Food Laboratory explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 5 to 7 of the Recognition and Notification of Laboratories Regulations, 2018 carry a laboratory from application to notification: the application in Form-A, scrutiny with thirty-day periods, the adequacy audit, the agreement with the Food Authority, Gazette notification, renewal of the agreement, and the duty to report changes within fifteen days.
These Regulations are read as amended up to 8 November 2018 (the Regulations as notified; FSSAI lists no amendment as at 2 October 2026). The Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in. A business that depends on a laboratory's status can read the process through FSSAI compliance support.
A laboratory that meets the criteria in regulation 4 applies in Form-A through the Food Authority's online platform with the documents and the printed fee. The Authority points out deficiencies within thirty days, and the applicant removes them within thirty days. After an adequacy audit and an agreement, the laboratory is notified in the Gazette. Renewal is sought sixty days before expiry; changes are reported within fifteen days.
Regulation 5: procedure for notification
| Sub-regulation | What it says |
|---|---|
| 5(1) | A laboratory wishing to be notified under section 43(1), if it meets the criteria in regulation 4, applies in Form-A through the Food Authority's online platform with the documents specified and the fee printed in the regulation |
| 5(2) | A laboratory owned or controlled by a Government institution (including a research institution), or established by the Food Authority or another statutory body, and accredited by an accreditation body, may apply in Form-A for notification as a referral laboratory under section 43(2) |
| 5(3) | The Food Authority scrutinises applications and informs the applicant of any deficiency within thirty days of receipt; the applicant removes it within thirty days of receiving the information, failing which the application stands rejected without further reference and the fee paid is not refunded |
| 5(4) | A complete application is registered with a registration number to be used in all future correspondence |
| 5(5) | The Food Authority may carry out an adequacy audit and, on being satisfied, decide to notify the laboratory |
| 5(6) | The Food Authority may reject an application for reasons recorded in writing |
| 5(7) | Where it decides to notify, the laboratory executes an agreement with the Food Authority agreeing to comply with its terms and conditions |
| 5(8) | The laboratory deposits a security deposit that carries no interest at the time of signing the agreement; a proviso exempts a laboratory owned, controlled, funded or operated by a statutory body or Government institution, including a Government-aided or funded institution, research institution or a University recognised under the UGC Act, 1956 |
| 5(9) | The Food Authority notifies the laboratory by notification in the Official Gazette and uploads on its website the details of notified laboratories, including the scope of accreditation |
| 5(10) | The agreement comes into force from the date of the notification under 5(9) and is valid till the validity of the accreditation certificate or till the recognition and notification is continued by the Food Authority, whichever is earlier |
The text prints the application fee and the amount of the security deposit; this article does not repeat them. Form-A is headed "Application for Notification of Food Laboratory" and is addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Food Authority. It asks for the applicant's details, the accreditation body and certificate details, details of laboratory facilities, infrastructure, equipment and manpower, details of Food Analysts, proficiency testing, any past suspension or debarment, capacity of analysis, the quality manual and the fee particulars, with a list of documents to be enclosed. The fields are not walked through here.
Two points deserve emphasis. First, a rejection for an uncured deficiency is automatic and the fee is not refunded. Second, notification does not end with the Gazette entry: the agreement is the working document, and its validity is limited to the life of the accreditation certificate.
Regulation 6: renewal of the agreement
- 6(1) A notified or referral laboratory wishing to continue applies for renewal in Form-A, sixty days prior to the date of expiry of the agreement, in the same manner as 5(1) and 5(2).
- 6(2) Where, on the basis of audit reports and other relevant records, the Food Authority is satisfied that the laboratory continues to meet all the requirements, it may renew the agreement for a further period till the validity of the renewed accreditation certificate.
The renewal period is therefore tied to accreditation, not a fixed number of years.
Regulation 7: change in name, address, scope and so on
Any change in the name, address, constitution or scope of accreditation of a notified or referral laboratory must be brought to the notice of the Food Authority "through its online platform within fifteen days of such change", along with (a) the relevant document about the change of address, name or constitution or scope of accreditation, and (b) the revised accreditation certificate or a communication from the accreditation body. Regulation 9(1)(b) repeats the duty as an obligation of the laboratory (see our article on regulations 8 to 11).
An invented example: Coastal Food Testing, a private laboratory with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, applies in Form-A online. The Food Authority notes a missing equipment list on day twenty and asks for it; Coastal supplies it within the thirty days, so the application proceeds. After an adequacy audit, Coastal signs the agreement, pays the deposit as printed and is notified in the Gazette. Eight months later it moves to a larger site; its accreditation scope changes, and it reports the change on the online platform within fifteen days with the revised accreditation certificate.
How this fits with the rest
The criteria are in regulations 1 to 4. The audits, obligations, de-notification and appeal follow in regulations 8 to 11. The Act's provision is in sections 43 and 44 of the FSS Act.
Need help with laboratory results?
Where a sample result comes from a laboratory whose scope or status is in doubt, the position of the food business can change. Our FSSAI compliance support team can help you check the laboratory's notification and scope before you rely on or challenge a report.
Key takeaways
- Apply in Form-A online; thirty days for the Authority to flag deficiencies and thirty days for the applicant to cure.
- An adequacy audit, an agreement and Gazette notification complete the process.
- The agreement lasts as long as the accreditation certificate or the notification, whichever is earlier.
- Renewal: sixty days prior to expiry; changes reported within fifteen days.
Read next
- Regulations 1–4: reference laboratories and criteria
- Regulations 8–11: audits, obligations and appeal
- Choosing NABL accredited food testing labs
- Sections 43 and 44, FSS Act
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.