New Hampshire Homestead Can you legally sell food from home in New Hampshire?
Cottage Food Law
The laws for those with a Homestead License in New Hampshire are much more lenient than a homestead food operation, as they allow operators to sell at any venue with no limitation for how much they can sell. However, there is a significant application process that will take some time. Aside from the $225 cost, operators need to submit a lot of paperwork, like ingredient sources, product labels, manufacturing steps, and selling locations. They also must have their home inspected and maintain additional records during production of their products.
Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?
Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?
Pumpkin butters are not allowed.
Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?
Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?
An annual license is $225. There are a number of requirements before applying:
- Test results for certain food items, like non-standard jams and jellies, sweet breads, or other jarred goods.
- Copies of all product labels.
- A list of the contact information for all the locations where the products will be sold.
- A list of the sources for all the ingredients used.
- A flow chart describing manufacturing steps to make each product.
- A description of how each product is packaged.
- A description of the records that are maintained during production of the product.
- Test results from a private water source or sewage system, if applicable.
Once the application has been turned in, the home will get inspected before a license is given. However, there are 16 counties that allow self-inspections.
Labeling How do you label cottage food products?
Chocolate Chip Cookies
"This product is made in a residential kitchen." (10-point type)
Forrager Cookie Company
123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, NH 73531
Phone: (123) 456-7890
Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract (vanilla bean extract, alcohol, sugar), baking soda, salt (salt, calcium silicate)
Contains: milk, eggs, wheat, soy
NET WT 2 lb 4 oz (1.02 kg)
A PO box may not be used as the address for the operation.
Workplace Are there any home kitchen requirements?
There are many kitchen requirements listed in these FAQs.
Melanie Anne Cramer 
Lori
Kristin
Jessica
Cathe Lisk
Coleen
Comments
Jim Williams
I’m interested in building a 800 sq ft bakery in my barn. I’m a professional baker looking to scale down and work solo with no employees. This would be a professional bakery, with professional equipment, limited to a mixer, refrigeration and an oven. It would be built out as a professional kitchen with new floors, FRP walls, 3 bay sink etc. Is this legal in NH? Does it fall under Homestead, or?
Thanks,
Karen Wright
I want to sell gluten free muffins to a specific restaurant. If I do the mix and have it ready for them to bake on site do I need a license?
Rachel Egan
I am thinking about starting to sell some herbal tea blends. Does that fall under the cottage Food Law?
David Crabill
Yes, it does. You don’t need to get this license, however. Here are the requirements that you need to follow: http://forrager.com/law/new-hampshire/
Michelle Griffin
What is the policy for homemade extracts or homemade liqueurs?
David Crabill
Sorry, I am not sure what the requirements are… you should contact your health dept for more info.
Jane Talbot
What is the process for being allowed to sell various salsa’s that are canned.
David Crabill
You cannot use this law to make them from home; instead you need to use a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial
Geoffrey Gadapee
Why is raw honey not allowed for sale ?
David Crabill
It’s because honey and maple syrup are the responsibility of the ag dept, and this law is enforced by the health dept. You may be able to sell honey, but not via the rules here — you should call the ag dept to learn if a small honey producer can sell their honey.