MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS TO BE FULFILLED FOR FOOD BUSINESS
Obtaining FSSAI Registration and License is the first step towards fulfilling mandatory food business requirements and enter into the food industry. Apart from that, there are various other licenses that are mandatory for the food industry. Here is the list of the most critical restaurant licenses that will ensure that your restaurant operates legitimately.
1. HEALTH/TRADE LICENCE
A substantial segment of businesspersons are interested in health trading activities such as restaurants, eating houses, hotels, guest houses, tea/ coffee shops etc, are permitted to carry out such activities. Health/Trade license is issued by the municipal corporation of respective city/state. If not complied, Municipal Corporation has authority to shut down the business.
A trademark is a type of intellectual property having recognizable sign, design, or expression which identifies a product or services those of others. Trade mark registry acts as Centre of information and also act as facilitator in matters relating to intellectual property.
3. GST REGISTRATION
Goods and Service Tax (GST) is applicable to all Indian service providers, traders and manufacturers. The GST has subsumes a variety of state (VAT, Entertainment Tax, Luxury Tax, Octroi) and central taxes (CST, Service Tax, Excise Duty). It is one of the major things that your restaurants must do to ensure that your restaurant runs seamlessly.
4. SHOP & ESTABLISHMENT ACT
When a business entity employs people who may be full-time employees, casual workers, contract-based etc, to regulate the work conditions and ensure the workers’ rights are protected, it is compulsory to get itself registered under the Shops and Establishments Act, informally called Shop License. This license is city-specific in nature.
- LIQUOR LICENSE
Liquor license is a license for the service of selling alcohol. A licensing process makes it possible for governments to impose laws regarding the service of alcohol that would otherwise be difficult for the police. Liquor license is very difficult to acquire. Having this license is extremely crucial since if you sell liquor without the above-said license, you can incur a huge penalty and also be forced to shut down the business permanently.
6. FIRE DEPARTMENT
The business entity’s actual motive must be to protect its customers from all dangerous things, be it food products or hazards such as a fire. A No Objection Certificate from the fire department is required for the food business.