A restaurant in India typically needs between six and twelve separate permissions. The exact set depends on your format, floor area, seating, whether you serve alcohol and whether you play recorded music — not on a single national checklist. The job of this lesson is to let you build your own list rather than copy someone else's.
The twelve that matter
| Licence | Issued by | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI registration or licence | FoSCoS, local/State/Central authority by category | Always |
| Shop and Establishment registration | State labour department | Always |
| GST registration | GSTN | Above the turnover threshold, or any sale through an aggregator |
| Trade or health trade licence | Municipal corporation | Almost always; name varies by city |
| Fire NOC | State fire service | By area, seating or building height |
| Eating house licence | Police commissioner in some cities, municipal body in others | City-dependent |
| Liquor licence | State excise department | Only if serving alcohol |
| Signage licence | Municipal corporation | Any external board |
| Pollution consent | State pollution control board | By kitchen size, fuel and DG set |
| Weights and measures registration | Legal metrology | Any weighing scale used in trade |
| Music licences | Relevant rights holders | Any recorded music |
| Lift licence | State electrical inspectorate | Premises with a lift |
How to work out your own set
Four questions settle most of it. What is your format — a cloud kitchen with no customers on site is treated differently from a 60-seat dining room. What is your floor area and seating — these drive fire and pollution applicability. Do you serve alcohol — if yes, excise becomes the largest and slowest part of your path. Do you play recorded music — if yes, see lesson 4.
The honest answer on applicability is that it varies by city and by category, and the thresholds move. Treat this table as the universe of possibilities and confirm each one with the issuing authority for your own address. A consultant who hands you a fixed list without asking those four questions is selling you a template.
What this costs you if you get it wrong
Operating without a required permission is not usually a fine-and-carry-on situation. It can mean sealing of premises, and it will certainly complicate your aggregator onboarding, your bank account and any future investment diligence. Equally, applying for permissions you do not need wastes weeks and money — which is why building the matrix deliberately is worth an afternoon.
Build yours with the restaurant licence checklist tool, then verify each row locally.