Cottage Food Laws in New Jersey
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes, but you need a Cottage Food Operator Permit from the New Jersey Department of Health first. The permit costs $100, lasts two years, and covers only foods that are safe at room temperature, such as most baked goods, candy and fruit jams. You need your town's zoning approval and a food protection manager certificate, you must label everything, and you can sell only to customers in person in New Jersey, up to $50,000 a year.[1][2]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A state Cottage Food Operator Permit from NJDOH.[1] |
|---|---|
| Fee | $100 to apply, and $100 to renew every two years. The fee is not refundable.[1][3] |
| Sales cap | $50,000 a year in gross sales (before taxes and expenses)[1] |
| Training | A food protection manager certificate from a New Jersey accredited program (a food handler card is not enough)[7] |
| Label statement | "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."[9] |
| Where you can sell | In person to customers in New Jersey: at your home (not for eating there), at the customer's home in New Jersey, at farmers markets and farm stands, at temporary events, or anywhere else in New Jersey where the law does not forbid it. Not to stores, restaurants, wholesalers or anyone who is not the customer.[1] |
| Online and shipping | You can advertise, take orders and accept payment online, but you must hand the food over in person in New Jersey. No mail, courier or third-party delivery.[10][3] |
| Agency | New Jersey Department of Health, Cottage Food Project (cfo@doh.nj.gov)[10] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Ask your town's zoning board
Call or email your local zoning board, give them your address, and ask whether a cottage food business is allowed in your home. If zoning does not allow it, the state will not issue a permit.[3][10]
Check that your food is on the approved list
Only foods that stay safe at room temperature are allowed (called non-TCS foods; TCS means "time and temperature control for safety"). If your product is not on the list, you can buy a shelf-life test from a food testing lab or send the product details to NJDOH for review. Foods that need refrigeration must be made in a commercial kitchen.[2][6]
Get a food protection manager certificate
Take a Food Protection Manager course and exam from one of the New Jersey accredited providers (ServSafe is one). A basic food handler card is not accepted. The certificate must be valid when you apply and when you renew. NJDOH does not run the courses.[7][10][3]
Get proof that your water is safe
If you have city water, send a recent water bill showing your home address (you can black out personal details). If you have a private well, a certified drinking water lab must collect a sample at your home and test it for coliform bacteria; the report must be no more than 60 days old when you apply. You need new proof of safe water each time you renew.[8][1]
Apply and pay the $100 fee
Fill in form CFO-1 on a computer (not a phone), and answer the product questionnaire for every product, frosting and filling, including a copy of its label. Pay the $100 fee online and put the confirmation number on the form. Email everything as PDF attachments to cfo@doh.nj.gov. Review takes 16 weeks once your application is complete. The permit lasts two years. Renewing takes a complete new application with your current certificate and water proof, and another $100. Send it at least 45 days before the permit expires; if you do, you can keep selling while NJDOH reviews it.[3][1][10]
Label every item
Each label or tag needs the name of the food, the ingredients from most to least by weight, "Contains" followed by any major allergens, your full name, your business name, your CFO permit number, your town followed by "NJ", and the required statement word for word. Your home address is not required. When you sell at your home or the customer's home, show your permit if asked. Anywhere else, display your permit and a sign with the same statement where customers can see them.[1][9][10]
Sell in person in New Jersey
Meet the customer and hand the food over in person at your home, their home in New Jersey, a farmers market, a farm stand, a temporary event, or another place in New Jersey where it is not otherwise prohibited. For events and markets, get a temporary food permit from the local health department. Keep your yearly gross sales at or under $50,000.[1][10]
What you can and can't sell[10][4][5]
Allowed
- Baked goods such as bread, cookies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins and doughnuts (no cream, cheese or buttercream)
- Candy, fudge, brittle, toffee and chocolate-covered nuts or dried fruit
- Fruit jams, jellies and preserves
- Fruit pies, fruit empanadas and fruit tamales (not pumpkin)
- Dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, prunes, dates and cranberries (not bananas or strawberries), nuts, nut butters (not tahini), granola, cereal and trail mix
- Dried pasta (no egg), dry baking mixes, and dried herbs and seasonings bought from a licensed supplier
- Popcorn and caramel corn, roasted coffee and dried tea
- Processed honey, sweet sorghum syrup, vinegar and mustard (no floating particles in flavored honey or vinegar)
- Waffle cones and pizzelles
- Other room-temperature foods, if NJDOH approves them in writing
Not allowed
- Anything needing refrigeration, such as cheesecake or cream-filled pastries
- Cream cheese frosting, buttercream, whipped cream, meringue and ganache
- Meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fresh fruit, mushrooms and tofu as ingredients
- Pumpkin, sweet potato, key lime and pecan pies
- Foods with alcohol, CBD or THC
- Freeze-dried or machine-dehydrated fruit
- Home-grown or foraged herbs and plants
- Pet treats and pet food
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Your municipality's zoning board: Each town has its own zoning laws, and some do not allow home businesses. You need your town's approval before NJDOH will issue a permit, and you must follow your town's other local laws.[10][1]
- Local health departments: To sell at a street fair, craft fair or farmers market, you need the local health department's temporary food permit as well as your state permit. Market boards can set their own rules.[3][10]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apply and pay the $100 fee | $100 (non-refundable; covers two years) |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $100 |
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship my cookies or use a delivery app?
No. You cannot send cottage food by mail, courier or a third-party delivery service, and you cannot sell outside New Jersey. You can take orders and payments online, then hand the food over yourself. To ship food, you need a commercial kitchen and a licence from your local health department.[3][10]
Can I sell my baked goods in a coffee shop or store?
No. You cannot sell to a store, restaurant, coffee shop or wholesaler, and you cannot set up a table or pop-up inside an existing food business. To sell to stores, you need a commercial kitchen and a wholesale food licence.[3][10]
Can I sell decorated cakes with buttercream or cream cheese frosting?
No. NJDOH's list of prohibited icings and frostings includes buttercream, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, meringue and ganache, because they can let bacteria grow. NJDOH reviews every frosting and filling you plan to use, so each one needs its own product questionnaire with your application.[5][3]
Do I have to put my home address on the label?
No. You put your town followed by "NJ" (for example "Bakersfield, NJ"). It must be the town on file with NJDOH as your home kitchen. Your full name must be on the label, not just a business name.[10][1]
Can I add new products after I get my permit?
Yes, but each new batch of products needs a full new application and another $100 fee. If the new products are approved, your permit runs for two years from the new issue date.[10]
Will the health department inspect my kitchen?
Not routinely. There is no initial or regular inspection of a cottage food kitchen, but a health authority may enter and examine your kitchen to check compliance or investigate a complaint, such as a foodborne illness.[10][1]
I live outside New Jersey. Can I get a permit?
No. The permit is only for New Jersey residents, and you must make the food in the kitchen of your own home.[10][1]
Do I need a cottage food permit to sell raw honey?
No. NJDOH says raw, unprocessed honey is not a cottage food and is not subject to the cottage food permit. Processed honey is a cottage food and needs the permit; flavored honey is allowed only with no particles in it.[4]
Sources
- Cottage Food Operator Rules (text of N.J.A.C. 8:24-11), New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026. The Department's own copy of the rule on its website. The official text is the published N.J.A.C. (LexisNexis); check it before verifying.
- Cottage Food Operator Permit, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Apply/Renew, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Approved Food Products, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Prohibited Food Products, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Not Sure/Need Assistance, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Food Protection Manager Certification, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Proof of Water Potability, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Labeling, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cottage Food: Frequently Asked Questions, New Jersey Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
Related
- Cottage Food Laws in Delaware
- Cottage Food Laws in New York
- Cottage Food Laws in Pennsylvania
- Cottage Food Laws by State
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.