Cottage Food Laws by State

Rhode Island Cottage Food Laws

Rhode Island requires a $65 annual registration and ANSI food safety training. The $50,000 annual cap applies. Online sales are permitted.

Annual cap

$50,000

Permit required

Yes

Venues

3

Last updated

2026

What You Can Sell

The following product types are permitted under the Rhode Island cottage food law.

Baked Goods

Permitted
  • Cakes and cupcakes
  • Cookies and brownies
  • Muffins and quick breads
  • Yeast breads and rolls
  • Fruit pies (cream and custard pies require refrigeration and are not permitted)
  • Cake pops and dipped treats
  • Donuts and pastries

Candies and Confections

Permitted
  • Chocolates and fudge
  • Hard candies and lollipops
  • Toffee and caramel (shelf-stable)
  • Cake truffles

Preserved and Dry Goods

Permitted
  • Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • Honey and honeycomb
  • Dried herbs and spices
  • Roasted nuts and trail mix
  • Granola and cereal
  • Popcorn and flavored popcorn
  • Dried pasta (no egg)
Note: Items must be shelf-stable.

Beverages

Permitted
  • Coffee (roasted or ground, not brewed)
  • Dry tea blends
Note: Brewed beverages and juices are not permitted.

What You Cannot Sell

These product types are not covered by the Rhode Island cottage food law and require a commercial kitchen license.

  • Meat, poultry, and seafood products
  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter)
  • Items requiring refrigeration (cream pies, cheesecakes)
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Fruit and vegetable juices
  • Canned low-acid vegetables

Where You Can Sell

Rhode Island permits cottage food sales at the following venues.

Direct from your home

Farmers markets

Community events

Direct consumer sales at community events are permitted.

Annual Sales Cap

$50,000

Gross annual revenue from all cottage food sales.

Permit and Registration

A permit or registration is required

Requires a $65 annual registration, ANSI food safety training, and a notarized affidavit from the RI Department of Health.

What a Compliant Rhode Island Label Looks Like

Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.

Product

Chocolate Cake Pops

Ingredients

Devil's Food Cake Mix Betty Crocker
Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers Ghirardelli
Rainbow Jimmies Sprinkles Wilton
Red Food Color McCormick

Chocolate Cake Pops

Net Wt: 8 oz (227g)

Sunflower Home Bakery

412 Maple Ave, Springfield, RI

(555) 010-0142

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:

Wheat Milk Soy

Made by a Cottage Food Business Registrant that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection

Label Requirements

Every cottage food product sold in Rhode Island 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
Business address
Product name
Phone number
Net weight
"Not inspected" disclosure statement

Required Label Disclosure

This exact text must appear on every label you sell in Rhode Island.

Made by a Cottage Food Business Registrant that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection

Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.

Generate your Rhode Island label in minutes

Ingredient lists, allergens, and the required disclosure — built in automatically.

Rhode Island Cottage Food — Common Questions

No. Rhode Island does not require any permit or license for cottage food producers.

Rhode Island's annual cap is $25,000 in gross revenue.

Yes. Farmers markets are a permitted venue for Rhode Island cottage food sellers.

You can take orders online, but all sales must be completed in person. Carrier shipping is not permitted.

Law reference: Rhode Island Cottage Food Law (Rhode Island General Laws, Section 21-27-12) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.

Generate your Rhode Island labels in minutes

Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list from the brands you actually use, and generates a label with the Rhode Island-required disclosure already included. Start free.