Licence & Compliance Checklist
State + format → FSSAI / GST / fire NOC / trade / signage / music / liquor / professional tax: cost, duration, authority. Gated PDF download.
| Licence | Authority | Cost (₹) | Validity | Lead time | Critical? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSSAI State Licence | Food Safety and Standards Authority of India | 2,000 – 5,000 | 12m | 10–21 d | Yes | Mandatory for any food business above ₹12L turnover. Cost varies by validity period (1-5 years). |
| GST Registration | GSTN (Goods and Services Tax Network) | 0 – 0 | Permanent | 3–7 d | Yes | Free of cost. Mandatory above ₹40L turnover (₹20L for some states/categories). |
| Trade Licence | Local Municipal Corporation | 3,000 – 15,000 | 12m | 15–45 d | Yes | Cost depends on city, area sqft, and category. Renewable annually. |
| Fire NOC | State Fire Department | 5,000 – 25,000 | 12m | 21–60 d | Yes | Required for premises >100 sqm seating or kitchens with LPG bank. Fire-safety equipment install adds ₹40K-₹2L capex. |
| Signage / Hoarding Licence | Local Municipal Corporation | 1,500 – 12,000 | 12m | 7–30 d | No | Cost varies by signage area (per sqft) and visibility class. |
| Music / Performance Licence | PPL India + IPRS (joint) | 12,000 – 60,000 | 12m | 3–14 d | No | Required if recorded or live music is played in the premises. Cost depends on seating + city tier. |
| Liquor Licence (FL-3 / restaurant bar) | State Excise Department | 2,00,000 – 7,00,000 | 12m | 60–180 d | Yes | Maharashtra FL-3 (restaurant bar) — separate from FL-4 (beer/wine). Cost driven by Bombay Suburban / Pune urban classification. |
| Eating House Licence | Police Commissioner / Local Police | 3,000 – 15,000 | 12m | 14–45 d | No | Required in many states (e.g. Delhi). Combines with trade licence in some others. |
| Pollution NOC (Consent to Operate) | State Pollution Control Board | 3,000 – 25,000 | 60m | 30–90 d | No | Required for kitchens above 100 sqm or with significant exhaust. Renewable every 5 years. |
| Shop & Establishment Registration | State Labour Department | 500 – 5,000 | 12m | 5–21 d | Yes | Mandatory for any commercial premises. Cost depends on number of employees. |
| Professional Tax Registration | State Commercial Tax Department | 0 – 2,500 | 12m | 3–14 d | No | Applies in Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat (and a few more). Capped at ₹2,500/year/person under Article 276. |
Maharashtra: Professional tax applicable; FL-3 + FL-4 framework for liquor. · Single-window: MAITRI Portal.
Related reading
Common questions
Do I really need all these licences?
FSSAI, GST, trade licence, fire NOC, shop & establishment, and signage are baseline. Music, liquor, and pollution NOC depend on format. Eating-house licence applies in some states. Skipping any closure-level licence can shut you down on day 1 of operations.
How long does the slowest licence take?
Liquor licence is consistently 60-180 days. Fire NOC can take 30-60 days in T1 cities. Plan your opening date 90+ days after lease signing.
Can a single-window portal handle all of this?
MAITRI (Maharashtra), TS-iPASS (Telangana), Karnataka Udyami Mitra, Raj Nivesh, and a few others can handle 60-70% of the licences. Liquor and music are usually outside single-window.
Is the cost range really that wide?
Yes — especially for liquor licences. Delhi L-17 can be ₹15 lakhs; Goa is under ₹3 lakhs; Bihar and Gujarat are zero (dry states). Other licences are tighter ranges.
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