Requirements to Open a Restaurant in Mumbai-converted
                     
Restaurant for rent in Mumbai is one of the most sought after type of commercial properties at  
Jagaha.com, and our clients have requested us multiple times over to help them understand how 
to  determine whether the commercial property is suitable for their restaurant and what are the  
licenses required to open a restaurant in Mumbai.
If you are a resident of Mumbai, you can probably name a list of at least ten restaurants that have  
been set up in the past year itself. And the high demand is valid, owing to the fact that the food  
industry will most likely never run out of business. There is an increasing demand for new 
cuisines  and even more for the entire experience. And that’s where the opportunity lies, in being 
different  enough to invite people to try, yet being brilliant enough to keep people visiting.
Jagaha has many clients who are aspiring restauranteurs whom we would like to help. If you are  
also an aspiring restauranteur and have stumbled upon this blog for your research, Jagaha.com 
is  at your service and here to help you understand all the requirements for setting up a 
successful  business!
Restaurants can be classified into various types  
depending on what they serve. I don’t mean cuisines,  
but whether the restaurant is a cloud  
kitchen/takeaway, dine-in café, a dine-in only veg  
restaurant, dine-in non-veg restaurant, restaurant 
with  bar, lounge or a club. For any space which will 
include  a kitchen set up, the following criteria are 
mandatory  for the commercial property:
Parameters for commercial property to qualify for 
a  restaurant
1. Minimum allotment of a kitchen is 25-30% of the total carpet area of the 
commercial  property. (Not applicable in cases of cloud kitchen/takeaway)
2. Fire compliance of the property. Minimum 1 fire exit apart from the entry point in 
the  Kitchen.
3. Services layouts – Commercial 3 phase electrical wiring, Water storage, and 
connection
Drainage lines for wastewater, oil and slurry pipelines, etc.
4. Waste management – Must have segregated Garbage disposal system.
5. CNG Gas storage in case of portable cylinders or gas connection permission.
Licenses Required:
After we find the perfect commercial property, the next step in  
the process is to apply for approval and licenses from the  
government. As of May 2019, the following licenses are 
required  to start a restaurant in India. Some may not be 
applicable to  smaller businesses like cloud kitchen/cake 
shop/small café.
FSSAI Food Safety and Standards 
Authority  License:
This is a 14 digit Unique Identification Code. And given to  
restaurants whose food complies with the standards laid 
out  by the government and just acts as a confirmation to 
your  customers that everything served are the restaurant 
is  adhering to the quality that is required of it. This license 
is  given to manufacturers, traders, and restaurants and 
should  be printed on packaged foods. One of the most 
important  licenses required.
Fee
s
Documents required for FSSAI 
License
ID Proof  
Address Proof  
Phone Number 
 Affidavit
Kitchen 
Layout Plan
Declaration of 
food safety 
management 
plan
Water testing report from a facility that approved by 
ISI  NOC from Owner
Medical certificate of 
employees  List of food 
category
Health/Trade License
Due to many instances where public health was not given  
enough importance and the declining food quality, the 
health  and trade license was established and generated by 
the local  civic authority like the Brihanmumbai Municipal 
corporation  (BMC) or health department. This is another 
license that is  mandatory for opening a restaurant or café in 
Mumbai.The  minimum area of the restaurant should be 300 
square feet.
Documents Required:
Ownership documents
Rent Agreement & NOC from Landlord
Site plan and layout of restaurant – Three copies
Structural engineer approved certificate of stability of the 
property.  Proof of sewer connection
Electricity bill and water 
bill  Indemnity bond
Employees medical 
certificate  Property tax proof
Fees: Rs 500-50,000
Time within which license is 
issued: within 60 days from 
submission of application 
form.
The Municipal Corporation reserves right to shut down the business should the restauranteur 
fail  to acquire the health license and operate without it.
Eating House 
License
Eating House means – any place to which the  
public are admitted, and where any kind of food  
or drink is supplied for consumption and this  
license must be acquired from the licensing 
police  commissioner of the city in which you 
wish to  operate your business. One can apply 
for eating  house license here.
Documents required:
Site plan of the 
property  Photographs
Leave and license 
agreement  NOC from the 
Landlord
Address proof of company/proprietor/partner  
Firefighting compliance – NOC from fire 
department  Undertaking with regards to CCTV 
installed.
Fees: Rs 
300
Shop and Establishment Act/Gumasta 
License
If you have more than 10 employees, this license is compulsory and can cost 
anywhere  between Rs 200 – 4000 per year depending on the number of 
employees.
Documents required:
Aadhaar and Pan Card  
Identity Proof
Address proof of Proprietor or company  
Details of the employees
GST Registration
GST Registration is compulsory for all types of food 
businesses –  from cafes to fine-dine. One can apply for the 
same at  www.gst.gov.in.
Documents required:
Ownership/tenancy rights of the 
property.  Proprietorship, company 
proof.
Signage License
One has to apply to the BMC for signage license if they 
require  to put signages for their business. It is important to 
have this  license for ANY FORM OF MARKETING.
We hope this log provided you with a better  
understanding of the licenses required to open a  
restaurant in Mumbai. Should you have any doubts  
while looking for restaurants in Mumbai or any type  
of commercial property requirement for example:  
Office space for rent in BKC or Office for rent in  
Andheri West, our team at Jagaha.com is here to 
help  you! Give us a call at 9029000670 or email us at 
 [email protected], and our best advisors will call 
you.