Before you sell a single meal, you almost certainly need to register with a food authority. The good news: for a small tiffin business, registration is usually simple and cheap. The catch: the rules depend on where you are, and in some places they decide whether you can cook at home at all.
This is general information from official and reputable sources, checked on 18 September 2026 — not legal advice. Confirm with your local authority before you start.
India: FSSAI registration (updated for 2026)
Every food business in India needs an FSSAI registration or licence, including home kitchens selling tiffins. The rules changed in 2026:
- Basic registration now covers businesses with an annual turnover of up to ₹1.5 crore, from 1 April 2026. The limit used to be ₹12 lakh, so many home and small commercial tiffin services that previously needed a state licence now qualify for basic registration.
- The government fee for basic registration is ₹100 a year.
- A state licence covers turnover from ₹1.5 crore to ₹50 crore, and a central licence applies above that.
- The same 2026 amendment gave registrations and licences perpetual validity, removing periodic renewal.
You apply on the FSSAI’s FoSCoS portal. Separately, GST registration becomes mandatory once your turnover crosses the threshold for services (₹20 lakh a year in most states). A chartered accountant can confirm what applies to you, especially if you also sell through delivery apps.
United Kingdom: register with your council
- Register your food business with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading.
- Registration is free and cannot be refused — it applies to home-based businesses too.
- Expect an inspection and a food hygiene rating, which customers can look up.
- You must provide allergen information for the 14 major allergens. For food ordered online or by phone, it must be available before the customer orders and again when the food is delivered.
Keep chilled food at 8°C or below (5°C is better practice) and hot food at 63°C or above when you hold it hot — these are legal requirements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
United States: cottage food laws and commercial kitchens
Food rules in the US are set by each state, and often enforced by the county. Two things matter for a meal business:
- Cottage food laws let people sell some low-risk foods — breads, jams, dry goods — from a home kitchen. They generally exclude perishable, temperature-controlled meals, which is most of what a tiffin or meal-prep business sells.
- A small number of states now allow some perishable foods from home under conditions, and some California counties permit microenterprise home kitchen operations. Each comes with limits on sales, training and labelling.
So most US meal businesses cook in a licensed commercial or shared (“commissary”) kitchen, hold a health department permit, and have a certified food manager. Start by calling your county health department and asking specifically about prepared meals for delivery.