Cottage Food Laws by State
New Jersey Cottage Food Laws
New Jersey allows home cooks to sell certain shelf-stable foods, but only after the Department of Health issues a Cottage Food Operator Permit. The permit costs $100 and lasts two years. Your gross sales are capped at $50,000 a year, and you must hold a Food Protection Manager certification before applying.
Annual sales cap
$50,000
Permit
Required
Training
Required
Home inspection
No
Online sales
Allowed
Shipping
Not allowed
Across state lines
Not allowed
Wholesale
Not allowed
Verified against official sources on 2026-10-21.
Where You Can Sell in New Jersey
Sales are direct to consumers inside New Jersey: from your home, at the customer's home, at New Jersey farmers' markets and farm stands, and at temporary events. You can take orders and payments online, but you must hand the food over in person. Mailing, interstate sales, and selling to stores or wholesalers are not permitted.
| Channel | Status |
|---|---|
| From home |
Conditions apply
Local zoning must allow a home food business or the Department will not approve the permit. |
| Farmers markets |
Conditions apply
Must be a New Jersey farmers' market; local market rules apply and you display your permit and a placard. |
| Events & festivals |
Conditions apply
Sales at street fairs and other events go through a New Jersey temporary retail food establishment, which needs a temporary food permit; food may not be made onsite. |
| Roadside stands | Allowed |
| Online orders |
Conditions apply
You may advertise, take orders, and accept payments online, but the product must be handed to the customer in person in New Jersey; mailing is not allowed. |
| Retail stores | Not allowed |
| Wholesale | Not allowed |
What You Can Sell in New Jersey
Only foods on the Department's approved list qualify, such as breads, cookies, cakes, candy, jams, granola, nuts, and dried pasta without egg. Anything needing refrigeration is out, including cheesecake and cream-filled pastries. Hot sauce, pumpkin pie, pepper jelly, and pet treats are also excluded. Check the list before applying.
Foods that stay safe at room temperature and appear on the Department of Health's approved list; other non-TCS foods may be approved on written application.
Bread
Candy
Condiments
Dry goods
Pastries
Preserves
Snacks
Allowed with conditions
- Dried herbs and tea — Must be bought from a licensed facility or wholesale distributor; home-grown or foraged herbs are not accepted.
- Honey — Processed or flavored honey must have no floating particles; raw unprocessed honey is not a cottage food and needs no permit.
- Dried pasta — Must not contain egg.
- Cotton candy — Allowed only if packaged; not spun onsite.
Not allowed
Limits and Requirements
Annual sales cap
$50,000
- Gross annual sales may not exceed $50,000
- Food must be made in your own home kitchen, in New Jersey, and no other location
- No mailing or shipping, and no sales outside New Jersey
- No sales to stores, wholesalers, or other retail food establishments
- Food may not be prepared onsite at markets or events
- Permit applies to New Jersey residents and is not transferable between addresses
- Adding a product later requires a new application and $100 fee
Local rules: Your municipality must allow a home food business, and the Department will not approve the permit if local zoning prohibits it. Markets and events may add their own rules and a temporary food permit through the local health department.
How to Start Selling in New Jersey
-
1
Check the approved food list
Confirm each product appears on the Department of Health approved list; a product questionnaire is part of the application.
-
2
Confirm zoning approval
Get written confirmation from your municipal zoning office that a home food business is allowed at your address.
-
3
Earn a Food Protection Manager certificate
Complete an accredited program; the Department does not offer the course.
-
4
Prove your water is safe
Submit a recent water bill for public water, or a coliform test taken within 60 days of filing for a private well.
-
5
Submit the application and $100 fee
Email the application to cfo@doh.nj.gov or mail it to the Department of Health; review takes about 16 weeks and there is no expedited option.
-
6
Renew before expiry
Send a complete renewal at least 45 days before the two-year permit expires to keep operating during review.
What a Compliant New Jersey Label Looks Like
Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.
Product
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Pops
Sunflower Home Bakery
Permit #CF-10293
Springfield, NJ
Owner: Jamie Rivera
Ingredients:
Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Corn Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil; Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla; Sugar, Corn Starch, Vegetable Oil (Palm), Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax, FD&C Colors; Water, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red 40.
Contains:
This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health.
Label Requirements
Every cottage food product sold in New Jersey must have a label that includes the following.
| Required field |
|---|
| All 9 FDA major allergens present |
| Complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight |
| Business name |
| Product name |
| Owner name |
| Permit number |
| City name |
| "Not inspected" disclosure statement |
New Jersey Labeling Notes
- When selling anywhere other than your home or the customer's home, display your permit and the required placard.
- Individual unwrapped items need at least one tag carrying the full label information plus a sign with your permit details.
Required Label Disclosure
This exact text must appear on every label you sell in New Jersey.
This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health.
Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.
Generate your New Jersey label in minutes
Ingredient lists, allergens, and the required disclosure — built in automatically.
New Jersey Cottage Food — Common Questions
Apply to the NJ Department of Health for a Cottage Food Operator Permit; the fee is $100 and the permit lasts two years, with renewal at $100.
The limit is $50,000 in gross sales.
You need a Food Protection Manager certification from an accredited program (not a basic food handler card); the Department does not provide the course, so cost varies by provider.
Online sales are allowed. Shipping is not allowed. You may advertise, take orders, and accept payments online, but the product must be handed to the customer in person in New Jersey; mailing is not allowed.
Not allowed: Cheesecake and cheese- or cream-filled pastries; Pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, key lime, and lemon pies; Pepper jelly, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup; Freeze-dried or dehydrated produce and dried mushrooms; Tahini, apple butter, and other fruit butters; Items with alcohol or CBD; Liquid beverages; Dog treats and pet food; Foods that need time or temperature control.
Resources and Law History
2021
Department of Health adopted N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 on July 16, 2021, ending the ban on selling home-prepared food; effective October 4, 2021.
Law reference: New Jersey Cottage Food Law (N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 (Cottage Food Operator Permit rules)) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.
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