FSSAI Annual Return Filing

FSSAI Annual Return Filing is a compulsory statutory compliance requirement under Regulation 2.1.13 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Every food business operator (FBO) holding an FSSAI State License or Central License—engaged in manufacturing, importing, exporting, packaging, labeling, or re-labeling of food products—is legally mandated to file an annual return in statutory Form D-1 on the official FoSCoS portal.

The statutory deadline for submitting the FSSAI Annual Return is May 31st of every year, covering the production and trade data of the preceding financial year (April 1st to March 31st). The return requires precise quantitative declarations of food products manufactured, handled, imported, or exported, along with their sales value, countries of destination, and storage capacities. Failure to submit Form D-1 within the statutory timeframe triggers an immediate, non-negotiable late penalty of ₹100 per day of delay from June 1st onwards.

At I-Pro Solutions, our specialized food regulatory compliance team and Chartered Accountants take the complexity out of FSSAI annual return filings. We conduct thorough data reconciliation, audit your manufacturing and trade logs, verify food category classifications, and execute error-free online submissions on FoSCoS—protecting your food enterprise from accumulating daily financial penalties and license suspension.

FSSAI Annual Return Filing (Form D-1) is legally mandatory for specific categories of licensed food business operators in India. You are strictly required to file an annual return if your business falls under any of the following categories: • Licensed Food Manufacturers: All food processing units, manufacturing plants, breweries, slaughterhouses, and packaging units holding an FSSAI State License or Central License. • Food Importers & Exporters: Entities holding an FSSAI Central License for importing food items into India or exporting Indian food products abroad. • Relabellers & Repackers: Businesses that purchase bulk food products and repack, relabel, or re-brand them under their own private labels with a valid State or Central License. • Dairy Processors & Milk Chilling Units: Licensed dairy farms, milk processing plants, and chilling centers handling commercial quantities of milk and milk products. Important Exemption Note: Petty Food Business Operators holding an FSSAI Basic Registration (turnover under ₹12 Lakhs), pure retail grocers, restaurants, canteens, distributors, and wholesalers who do not engage in any manufacturing, importing, or repacking activities are exempted from filing statutory Form D-1 annual returns.