Cottage Food Laws in Connecticut
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes, but you need a cottage food license from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) first. The license costs $50, is renewed every year, and only covers the foods listed on it. You must complete an approved food handler course, get local zoning approval, make the food in your own home kitchen, and sell it person to person within Connecticut. Your gross sales cannot go over $50,000 a year.[1][3][14][9][2]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A Cottage Food Operator license from DCP, renewed every year[1] |
|---|---|
| Fee | $50 a year[3][20][1] |
| Sales cap | $50,000 a year in gross sales. Keep records of every sale.[1][8] |
| Training | An approved food handler course, current (not expired) when you apply and when you renew[14] |
| Label statement | "Made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection." in at least 10-point type[1] |
| Where you can sell | Directly to customers: from home, at farmers markets, local fairs and festivals, and charity events. Not in grocery stores, restaurants, schools, day care centers, group homes or long-term care facilities, and never wholesale or on consignment.[1] |
| Online and shipping | You can advertise and take orders online, by phone or by mail, but you or someone you name must hand-deliver the food inside Connecticut. No shipping, couriers or delivery apps.[1][9][2] |
| Agency | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), Food and Standards Division[1] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Check that your food is on the approved list
Only foods that do not need to be kept cold or hot for safety are allowed, and the law bans some of those too, such as pickles and other acidified foods. DCP keeps a list of accepted foods. If yours is not on it, send DCP a New Food Request Form; DCP reviews it and replies, and approval is not guaranteed. Every product is approved during the application process, and your license lists the exact foods you may make.[1][4][5]
Get zoning approval from your town
Ask your town or city zoning office (not the health department) whether cottage food businesses are allowed at your home. Some towns require a separate zoning permit. Keep the approval in writing: you confirm it on the application and DCP can ask to see it.[4][3]
Take a food handler course
Complete a food handler course from one of the organizations DCP approves, and download your certificate to upload with the application. A food manager certificate is also accepted but not required. The certificate must not be expired when you apply or when you renew.[14][3]
Show your water is safe
If your home is on a private well, have the water tested by a lab the Department of Public Health approves, within a year before you apply. The test must cover E. coli, total coliform, nitrates and nitrites, and DCP asks for a new analysis every year. On town water, attach a water bill. Renters can send an email from the landlord or property manager saying where the water comes from.[18][17][4]
Apply online and pay the fee
Apply for a Cottage Food Operator license through eLicense, Connecticut's licensing portal. Attach your food handler certificate, your water bill or well test, and one sample label. Licensing processes it in about 5 to 7 business days, then a DCP inspector emails you for a detailed product list and any label corrections. The license is renewed every year.[3][20][1][4]
Label every product
The label must be in English and show your business name and full address (city, state and zip), the name of the food, the ingredients in order by weight (including the sub-ingredients of anything prepared you use), allergens, the net weight or volume with the metric equivalent, and the required statement in at least 10-point type. Handwritten labels are fine if they are legible, in permanent ink and large enough. For a cake too big to package, put the label information on the invoice and deliver it with the cake.[1][13][20]
Make and sell by the rules
Make the food only in your home kitchen, not while doing other household tasks there, and with no pets or children under 12 in the kitchen. Only you, or people working under your direct supervision, may make, package or handle the food. Sell person to person and display your license wherever you sell. Keep records of all sales and stay at or under $50,000 a year; above that you must get a food manufacturing establishment license or stop selling.[1][10][8]
What you can and can't sell[5][6][7][1]
Allowed
- Breads, rolls and biscuits (plain, not stuffed)
- Cakes, cookies, brownies and pastries that don't need refrigeration (not cheesecake)
- Fruit pies (not pumpkin)
- Candy, chocolates, fudge, cake pops and cotton candy
- Jams, jellies and preserves that meet the federal standard for them (not pepper or mango jams)
- Dried and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, fruit leathers
- Dry herbs and seasonings, granola, trail mix, nuts and popcorn
- Dry tea and coffee, dried pasta without egg, vinegars
Not allowed
- Foods that must be kept cold or hot, such as cheesecake, flan and tres leches cake
- Cream cheese and whipped cream frostings, and buttercream made with butter, eggs, cream or milk (store-bought, shelf-stable and fondant frostings are allowed)
- Pickles, salsa, relish, hot sauce and other acidified foods
- Low-acid canned foods and garlic or other infused oils
- Beverages and fresh fruit or vegetable juices
- Jerky and other dried meat or poultry
- Fresh fruit, apple sauce, and chocolate-, candy- or caramel-covered fruit
- Ice cream, syrups, extracts and soups
- Maple syrup and honey (the law excludes them from cottage food)
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Every Connecticut town and city: Your town's zoning rules decide whether you can run a cottage food business from home, and some towns require their own zoning permit. Ask your town or city hall zoning office before you apply to DCP.[1][4]
- Local health departments: Free samples need your local health department's approval. The local health director can also investigate your kitchen after a foodborne illness outbreak, a complaint or another public health emergency.[15][1]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apply online and pay the fee | $50 (per year) |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $50 |
Recent changes
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship my cookies or sell through a delivery app?
No. You can advertise and take orders online, but you or someone you name must hand the food to the customer in Connecticut. Mail, UPS, FedEx and food delivery apps are not allowed.[9]
Can I sell my baked goods in a coffee shop or store?
No. Connecticut does not allow cottage food in grocery stores, restaurants, long-term care facilities, group homes, day care centers or schools, and you cannot sell wholesale, on consignment, or to a distributor who resells it.[10][11]
Can I sell cakes with buttercream or cream cheese frosting?
Cream cheese and whipped cream frostings are not allowed. Buttercream is not allowed either, unless it is store-bought or shelf-stable, fondant only, or made without butter, eggs, cream, milk or cream cheese (for example with shortening, sugar and commercial meringue powder). You can have your frosting tested, but a test does not guarantee approval. Cakes that don't need refrigeration, such as birthday cakes, are allowed. Cheesecake is not.[6][7][5]
Can I use a rented commercial kitchen, a shed or my second home?
No. The license covers only food made in the kitchen of the home you live in, and stored there. A rented commercial kitchen needs a food establishment license instead.[17][19]
Can I hand out free samples?
Yes, if your local health department approves. Contact them first.[15]
Can a farmers market ask me for a food license?
Yes. Even with a cottage food license, some farmers markets and other venues require a food establishment license or set their own requirements.[16]
Can my nonprofit sell cottage food?
No. DCP says a nonprofit has no private home, so it does not qualify for a cottage food license.[12]
Will the state inspect my kitchen?
It can. The law says DCP examines your home before licensing, as far as its resources allow, and may inspect at any time after that.[1]
Sources
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 417, Sections 21a-62b to 21a-62h (cottage food operations), Connecticut General Assembly. Checked October 25, 2026. Read from the General Assembly's prdext3.cga.ct.gov host because www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_417.htm failed TLS certificate verification for the fetcher. Check the www.cga.ct.gov copy matches before verifying.
- Cottage Foods in Connecticut, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- How to apply for a Cottage Food Operator License, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food Operator Checklist, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Accepted cottage food products, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Prohibited cottage food products, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Is buttercream frosting allowed in cottage food products?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- What is the maximum sales limit?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Can I sell my cottage food online?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Can I sell my cottage food products in a store or restaurant?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Am I allowed to sell my products to a wholesaler, broker, or distributor?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Can nonprofit organizations sell cottage food?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Label checklist for cottage food operators, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Food safety courses for cottage food operators, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Are free samples allowed?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Can a farmers market require a food license?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Local zoning and location requirements, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Water test requirement for cottage food operators, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Am I allowed to make cottage food products in my shed or barn?, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Checked October 25, 2026.
- OLR Report 2022-R-0091: Connecticut's Cottage Food License, Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research. Checked October 25, 2026. Legislative research summary dated July 20, 2022, read from the prdext3.cga.ct.gov host (www.cga.ct.gov failed TLS verification). Not law; used only for the yearly $50 renewal, the cake-invoice rule and the PA 22-8 effective date.
Related
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), Food and Standards Division or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.