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Cottage food laws · CT

Selling homemade food in Connecticut

Connecticut allows home cooks to sell shelf-stable foods like baked goods and jams after registering with their local health department. Sales lean toward direct, in-person transactions, so check locally before assuming online orders are fine.

Program
Connecticut Residential Kitchen (Cottage Food) Law
Registration
Registration with the local health department; acidified foods (like pickles or salsa) need extra lab testing
Annual sales cap
Not specified
Online sales
Restricted

You can sell

  • Baked goods without cream/custard fillings
  • Jams, jellies, preserves
  • Candy & chocolate
  • Dry mixes & granola

You can't sell

  • Potentially hazardous/perishable foods
  • Meat & poultry products
  • Dairy-based products
  • Home-canned low-acid vegetables

Where you can sell

  • Direct in-person sales from home
  • Farmers markets

Selling online

Connecticut's rules emphasize direct, face-to-face sales; confirm with your local health department before taking online orders, since statewide guidance on this is unclear

What your labels must include

  • Business name & address
  • Ingredient list
  • Allergen declaration
  • Net weight
  • "Made in a residential kitchen not subject to state inspection" statement