Start here: approvals depend on facts
There is no single licence list that applies to every warehouse. Requirements change with the state, local authority, building use, ownership or lease, number of workers, goods stored, storage quantity, cold-chain equipment, processing or repacking, pollution potential and whether goods are imported, bonded, hazardous or controlled.
Use this page to prepare and find the correct authority. Do not treat it as legal advice or an approval certificate. Confirm the final list through the applicable government portal, local authority and a qualified professional before signing a lease, constructing, storing regulated goods or starting operations.
The simplest process
- Describe the operation. Record state, district, building, area, employees, shifts, goods, maximum quantities, temperature, equipment, fuel, batteries, chemicals, processing, repacking and import/export status.
- Run Know Your Approvals. Use the National Single Window System questionnaire for both central and state approvals. Save the generated list.
- Check local approvals. Confirm land use, building completion/occupancy, trade licence, fire NOC and local establishment/labour requirements with the state, urban local body and fire service shown by NSWS.
- Check goods-specific approvals. Use the official portals below for food, drugs, agricultural warehousing, petroleum/explosives, customs-bonded goods and environmental permissions.
- Prepare documents. Create one controlled folder using the document checklist below.
- Apply only through official portals. Register, complete the form, upload documents, pay the official fee, note the application number and answer authority queries.
- Complete inspections and conditions. Keep approved plans, test certificates and responsible people available. Close observations with evidence.
- Control renewals. Record licence number, premises, scope, conditions, issue/expiry dates, renewal lead time and owner in the downloadable register.
Approval map by warehouse type
| Warehouse activity | Approvals to investigate | Official starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Most commercial warehouses | Entity and tax registrations as applicable; land-use/building/occupancy approvals; local trade licence; fire NOC; shops and establishment or factory/labour registrations; electrical/lift approvals; contract-labour and other employment registrations depending on facts. | NSWS Know Your Approvals and its state approvals list |
| MSME warehouse or logistics enterprise | Udyam registration is optional for eligible enterprises seeking MSME recognition and benefits; it does not replace operating licences. | Official Udyam portal |
| Food, ingredients, beverages or food cold storage | FSSAI registration or licence category based on the business and premises; hygiene and temperature controls; local health/trade approvals; weights-and-measures requirements where applicable. | FSSAI FoSCoS |
| Pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices or cosmetics | Appropriate sale/distribution/storage licence from the State Drugs Control authority; CDSCO permissions for central functions such as specified imports; qualified person and storage conditions where required. | CDSCO SUGAM and your State Drugs Controller |
| Agricultural produce warehouse issuing negotiable warehouse receipts | WDRA warehouse registration and repository participation where the operator intends to issue electronic negotiable warehouse receipts; commodity, infrastructure, insurance and inspection requirements. | Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority |
| Cold storage | State cold-storage or horticulture approval where applicable; building, fire, electrical, pressure equipment and refrigerant requirements; FSSAI for food; drug approvals for medicines; pollution permissions depending on plant and process. | NSWS state approvals, plus FoSCoS for food |
| Petroleum, LPG, compressed gas, explosives or specified dangerous goods | PESO approval/licence for the substance, quantity, container, storage installation and operation where the relevant rules apply; approved drawings and safety distances; fire and pollution permissions. | PESO Online Licensing System |
| Chemicals, hazardous waste, used oil, batteries or e-waste | SPCB/PCC Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate where applicable; hazardous-waste authorisation; applicable EPR or waste portal registration; authorised transporters and receivers; emergency and spill controls. | CPCB rules and technical resources and the relevant SPCB/PCC portal through NSWS |
| Customs-bonded warehouse or imported goods under bond | Customs warehouse licence/permission, bond, security, records and supervision appropriate to the warehouse type; IEC/GST and customs registrations as applicable. | ICEGATE and the jurisdictional Customs Commissionerate |
| Packaged commodities, weighing or measuring | Legal Metrology registration/licence and verification/stamping of weighing instruments as applicable; packaged-commodity declarations where packing, importing or selling occurs. | NSWS state approvals and the State Legal Metrology department |
| Pesticides, fertilisers, seeds or other controlled agricultural inputs | Product-specific sale, distribution or storage licence from the state agriculture authority; responsible technical person and storage conditions where required. | NSWS Know Your Approvals and the State Agriculture Department |
Documents commonly requested
The authority’s current checklist controls. Common preparation items include:
Applicant
- Entity certificate or partnership document
- PAN, GSTIN and authorised signatory proof
- Board resolution or authorisation letter
- Contact information and digital signature where required
Premises
- Ownership document or registered lease and owner NOC
- Approved site, building and layout plans
- Land-use, completion or occupancy evidence
- Address proof, photographs and geo-coordinates where requested
Operation
- Goods and maximum storage quantities
- Process flow, equipment and utilities
- Employee and contractor details
- Technical person qualifications where applicable
Risk and evidence
- Fire and emergency arrangements
- Electrical, lift, pressure-system or equipment certificates
- Waste, spill and pollution-control plan
- Insurance, test reports and previous approvals where required
How to use the official portals
1. NSWS for identifying approvals
- Open NSWS and create the authorised business profile.
- Choose “Know Your Approvals” and complete both central and state questions.
- Review the indicative list and open each approval detail.
- Add applicable approvals to the dashboard. Where online application is unavailable, follow the authority link shown.
- Use the official NSWS user guides for registration, KYA and digital signature steps.
2. FoSCoS for food storage
- Open FoSCoS and use eligibility guidance for the food business and premises.
- Select “New License / Registration”, the state and the correct kind of business, including storage or cold storage where applicable.
- Complete premises and food-category details, upload the current document list and pay only through FoSCoS.
- Track the application, answer queries and display/maintain the granted licence as required.
3. PESO for regulated substances
- Do not design or occupy the storage installation before confirming the applicable rules and licence form with a competent professional.
- Register on the PESO Online Licensing System.
- Select the applicable product and application, prepare approved drawings and technical documents, submit and pay through the portal.
- Complete scrutiny and inspection requirements, then operate strictly within the granted substance, quantity and installation conditions.
4. Pollution and waste permissions
- Identify the correct SPCB/PCC and industry category.
- Confirm whether Consent to Establish is needed before construction or installation.
- Install only the approved process and pollution-control arrangements.
- Apply for Consent to Operate before operation where applicable, plus separate waste authorisations or EPR registrations relevant to the materials handled.
- Maintain manifests, returns, monitoring and authorised-disposal evidence.
Important distinction
A registration, licence, NOC, consent, authorisation, inspection certificate and voluntary management-system certification are different. ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 certification may support management systems, but they do not replace government licences, fire NOCs, pollution consents or goods-specific permissions.
Download your approval register
Download licence and certificate register Download approval-input worksheet
Review this register at least monthly and before any change in premises, goods, quantity, process, equipment, workforce, ownership or licence scope.