India / Identity documents

How to apply for a ration card in India

Ration cards are issued by your state's food and civil supplies department, not by the Centre. You apply on the state portal, at a Common Service Centre or at the local supply office, and the state checks if your household qualifies as Antyodaya (AAY) or Priority (PHH). Fees, forms and timelines differ by state.

Fee: Varies by state, see Fees
Time: Varies by state; no national time limit
How: Varies by state: state portal, Common Service Centre or supply office

Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. See the 17 sources.

Not confirmed

These points could not be confirmed on an official page on 13 October 2026. Check them with the office or portal before you rely on them.

The Delhi food department site nfs.delhi.gov.in did not load on 13 Oct 2026, so Delhi is not used as a worked example
Helpline numbers: the DFPD home page shows 1967 and 14457, while the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra department sites show 14445 for One Nation One Ration Card. All three are printed on official pages; which one works in a given state was not tested
No official page opened gives a national deadline or a fixed repeat interval for ration card e-KYC. States set their own dates
What the Common Registration Facility on nfsa.gov.in does after sign-in, and which states act on its applications, is not explained on the pages opened
Maharashtra's fee, documents and time limit for a new card were not opened; only the application link and helplines were confirmed
Whether the Mera Ration app itself accepts new ration card applications is not stated in its official FAQ
The DFPD FAQ still quotes issue prices of Rs 3, 2 and 1 per kg in its portability answer; other DFPD pages say NFSA foodgrains are free from 1 January 2023 and for five years from 1 January 2024. The guide follows the later pages
The Uttar Pradesh documents are in Hindi and were read in the original; the PDFs are dated May 2025 and the state may have revised them since
State cards outside NFSA (often called APL, white or state priority cards) exist in some states but were not checked on any state page

Quick answer

There is no single national ration card application. The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) fixes who can be covered and how much grain they get, but each state or union territory decides which households qualify and issues the card. To apply, find your state's food and civil supplies portal from the state selector on nfsa.gov.in, and apply the way that state allows: online, through a Common Service Centre (CSC), or at the local supply office. Keep Aadhaar numbers of all family members ready. Once you hold an NFSA card, One Nation One Ration Card lets you collect your grain at any e-POS enabled ration shop in the country.

Who can apply

What is national. NFSA covers up to 75 percent of the rural population and 50 percent of the urban population, in two categories:

Category	Who	Monthly entitlement
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)	The poorest of the poor households	35 kg of foodgrains per family
Priority Household (PHH)	Other households the state identifies as eligible	5 kg of foodgrains per person

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana these NFSA foodgrains are being given free of cost for five years from 1 January 2024.

Antyodaya (AAY) households. Central guidelines point to, among others:

landless agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans, slum dwellers and daily earners in the informal sector such as porters, rickshaw pullers, rag pickers and cobblers;
households headed by widows, terminally ill persons, disabled persons or persons aged 60 or more with no assured means of subsistence;
single women or single men with no family or societal support;
all primitive tribal households.

Priority (PHH) households. There is no national test. Each state frames its own inclusion and exclusion criteria, so the income limit, land limit and asset rules differ from state to state.

What else is the same everywhere:

The eldest woman of the household who is 18 or older is treated as the head of the family on the card.
Each state has a ceiling on the number of people it can cover. A state can refuse an eligible family because its quota is full.
A family can hold only one ration card. Aadhaar numbers are matched to catch duplicates.

Example of state rules: Uttar Pradesh. The state excludes, among others, every income tax payer, families owning a four wheeler, an air conditioner or a generator of 5 KVA or more, and families with more than one arms licence. In cities it also excludes families whose total income is above Rs 3 lakh a year or who own a house or plot of more than 100 square metres. In villages the income limit is Rs 2 lakh a year and the land limit is 5 acres of irrigated land. Your state's list will be different.

Documents you need

Every state publishes its own list. Expect to be asked for:

Aadhaar numbers of all family members
A passport size photograph of the head of the family
Proof of residence in the state
Details or proof of family income
Bank account details of the head of the family
A mobile number for SMS updates

Example: Uttar Pradesh asks for the head's photograph, a copy of the head's Aadhaar card, the first page of the head's bank passbook, residence proof if the Aadhaar does not show the current address, a statement of family income, the Aadhaar numbers of all members, and whether the family has an electricity and LPG connection.

Steps

Find your state's official portal. Open nfsa.gov.in and choose your state from the list on the home page. The state page shows the State Food Department website, its helpdesk numbers and its grievance link. Use only those links.
Read your state's eligibility rules on that website before applying. If you fall under an exclusion, the application will be rejected.
See how your state takes applications. States use one or more of these: an online citizen login on the state portal, the state's e-district portal, a Common Service Centre, or a paper form at the supply or tehsil office.
Fill the application in the name of the eldest adult woman as head of the family. Enter every member with Aadhaar number, your present and permanent address, family income and bank details.
Attach or upload the documents and take the acknowledgement or application number.
Verification. The state checks Aadhaar numbers against existing cards, then a local officer verifies eligibility.
Approval and issue. If approved, the state issues the card and tells you how to collect or download it.
Complete e-KYC if your state asks for it. It is done with your fingerprint or iris on the e-POS machine at a ration shop.

Worked example: Uttar Pradesh. The applicant goes to the supply office or a Jan Seva Kendra (CSC). The operator fills the online application and uploads the head's photo, Aadhaar and bank passbook page. The Aadhaar numbers are checked for duplicates. Eligibility is then verified by the Block Development Officer's office in rural areas and by the urban local body in towns. The District Supply Office approves, the Supply Inspector digitally signs the card, and an SMS goes to the registered mobile. The department's site also links an application through the state e-district portal.

Worked example: Maharashtra. The NFSA portal's Maharashtra page links an online application under a public login on the state's Ration Card Management System, rcms.mahafood.gov.in.

The NFSA portal also has a Common Registration Facility with sign-in by Aadhaar OTP. The pages opened do not say which states act on it, so check your state page first.

Fees

There is no national fee. Each state fixes its own charge, and some charge nothing.

State (example)	Fee for a new card	Paid to
Uttar Pradesh	Rs 20 (also for changes to an existing card)	The Jan Seva Kendra operator, in cash or digitally
Other states	Check the state food department website	As the state specifies

Using One Nation One Ration Card portability costs nothing extra: the Department of Food and Public Distribution states that beneficiaries bear no additional cost and need no new registration.

How long it takes

There is no national time limit. Uttar Pradesh, as an example, provides for action within 30 working days of a complete application. Look for your state's limit in its citizen charter or right to services notification. Remember that approval also depends on the state having room within its NFSA coverage ceiling.

How to check status

Application status: use the status link on your state food department website. In Uttar Pradesh this is the application status link on fcs.up.gov.in.
Is my card active, and what am I entitled to: the Mera Ration app shows your ration card details, monthly entitlement, past transactions and the nearest Fair Price Shop.
Beneficiary lists: NFSA requires lists to be public. The page "Ration Card Details on State Portals" on nfsa.gov.in links each state's list.
By phone: call the helpdesk number printed on your state's page on nfsa.gov.in. The Department of Food and Public Distribution shows 1967 as its toll free number.

Common problems

Applying on the wrong website. The Centre does not issue ration cards, and many lookalike sites collect fees. Start from nfsa.gov.in and follow the link to the state site.
Rejected application. Uttar Pradesh lists four reasons that are typical everywhere: the family is ineligible under the state's norms, the state's target number of cards is already reached, documents are incomplete, or a card already exists or an Aadhaar number is duplicated.
Name still on parents' or old card. You cannot be on two cards. Get your name removed from the earlier card first, using the state's deletion or transfer service.
Moved to another state for work. You do not need a new card to get NFSA grain. Under One Nation One Ration Card, go to any e-POS enabled Fair Price Shop, give your ration card number or Aadhaar number, and authenticate with your fingerprint. Family members at home can draw the remaining share.
e-KYC pending. It can be done at a Fair Price Shop in any state, without travelling to the home state.
Dealer refuses or gives less grain. Complain on the state helpline or state grievance portal listed on nfsa.gov.in, or through the Mera Ration app. NFSA provides for a District Grievance Redressal Officer and a State Food Commission above that.

FAQ

Can I apply for a ration card online?

It depends on the state. Many states take applications on their own portal or e-district portal, and others route them through Common Service Centres or the supply office. Check your state's page on nfsa.gov.in.

Who issues ration cards, the Centre or the state?

The state or union territory. The central Department of Food and Public Distribution states that it does not issue ration cards and that applicants should approach the state Food and Civil Supplies office.

What is the difference between AAY and PHH cards?

AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) cards are for the poorest households and carry 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month. PHH (Priority Household) cards carry 5 kg per person per month. Both are NFSA cards.

What is the income limit for a ration card?

There is no national income limit. Each state sets its own criteria. Uttar Pradesh, for example, excludes urban families earning above Rs 3 lakh a year and rural families earning above Rs 2 lakh a year.

Do I need a new ration card if I shift to another state?

Not to collect NFSA grain. One Nation One Ration Card lets you use your existing AAY or PHH card at e-POS enabled ration shops in other states, with no extra cost or registration. A fresh card from the new state is a separate application under that state's rules.

Why is the card in the name of the woman of the house?

NFSA treats the eldest woman of the household, aged 18 or above, as the head of the family for issuing the ration card.

Is ration free on a ration card?

Foodgrains under NFSA are being provided free of cost to AAY and PHH beneficiaries for five years from 1 January 2024. Items a state adds on its own, such as sugar, pulses or oil, follow that state's prices.

What is ration card e-KYC and where is it done?

It is Aadhaar based verification of each member on the card, by fingerprint or iris, on the e-POS device at a Fair Price Shop. The Centre has asked all states to reach 100 percent e-KYC. Deadlines are announced by each state.

What does the Mera Ration app do?

It is an official app by the National Informatics Centre. It shows your ration card details, monthly entitlement, transaction history and nearby Fair Price Shops, and lets you file a grievance.

Official links

Sources

Every fee, time limit, form and address above was read on these official pages on 13 October 2026.

Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), FAQs Supports DFPD does not issue ration cards and applicants must approach the state Food and Civil Supplies office; states identify households and issue cards; One Nation One Ration Card FAQs (no new card, no extra cost, lifting with ration card or Aadhaar number after biometric authentication, entitlement scale, cash transfer in Chandigarh and Puducherry); Mera Ration app features
DFPD, Implementation of the National Food Security Act Supports Two NFSA categories; 35 kg per AAY family and 5 kg per PHH person per month; coverage up to 75 percent rural and 50 percent urban; Antyodaya identification criteria; Priority criteria vary from state to state; inclusion and deletion is a continuous process; foodgrains free of cost from 1 January 2023
DFPD, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Supports Free foodgrains to AAY and PHH beneficiaries for five years with effect from 1 January 2024
NFSA portal, Salient Features of NFSA Supports Eldest woman of the household aged 18 or above is head of family for the ration card; states frame their own criteria; grievance redressal through DGROs and State Food Commissions; beneficiary lists in the public domain
NFSA portal, Coverage and Entitlements under NFSA Supports Section 10 of the Act; identification of eligible households is done by States and UTs
NFSA portal, Public Distribution System Supports PDS is a joint responsibility; issue of ration cards and supervision of Fair Price Shops rest with state governments; some states add other commodities
NFSA portal, home page and state pages (Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi opened) Supports State selector that opens each state's page with its food department website, helpdesk numbers and grievance link; Citizen Corner menu (Mera Ration App FAQ, Common Registration Facility, Toll Free Helpline Numbers in States, Online Grievance); Maharashtra page links the online application at rcms.mahafood.gov.in and helpdesk 1800224950 and 1967; Delhi page lists nfs.delhi.gov.in and helpdesk 1967 and 1800110841
NFSA portal, Ration Card Details on State Portals Supports List of states with links to each state's ration card reports
NFSA portal, Common Registration Facility sign-in page Supports The facility exists; sign-in by Aadhaar OTP, login ID or ration card number
NFSA portal, FAQ for Mera Ration 2.0 App (PDF) Supports App is by NIC; shows ration card details, monthly entitlement, transaction history, nearest Fair Price Shop; grievances can be filed in the app
IMPDS portal Supports Inter-state portability transactions are tracked here; official download links for the Mera Ration and Anna Mitra Android apps
DFPD advisory to all States and UTs on nationwide e-KYC, dated 25.06.2024 (PDF) Supports Target of 100 percent e-KYC; e-KYC by Aadhaar biometric (finger or iris) on the e-POS device at a Fair Price Shop; can be done from any state without going to the home state
DFPD home page Supports Toll free 1967 and Anna Sahayata IVRS 14457 shown in the page header
Example state: Uttar Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Department Supports Links for ration card rules, process, form download, application through the e-district portal, eligibility list, search and application status; helpline 1967/14445 and toll free 1800 1800 150
Example state: Uttar Pradesh, ration card process and FAQ (PDF, Hindi) Supports Six step process; application through Jan Seva Kendra (CSC) or supply office; documents; Aadhaar de-duplication; verification by Block Development Office or urban local body; approval by District Supply Office; SMS; reasons for rejection; fee of Rs 20; action within 30 working days
Example state: Uttar Pradesh, eligibility and exclusion rules (PDF, Hindi) Supports Urban and rural inclusion priorities and exclusion conditions (income tax payer, four wheeler, air conditioner, generator, land and income limits)
Example state: Maharashtra Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department Supports Helplines 1800-22-4950 and 1967; One Nation One Ration Card helpline 14445

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