warebythe north carolina cottage food law, in plain english
what you can sell from your home kitchen in north carolina, who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.
on this page
1at a glance2what you can sell3how to start4where you can sell5labels6good to know7questions8sourcesyes, you can sell food from your home kitchen in north carolina, but you have to pass a free kitchen inspection from the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services first. there’s no permit fee, no sales cap and no training requirement for most foods. once you’re approved, you can sell shelf-stable foods like breads, cookies, jams and candy from home, at markets, to stores and restaurants, and by mail inside the state. foods that need refrigeration, like cheesecake or cream-filled pastries, aren’t allowed, and you can’t qualify if pets come inside your home.
north carolina cottage food rules at a glance
| the law | north carolina home processor program (north carolina food, drug and cosmetic act, n.c. general statutes chapter 106, article 12 (no separate cottage food law)) |
|---|---|
| who runs it | north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division |
| registration | yes home processor inspection (no permit is issued; you get a notice of inspection) (free) |
| kitchen inspection | yes |
| training | no |
| yearly sales cap | no sales cap |
| selling from your home | yes |
| selling at farmers markets and events | yesfarmers markets and events; packaged items set out for self-service need a full label |
| selling online orders | yesthe state doesn’t limit how you take orders; shipped items need a full label |
| selling delivering it yourself | yesdescribe how you’ll get food to customers (for example, your own car) in your business plan |
| selling shipping within the state | yesitems shipped by usps, fedex or similar need a full label |
| selling shipping to other states | unclearthe state’s pages don’t say; ask ncda&cs before you ship out of state |
| selling to stores, cafes and restaurants | yesyou can sell to stores, restaurants and distributors with a full label |
what can you sell from home in north carolina?
you can sell
- breads, cakes, cookies and pies that don’t need refrigeration
- jams, jellies and preserves
- candy, including freeze-dried candy
- dry mixes and spices
- some teas, coffee and lemonade
- some sauces and pickles, after a shelf-stability review
you can’t sell
- anything that needs refrigeration or freezing
- cheesecake and cream or cream cheese fillings
- low-acid canned foods, like canned green beans
- dairy products
- seafood
- bottled water and juice
these are examples, not the full list. check the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division before you sell something new.
how do you start a cottage food business in north carolina?
- get your permit: a home processor inspection (no permit is issued; you get a notice of inspection) from the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division. it’s free. start here.
- get your kitchen inspected.
- label everything the way the law asks (below).
- start selling in the ways north carolina allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.
where and how can you sell in north carolina?
| from your home | yes |
|---|---|
| at farmers markets and events | yesfarmers markets and events; packaged items set out for self-service need a full label |
| online orders | yesthe state doesn’t limit how you take orders; shipped items need a full label |
| delivering it yourself | yesdescribe how you’ll get food to customers (for example, your own car) in your business plan |
| shipping within the state | yesitems shipped by usps, fedex or similar need a full label |
| shipping to other states | unclearthe state’s pages don’t say; ask ncda&cs before you ship out of state |
| to stores, cafes and restaurants | yesyou can sell to stores, restaurants and distributors with a full label |
on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.
what goes on a cottage food label in north carolina?
the label also needs:
- the product name
- your name and physical address (a website doesn’t count)
- net weight or volume, with the metric equivalent
- ingredients in order by weight, including sub-ingredients
- allergens, in the ingredients or a “contains” statement
what else should you know in north carolina?
- you can’t qualify if any pet comes inside your home, even just at night; the state treats indoor pets as pests.
- you must cook in your home’s own kitchen, not a garage, basement or separate building, and send a water bill or a lab well test with your application.
- the state says it takes 8 to 12 weeks to hear back, and some products, like sauces or moist cakes, may need a lab test for ph or water activity first.
- a 2025 bill, the fresh act (h 833), would let home processors sell refrigerated foods and cheesecakes, but it hasn’t passed the house.
questions people ask
do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in north carolina?
yes. north carolina requires a home processor inspection (no permit is issued; you get a notice of inspection) from the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division, with a kitchen inspection.
can i sell cottage food online in north carolina?
yes. the state doesn’t limit how you take orders; shipped items need a full label.
can i ship cottage food in north carolina?
yes, within north carolina: items shipped by usps, fedex or similar need a full label.
how much can i sell from home in north carolina?
there’s no yearly sales cap.
can i sell to stores or coffee shops in north carolina?
yes. you can sell to stores, restaurants and distributors with a full label.
what can’t i sell from home in north carolina?
the usual no’s: anything that needs refrigeration or freezing, cheesecake and cream or cream cheese fillings, low-acid canned foods, like canned green beans, dairy products, seafood. check with the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division before you sell something new.
sources
- ncda&cs food and drug protection division: home processor
- ncda&cs: application for home processor inspection
- north carolina general statutes, chapter 106, article 12
- north carolina general assembly: house bill 833 (2025), the fresh act
- nc state extension: ncda&cs food program, home processing focus
- ward and smith: what the 2026 nc farm act means for north carolina agriculture
this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against north carolina’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the north carolina department of agriculture and consumer services (ncda&cs), food and drug protection division (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.
we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story