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Cottage food laws · MA
Selling homemade food in Massachusetts
Massachusetts calls this the Residential Kitchen Law: you get a permit from your local board of health, then can sell shelf-stable homemade foods directly to customers. Requirements and paperwork can vary a bit town to town, so start with your local health department.
Program
Massachusetts Residential Kitchen Law
Registration
Permit/registration with your local board of health
Annual sales cap
Not specified
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods without cream/custard fillings
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy & chocolate
- Dry mixes & granola
- Popcorn
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
- Roadside stands
Selling online
Online ordering allowed with in-state delivery/pickup; no shipping across state lines
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