Skip to main content

Rhode Island Farm Home Food Manufacture Can you legally sell food from home in Rhode Island?

Cottage Food Law

This state's cottage food law is restricted, so it is not available to everyone!

This law is for farmers that sell over $2,500 of agricultural products per year. Non-farmers must use the Cottage Food Manufacture law, and farmers can use both laws. For 20 years (until 2022), this was Rhode Island’s only cottage food law.

Under this law, farmers can sell many types of nonperishable products, and there is no sales limit. Fruits and vegetables used in products must be locally grown.

Farmers can only sell these products at ag-related venues, including farmers markets, farm stands, and other events and stores that are operated by farmers.

Before selling, farmers must register as a “farm home food manufacturer”, which costs $65 per year.

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

The only farmers markets, events, and retail stores that are allowed are ones that are “operated by farmers for the purpose of the retail sale of the products of Rhode Island farms”.

Roadside stands must be located on a farm.

Starting a cottage food business?

TAKE THE FREE MINI COURSE

How To Start A Cottage Food Business

Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?

Any fruits, vegetables, and herbs that you use must be locally grown.

If you sell maple syrup, the sap must be sourced from trees that are within a 20 mile radius of your farm.

Only "non-potentially hazardous" foods are allowed, but certain non-PHFs may not be allowed. Most foods that don't need to be refrigerated (foods without meat, cheese, etc.) are considered non-potentially hazardous. Learn more

Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?

Limitations
There is no sales limit

Your pets must ALWAYS be kept out of your kitchen and other food prep areas (even when not preparing food).

Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?

Registration

Before you can sell your food products, you must register with the health department, which costs $65 per year. You can only register if you sell at least $2,500 of agricultural products every year

To complete your registration, you must:

  1. Fill out the application form
  2. Sign and notarize the affidavit of compliance
  3. Get a letter from the Division of Taxation certifying your exemption from taxes
  4. Get a letter from a building official stating that your kitchen meets minimum housing standards
  5. If applicable, get test results from a water test of your well
  6. Create a list of every food product you will sell
  7. Create a sketch of your home on your property and, if applicable, the location of your well and septic system
  8. Verify your SSN or EIN
  9. Pay the $65 fee
Kitchen Inspection

Your kitchen must be inspected by a building official to confirm that it meets minimum housing standards.

Private Water Source

If the home is on private water supply, the water supply must be tested once per year.

Labeling How do you label cottage food products?

Sample Label

Forrager Cookie Company

123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, RI 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)


Workplace Are there any home kitchen requirements?

You must have all of your recipes (with ingredients, quantities, processing times, & procedures) available in your kitchen for review by an inspector.

You must either have a 2-compartment sink or a dishwasher with a sanitizing function that reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are many other workplace requirements that you can find in Section 21-27-6.1(1 & 2) of the law.

Resources Where can you find more information about this law?

Department
Department of Health
Contacts
Department
Rhode Island Department of Health
Telephone
(401) 222-2749
Law Dates
September 2002
RI General Laws 21-27-6.1

This page was last updated on

Is there something wrong on this page? Please contact us to let us know!

Starting a cottage food business?

TAKE THE FREE MINI COURSE

How To Start A Cottage Food Business

Rhode Island Forum Got questions? Join the discussion

Home Forums Rhode Island

This forum contains 2 topics and 2 replies, and was last updated by  David Crabill 9 years, 5 months ago.

Viewing 2 topics - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
Viewing 2 topics - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

You must be logged in to create new topics.

or to ask a question or create a new discussion topic