Cottage Food Laws in Rhode Island
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes, but only baked goods that don't need refrigeration, and only after you register with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Registration costs $65 a year and needs a food safety course and a notarized affidavit. You can sell directly to customers, by pickup or in-person delivery within Rhode Island, up to $50,000 in gross sales a year.[1][3]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A yearly certificate of registration from RIDOH.[1] |
|---|---|
| Fee | $65 a year[3][4] |
| Sales cap | $50,000 in gross sales per calendar year[1] |
| Training | A food safety manager course, an ANSI-approved food handler course, or another course RIDOH approves, before you first register[1] |
| What you can make | Baked goods that don't need refrigeration or temperature control, such as double crust pies, yeast breads, biscuits, brownies, cookies, muffins and cakes that don't need refrigeration[1] |
| Label statement | "Made by a Cottage Food Business Registrant that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection", in at least 10-point type, unless you made the food in a RIDOH-licensed commercial kitchen[1] |
| Where you can sell | Directly to customers in Rhode Island, by pickup or delivery. No wholesale or consignment, and no sales at grocery stores, restaurants, long-term care facilities, group homes, daycares or schools.[1] |
| Online and shipping | You can advertise and take orders online, by mail or by phone, but you or someone you choose must deliver in person within Rhode Island. No shipping.[1] |
| Agency | Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection[4] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Check that your food is allowed
Rhode Island's cottage food law covers only baked goods that don't need refrigeration or temperature control for safety. Examples in the law are double crust pies, yeast breads, biscuits, brownies, cookies, muffins and cakes that don't need refrigeration. RIDOH may define other allowed goods.[1]
Take a food safety course
Before you first register, complete a food safety manager course, any ANSI-approved food handler course (ANSI is the American National Standards Institute, which accredits these courses), or another course RIDOH approves. Keep the certificate: you attach proof to your registration.[1][4]
Get your home kitchen ready
Make the food in a kitchen in your home that meets the state's minimum housing standards for kitchens. It also needs a two-compartment sink, or a one-compartment sink plus a dishwasher that reaches 150°F. Food prep surfaces must be smooth and nonabsorbent (stainless steel, Formica or similar), dishes must air dry, and any bathroom that opens straight into the kitchen needs a self-closing door. If you are on a private well, test the water once a year. You may instead use a RIDOH-licensed commercial kitchen that you rent, if you keep a record of the dates you used it and carry your ingredients there following food safety rules.[1]
Register with RIDOH
Fill in the Cottage Food Manufacture registration form and have the affidavit of compliance notarized (an affidavit is a signed statement that you meet the rules). RIDOH's form also asks for a sketch of your property showing the kitchen (and your well and septic system if you have them), water test results for coliform bacteria, E. coli and nitrates, and a list of your products with a label for each. Mail it with a $65 check payable to "General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island" to the Center for Food Protection. Keep the certificate and a copy of the affidavit in your kitchen.[1][3][4]
Label every item
Put a label on each product with your name, address and phone number, the ingredients from most to least by weight or volume, any major allergens (such as milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy), and the required statement in at least 10-point type (you can leave the statement off only if you made the food in a RIDOH-licensed commercial kitchen). Keep the written recipe for each product, with quantities and baking times, in your kitchen for inspection.[1]
Sell directly to customers and renew each year
Sell by pickup or by delivering in person within Rhode Island. Your sales are subject to any Rhode Island sales tax that applies. Keep your gross sales at or under $50,000 a calendar year; RIDOH can ask for proof. Your registration lasts one year, so renew it (the fee is $65 each year).[1][4]
What you can and can't sell[1][2]
Allowed
- Yeast breads
- Biscuits, brownies, cookies and muffins
- Double crust pies
- Cakes that don't need refrigeration
- Other goods RIDOH defines as allowed
Not allowed
- Any baked good that needs refrigeration or temperature control for safety
- Foods that aren't baked goods, such as jams, candy or dried herbs (unless you qualify for the separate farm home food rules)
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- All of Rhode Island: Cottage food registration is done by RIDOH, the state health department. The state law bans sales at grocery stores, restaurants, long-term care facilities, group homes, daycares and schools everywhere in Rhode Island.[1][5]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Register with RIDOH | $65 (per year) |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $65 |
Recent changes
- : An amendment changed the law's wording. It used to say RIDOH would "permit" cottage food sales "at retail"; it now says RIDOH registers cottage food sales made directly to consumers, by pickup or delivery within the state.[1][4]
- : Rhode Island created cottage food registration for home bakers, separate from the older farm home food rules. Registrations could not be issued before November 1, 2022.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship my cookies to customers?
No. You can take orders online, by mail or by phone, but you or someone you choose must deliver them in person to a customer in Rhode Island.[1]
Can I sell my baked goods in a coffee shop or store?
Not through the shop. The law bans wholesale and consignment sales, and any sales at grocery stores and restaurants. Cottage food is sold directly to customers.[1]
Can I sell cheesecake, cream pies or other foods that need refrigeration?
Not if they need refrigeration or temperature control for safety. Rhode Island's cottage food law covers only baked goods that don't.[1]
Can I sell jam, candy or maple syrup from home?
Not under the cottage food law. Those foods are covered by Rhode Island's separate farm home food rules, which apply only to a kitchen on a farm and sales at farmers markets, farm stands and farmer-run stores. Ask RIDOH whether you qualify.[2]
What happens if I sell more than $50,000 in a year?
You must either get a food processor licence or stop selling. RIDOH can ask for records of your sales.[1]
Will the health department inspect my kitchen?
Not routinely, but it can. RIDOH may inspect a cottage food operation at any time, and can also investigate your kitchen after a complaint or a foodborne illness outbreak.[1]
Can I bake in my own kitchen while cooking for my family?
Not at the same time. You can't use the stove for household cooking, or run a washer in the kitchen, while you make cottage food. Keep pets out of the kitchen and food storage areas at all times.[1]
Sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-27-6.2. Cottage food manufacture, Rhode Island General Assembly. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-07-13 of https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE21/21-27/21-27-6.2.htm; the live legislature site timed out for the fetcher. Check the live page before verifying.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-27-6.1. Farm home food manufacture, Rhode Island General Assembly. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-08-11 of https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE21/21-27/21-27-6.1.htm; the live legislature site timed out for the fetcher. Check the live page before verifying.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-1-54. Fees payable to the department of health, Rhode Island General Assembly. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2025-03-31 of https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE23/23-1/23-1-54.htm; the live legislature site timed out for the fetcher. Check the live page (and any later fee change) before verifying.
- Registration and Instructions for Food Business: Cottage Food Manufacture, Rhode Island Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2023-09-30 of https://health.ri.gov/applications/CottageFoodManufacture.pdf; health.ri.gov returns a Cloudflare bot check to the fetcher. This form predates the 2024 amendment; confirm the current form and mailing address on the live site before verifying.
- Rhode Island Food Code (216-RICR-50-10-1), Rhode Island Department of State. Checked October 25, 2026.
Related
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.