The short version

→ The machine itself needs a BIS (ISI mark) certification against Indian Standard IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 75):2018, under a 2025 Quality Control Order.

→ The operator needs an FSSAI license or registration if the machine dispenses any food or beverage – this applies regardless of whether you manufacture, own, or simply operate the machine.

→ The products sold need to be pre-packaged and labelled per Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules – MRP, net quantity, and manufacturer details, same as any retail sale.

→ The business needs the same general registrations any retail business needs: GST, and a municipal trade license or shop & establishment registration, depending on the state.

Hardware

BIS certification: the ISI mark on the machine

Vending machines fall under the Electrical Appliances for Commercial Dispensing and Vending (Quality Control) Order, issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the BIS Act, 2016. This order requires machines like coffee vendors, cold-drink dispensers, and snack vending machines to comply with Indian Standard IS 302 (Part 2/Section 75): 2018 and carry the ISI Standard Mark under a BIS license, certified via Scheme-1 of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.

Worth knowing: this specific QCO has been reissued three times in three years – a 2023 version, a replacement in October 2024, and a further replacement in May 2025 (S.O. 2283(E)). Each version has adjusted implementation timelines, particularly for micro and small enterprises, which get extended compliance deadlines under the MSME Development Act, 2006. If you’re sourcing or manufacturing a machine, check which version is currently in force rather than relying on any single date you find online – including this page.

Exemptions exist for goods manufactured in India solely for export, and for up to 50 imported units per year for R&D purposes, provided they aren’t sold and are scrapped after use.

Operations

FSSAI licensing: mandatory for any food or drink

Any business dispensing food or beverages through a vending machine is a food business operator under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and needs FSSAI registration or licensing – full stop, regardless of whether the operator manufactures anything or simply places and stocks machines. FSSAI’s licensing structure has three tiers, commonly cited by turnover:

→ Basic Registration – for smaller operators; the commonly cited threshold has historically been around ₹12 lakh annual turnover, though FSSAI has revised registration thresholds over time, so confirm the current figure.

→ State License – for mid-sized operators, roughly ₹12 lakh to ₹20 crore in annual turnover.

→ Central License – required above ₹20 crore turnover, and typically used by large importers, manufacturers, railways, and airport operators.

One specific carve-out worth knowing: under FSSAI orders numbered 15(6)2018/FLRS/RCD/FSSAI (dated 8 July 2019 and 19 September 2019), individual vending machines with annual turnover under ₹12 lakh can operate under the parent entity’s FSSAI license rather than needing a separate license per machine – relevant for any operator running a network of many small machines rather than one large one.

Products

Legal Metrology: what has to be on the package

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, made under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, require every pre-packaged commodity – the chips, drinks, and snacks a machine dispenses – to declare the manufacturer or packer’s name and address, the net quantity by weight, volume, or count, the Maximum Retail Price inclusive of taxes, and the date of manufacture.

A nuance worth flagging: the rules explicitly carve out food articles from certain provisions of the packaging sub-rules, deferring instead to food-specific safety regulation – which is one reason the FSSAI and Legal Metrology requirements exist somewhat in parallel rather than one replacing the other. In practice, this compliance burden sits with the FMCG brand that packages the product, not the vending operator – but an operator sourcing “bulk” or unbranded stock without proper labelling would be taking on that risk directly.

The Business Itself

General business registrations

None of the following is unique to vending – they’re the same registrations any retail business in India needs, but worth listing since vending operators sometimes assume the industry-specific rules above are the whole picture: GST registration once turnover crosses the standard threshold, a municipal trade license or shop & establishment registration depending on the state and where machines are physically placed, and standard business incorporation (proprietorship, partnership, or private limited company) documentation.

Placement inside institutions – hospitals in particular – often adds a layer of site-specific requirements beyond national law: fire safety no-objection certificates, electrical load clearance from the facility’s engineering team, and biomedical-waste-adjacent siting rules if the machine sits near clinical areas. These aren’t governed by a single national regulation; they’re set by the individual facility or the state’s fire and electrical inspectorates, so they need to be confirmed per site rather than assumed.