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Cottage food laws · NC
Selling homemade food in North Carolina
North Carolina's Home Processor program is one of the more generous in the country: no sales cap and a wide range of channels including online, retail, and even restaurants, once you pass a free home-kitchen inspection. Just stick to shelf-stable foods - anything needing refrigeration is off-limits.
Program
North Carolina Home Processor Program
Registration
Free registration plus a home-kitchen inspection through NCDA&CS (Home Processor program)
Annual sales cap
No statewide cap
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy
- Dried herbs & mixes
- Shelf-stable snack foods
You can't sell
- Potentially hazardous foods needing refrigeration
- Meat and poultry products
- Low-acid canned vegetables
Where you can sell
- Direct to consumer
- Farmers markets
- Online with in-state delivery/shipping
- Retail stores
- Restaurants
Selling online
Online sales and in-state shipping are allowed once registered; broader channels (retail, restaurants) are open too, unusual for a cottage food law
What your labels must include
- Producer name & address
- "This product is made in a home kitchen that is not inspected by NCDA&CS" or similar statement
- Ingredient list
- Allergen disclosure
- Net weight