or wrong number on the bill is easy to spot, so renew on time.
Printing your FSSAI number with Venditas
In Venditas, you add your FSSAI number once in Setup → Bill & tax (it checks that the number has 14 digits), and every bill prints “FSSAI Lic. No” under your GSTIN. The setup checklist reminds new restaurants to add it. Each outlet keeps its own number. See GST billing in Venditas or start a 30-day free trial.
This guide is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Check your licence conditions and state rules with your consultant.
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Quick answers
Is the FSSAI number mandatory on restaurant bills?
Yes. FSSAI’s order of 8 June 2021 requires food businesses to print their 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number on cash receipts, invoices, cash memos and bills. After a deferral it has applied since 1 January 2022.
Which documents are exempt?
The order exempts the GST e-way bill and similar documents generated by government systems. Your restaurant bills, takeaway receipts and invoices to customers are not exempt.
What if I only have FSSAI registration, not a licence?
Print your 14-digit registration number. Small businesses with basic registration have a number starting with 2; licence numbers start with 1. Either way, the rule is to print the number you hold.
What is the penalty for not printing the FSSAI number?
The order itself doesn’t list a separate fine. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, a contravention with no specific penalty can attract a penalty of up to ₹2 lakh (Section 58). Running without any licence or registration is punishable separately (Section 63).
Do I also need to display FSSAI at the restaurant?
Yes. A true copy of the licence or registration must be displayed at a prominent place in the premises, and restaurants must display FSSAI’s Food Safety Display Board.
How can a guest check my FSSAI number?
On FSSAI’s FoSCoS portal (foscos.fssai.gov.in), which shows whether the number is valid and whom it belongs to. That is also why the number is on the bill: so guests can raise a complaint against the right business.
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