An event company does not need a food licence merely because it coordinates décor or logistics. The person who prepares, stores, transports, serves or sells food is a food business operator and must hold the registration or licence appropriate to its activity and current eligibility criteria.
Current law before inherited content
The supplied draft was used as a topic brief, not as legal authority. Competitor promotions, duplicated wording, obsolete examples and unsupported claims have been removed. Always verify the effective notification and the facts of the transaction before acting.
Review status: Professional review pending. This general guide is not a legal opinion, tax computation, audit conclusion or filing instruction for a specific person.
Who is the food business operator
Map who contracts for food, buys ingredients, prepares, stores, transports, serves and invoices the customer. A pure coordinator may not be the FBO; an organiser running its own kitchen or catering operation usually is.
Choose the correct licence category
Use the live FoSCoS eligibility document and Kind of Business. Do not reuse pre-April-2026 ₹12 lakh examples without verification: FSSAI revised eligibility thresholds and validity arrangements in 2026.
Vendor due diligence
Check the caterer’s licence or registration number, legal name, premises, Kind of Business, validity or current status and scope. Put compliance, allergen, temperature, incident-reporting and subcontractor duties into the contract.
On-site food safety plan
Control approved sources, potable water, hand hygiene, raw and cooked separation, time and temperature, protected transport, waste, pest exposure, cleaning and illness reporting. Assign a named food-safety lead.
Allergens and traceability
Collect recipes and ingredient labels, communicate priority allergens, avoid unsupported ‘allergen-free’ promises, preserve supplier and batch records and establish an escalation path for adverse reactions or suspected foodborne illness.
After-event evidence
Retain menus, vendor approvals, receiving logs, temperature records, cleaning checks, staff briefing, complaints and corrective actions. Report and cooperate with authorities where the law or incident requires it.
Need a fact-specific compliance review?
Map the applicable law, effective date, documents, filing route and ongoing obligations before relying on a general article.
Request a TargoLegal reviewFrequently asked questions
Does every event planner need FSSAI registration?
No. The trigger is carrying on food business activities.
Can I rely on the caterer’s licence?
Only if the caterer actually performs the licensed activity and the organiser does not independently carry on another food business.
Did thresholds change in 2026?
Yes. Use the updated FoSCoS eligibility document effective 1 April 2026.
Is a one-day event exempt?
Temporary duration alone does not remove food-business requirements.
What should the contract cover?
Licence scope, hygiene, allergens, temperatures, traceability, incidents and subcontractors.
