Cottage Food Laws by State
Rhode Island Cottage Food Laws
Rhode Island allows home bakers to sell shelf-stable baked goods straight to consumers, but only after registering with the Department of Health. You complete an approved food safety course, sign a notarized affidavit, and pay a $65 fee. The certificate lasts one year, and annual gross sales must stay under $50,000.
Annual sales cap
$50,000
Permit
Required
Training
Required
Online sales
Allowed
Wholesale
Not allowed
Verified against official sources on 2026-10-21.
Where You Can Sell in Rhode Island
Sales are direct to the customer. Wholesale and consignment are off the table, and stores, restaurants, schools, daycares, and care facilities cannot be customers. You may take orders online, by phone, or by mail, but you must hand-deliver them yourself within Rhode Island. Sales tax applies, and the Department can inspect your kitchen at any time.
| Channel | Status |
|---|---|
| From home | Allowed |
| Online orders |
Conditions apply
Internet, mail, and phone orders are allowed only if you personally deliver the product within Rhode Island. |
| Retail stores | Not allowed |
| Wholesale | Not allowed |
| Restaurants | Not allowed |
What You Can Sell in Rhode Island
The law covers baked goods that stay safe without refrigeration or time and temperature control, such as breads, cookies, and certain pies and cakes. The Department can define additional qualifying products. Anything needing refrigeration is out. Check with the Department before making items outside the baked-goods category.
Baked goods that do not require refrigeration or time/temperature control for safety, plus any other products the Department of Health defines.
Bread
Not allowed
Limits and Requirements
Annual sales cap
$50,000
- Gross sales may not exceed $50,000 per year; above that you need a food processor license or must stop
- No consignment or wholesale sales
- No sales to grocery stores, restaurants, long-term care facilities, group homes, daycares, or schools
- Remote orders (internet, mail, phone) require personal delivery within Rhode Island
- Kitchen must meet state standards, including sink setup, nonabsorbent work surfaces, and keeping pets out of food areas
- No ordinary home cooking in the kitchen while you are producing
- The Department may inspect at any time
- Sales tax applies under section 44-18-7
How to Start Selling in Rhode Island
-
1
Take an approved food safety course
Pass a Food Safety Manager course, an ANSI-approved food handler course, or another course the Department approves.
-
2
Prepare your kitchen
Meet the statute's kitchen standards, and test private well water annually if your home uses one.
-
3
Complete the RIDOH application
Fill out the Cottage Food Manufacture application and sign a notarized affidavit of compliance.
-
4
Pay the fee and submit
Send the $65 fee, payable to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island, with the application to the RIDOH Center for Food Protection.
-
5
Label every product
Include your name, address, phone, ingredients, allergens, and the required not-inspected statement.
What a Compliant Rhode Island Label Looks Like
Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.
Product
Ingredients
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:
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 |
Rhode Island Labeling Notes
- The not-inspected statement is not required if the food was made in a licensed commercial kitchen.
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
Register with the Rhode Island Department of Health before selling; the application needs a $65 fee and a notarized affidavit of compliance, and the certificate is valid for one year.
The limit is $50,000 in gross sales.
Complete a Food Safety Manager course, an ANSI-approved food handler course, or another Department-approved course before first registering.
Online sales are allowed. Internet, mail, and phone orders are allowed only if you personally deliver the product within Rhode Island.
Not allowed: Foods requiring refrigeration or time/temperature control for safety.
Resources and Law History
Who to contact
Rhode Island Department of Health, Center for Food Protection
401-222-2749
Agency website2022
Cottage food manufacture program created; the statute states no certificates were issued before November 1, 2022.
Law reference: Rhode Island Cottage Food Law (R.I. Gen. Laws section 21-27-6.2 (Cottage food manufacture)) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.
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