Section 48: Procedure for issue or renewal of licence
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Section 48 — Governs procedure for issue or renewal of licence and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this section. Key operative text: (1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner…
All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5321(E), subject to the Central/State appropriate-Government split and provision-specific appointments/notifications.
Provision / India Code ↗ · Official Act PDF ↗ · 2026 Central Rules ↗
Finin2min analysis — what the section actually does
Operative clauses
- (1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner and shall contain such particulars regarding the number of contract labour, nature of work for which contract labour is to be employed and such other particulars including the information…
- (2) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the authority referred to in sub-section (1) thereof shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
- (3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of the contract labour, he shall apply in the prescribed manner for the amendment to the licence for such purpose to the authority referred…
- (4) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall contain responsibility of the contractor as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
Provisos, explanations & qualifications
- No proviso/explanation was separately extracted from this section text.
Thresholds and timelines in the text
- (3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of the contract labour, he shall apply in the prescribed manner for the amendment…
Actors expressly appearing in the text
Worker, Appropriate Government, Authority / officer
Full statutory text — Section 48
48. Procedure for issue or renewal of licence.—(1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every
application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of
section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner and shall contain such particulars
regarding the number of contract labour, nature of work for which contract labour is to be employed and
such other particulars including the information relating to the employment of inter-State migrant workers
as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
(2) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the authority referred to in sub-section (1) thereof shall
follow such procedure as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
(3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of
section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified
therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of the contract labour, he shall apply in the
prescribed manner for the amendment to the licence for such purpose to the authority referred to in
sub-section (1) of section119 and if the licence is so amended, the number of contract labour shall be
increased to such extent by depositing such security deposit as specified in the amended licence for the
balance period.
(4) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of
section 47 shall contain responsibility of the contractor as may be prescribed by the appropriate
Government.How to apply this provision
- Primary statutory test — (1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner and shall contain such particulars regarding the number of contract labour, nature of work for which contract labour is to be employed and such other particulars including the information…
- Additional operative limb — (2) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the authority referred to in sub-section (1) thereof shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
- Numerical or timing control — (3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of the contract labour, he shall apply in the prescribed manner for the amendment…
- Central Rule mapping — 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 96. Read the mapped provision together with this text rather than treating the concordance as a substitute for it.
- Prescribed-form link recorded in the corpus — XXI, XXII. Confirm the current notified form/version before filing.
- Evidence file — retain facts and records proving the role/status of: Worker, Appropriate Government, Authority / officer.
Rules, forms and cross-references
Forms mapped
XXI, XXII
Other sections cited in this text
Related Labour Hub resources
A direct concordance is not exhaustive. Central/State jurisdiction, schemes, authority appointments, saved instruments and later notifications may change the practical route without changing the section wording.
Worked example
When an event triggers procedure for issue or renewal of licence, record the trigger date, competent authority, prescribed rule/form, filing or decision step, service/acknowledgement and final outcome. A statutory point to test is: “(3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of th” Read the mapped Central Rule(s) 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 96. Use the current notified XXI, XXII where the process requires it.
Illustration only; it is not statutory text or a substitute for applying the actual facts, jurisdiction, current rule/scheme and official instrument.
Q&A — Section 48
What does Section 48 of the OSHWC Code cover?
Section 48 — Governs procedure for issue or renewal of licence and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this section. Key operative text: (1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner…
What is the main legal requirement or power in Section 48?
The first operative clause identified from the official text is: “(1) Subject to the provisions of section 119, every application for issuing a licence under section 119 for the purposes of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 47 shall be made electronically in such form and manner and shall contain such particulars regarding the number of contract labour, nature of work for which contract labour is to be employed and such other particulars including the information…” Read it with the remaining subsections and any proviso below.
Does Section 48 contain a proviso or explanation?
No standalone proviso or explanation was extracted from this section text. Check the full text below for clause-level qualifications.
What time limit, percentage or amount appears in Section 48?
The provision contains this numerical/time expression: “(3) Subject to the provisions of section 119, the licence issued for the purposes of sub-section (1) of section 47 shall be valid for a period of five years in respect of the number of contract labour specified therein and in case the contractor wants to increase the number of the contract labour, he shall apply in the prescribed manner for the amendment…” Apply it only in the clause and context in which it appears.
Which 2026 Central Rules are linked to Section 48?
The current concordance maps Section 48 to Central Rule(s) 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 96.
Is a prescribed form mapped to Section 48?
The current corpus records: XXI, XXII. Confirm the current notified version before filing or service.
Is Section 48 currently operative?
All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5321(E), subject to the Central/State appropriate-Government split and provision-specific appointments/notifications.
Source & verification trail
Act: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 — official India Code PDF ↗
Central Rules: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 — G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026 ↗
Official library: Ministry of Labour & Employment — Labour Codes ↗
Source check: 20 August 2026. Individual professional interpretation should be re-reviewed when the section, rules, notification, scheme, State overlay or controlling judgment changes.