Cottage Food Operation

Sell what you bake at home — legally, without a commercial kitchen.

The simplest permit we handle. Most home-based food sellers are approved in about a week, with no commercial kitchen and no health inspection required for most items.

What's involved

Three things to get right

Cottage food is the lowest-friction permit we handle, but there are still a few specifics worth getting right from the start.

01
Registration & Labeling

Register your cottage food operation and label products correctly — ingredients, allergens, and the required home-kitchen disclosure.

02
Allowed Foods Check

Not everything qualifies. Baked goods, jams, and candies typically do; items needing refrigeration usually don't. We confirm your specific products upfront.

03
Sales Limits & Venue Rules

Where you can sell — direct to consumer, farmers markets — and any state sales limits that apply to your product.

Process

How it works

1

Tell us what you make

Your products and where you plan to sell them.

2

Get your checklist

Exact registration and labeling steps for your products.

3

We review & file

AI-assisted review checks everything before submission.

4

You're approved

Usually the fastest permit we handle — often about a week.

Common questions

FAQ

What foods qualify as cottage food?

Generally non-hazardous, shelf-stable items — breads, cookies, jams, candies. Foods needing refrigeration, like dairy or meats, usually don't qualify. We'll confirm your specific products before you apply.

Do I need a business license too?

Sometimes, depending on your township. We'll tell you exactly what applies to your situation once we know where you're based.

Can I sell online or ship my products?

NJ cottage food rules generally focus on direct, in-person, in-state sales. We'll confirm the specifics for your product before you plan your sales channels.

How fast is approval?

This is typically the fastest permit we handle — often about a week from application to approval.

Ready to start selling legally?

Tell us what you make — we'll send back your exact checklist.

Get my checklist →