Cottage Food Laws by State

Vermont Cottage Food Laws

Vermont's Act 42 (signed June 2025) set a $30,000 annual cap, replacing the prior weekly threshold. No permit is required. Online sales are permitted.

Annual cap

$30,000

Permit required

No

Venues

4

Last updated

2026

What You Can Sell

The following product types are permitted under the Vermont 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 Vermont 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

Vermont permits cottage food sales at the following venues.

Direct from your home

Farmers markets

Roadside stands

Online with direct delivery

Online ordering and direct delivery to customers is permitted.

Annual Sales Cap

$30,000

Gross receipts. Act 42 (July 1, 2025) set this $30,000 exemption, replacing the prior weekly threshold.

Permit and Registration

No permit or registration required

No permit, license, or registration is required to sell cottage food in Vermont.

What a Compliant Vermont 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, VT

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 in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health.

Label Requirements

Every cottage food product sold in Vermont 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
Net weight
"Not inspected" disclosure statement

Required Label Disclosure

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

Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health.

Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.

Generate your Vermont label in minutes

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

Vermont Cottage Food — Common Questions

No. Vermont does not require any permit, license, or registration for cottage food producers.

Vermont's annual cap is $125,000 in gross revenue — the highest in the country, making it an excellent state for scaling a home food business.

Yes. Vermont allows online ordering with direct delivery to customers.

Yes. Farmers markets are a fully permitted venue for Vermont cottage food sellers.

Law reference: Vermont Cottage Food Law (Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 6, Section 573) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.

Generate your Vermont labels in minutes

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