Cottage food rules
Connecticut Cottage Food Laws: What Home Bakers Need
A plain walk through the Connecticut cottage food license, from application to selling day.
On this page
What to remember
- The license is issued and renewed every year through the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.
- Your foods are approved during the application, and the state’s accepted product list is not exhaustive and can change.
- Call your town about zoning and location rules before you set up your kitchen.
- A cottage food operation cannot also run as a food service establishment, a retail food establishment, or a food manufacturing establishment.
- Production and sales must follow Connecticut and FDA food safety laws.
If you bake from your own kitchen in Connecticut and sell to people who come to you, this is the license that covers you. The law behind it was enacted in 2018, so it is fairly young, and the state has built a clear set of pages around it. Before you plan a menu, it helps to know how Connecticut compares with other states, which is what the best cottage food law states for home bakers walks through.
What the license allows and what it does not
The law lets a licensed cottage food operation prepare and sell certain foods directly to customers. That word directly matters. A cottage food operation may not operate as a food service establishment, a retail establishment engaged in the sale of food, or a food manufacturing establishment. So the license has edges, and it is worth knowing where they sit before you say yes to an order that sits outside them.
Your products have to be approved
All cottage food products must be approved during the application process. The state’s list of accepted products is not exhaustive and it is subject to change, so treat it as a starting point rather than a promise. If your signature bake is not named on it, ask before you build a season of orders around it.
How to get set up
Read the state manual
The Department of Consumer Protection publishes a cottage food manual. Read it before you fill in anything, so you know what the license asks of you.
Call your town
Ask your municipal government whether zoning or any other local rule touches a home kitchen selling food.
Apply for the annual license
All cottage food operations must be licensed annually by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Build the renewal into your year, not into a busy week.
Get your products approved
List what you plan to sell during the application and wait for approval before you sell it. Check the accepted products list again if you add something new.
Set your safety habits early
Cottage food must be held to the highest safety standards, and your production and sales practices must follow Connecticut and FDA laws and regulations.
Staying on the right side of the rules
The Department of Consumer Protection’s Food and Standards Division regulates people and businesses that manufacture or sell food products in Connecticut, so that division is where questions go. Labels are the other place home bakers get caught out, and while each state writes its own rules, the Colorado cottage food law label guide shows the kind of detail a label usually has to carry. If you are still deciding between a cottage food license and a fuller home bakery license, how to apply for a home bakery license lays out the difference.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my Connecticut kitchen?
Yes. All cottage food operations must be licensed annually by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, and your products must be approved during the application.
Who regulates cottage food in Connecticut?
The Department of Consumer Protection's Food and Standards Division regulates persons and businesses that manufacture or sell food products in the state.
Can I sell anything I bake once I have the license?
No. All cottage food products must be approved during the application process, and the state's list of accepted products is not exhaustive and is subject to change.
Does my town have a say?
It can. The state advises cottage food operators to contact their municipal government to find out whether local zoning or other local regulations affect their operation.
Can I run a cafe or a retail food business under this license?
No. A cottage food operation may not operate as a food service establishment, a retail establishment engaged in the sale of food, or a food manufacturing establishment.
Sources
- Connecticut General Assembly, 2024-R-0087
- Connecticut General Statutes 21a-62c
- Local Zoning and Location Requirements, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
- Accepted Cottage Food Products, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
- Connecticut Cottage Food Manual
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 417
- Food and Standards Division, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
This is general information about a state law, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and your town before you sell.