Cottage food rules
Cottage Food License in MA: What Home Bakers Need
A plain guide to the permit path for Massachusetts home bakers, before you sell a single bake.
On this page
What to remember
- Massachusetts does not use a traditional cottage food exemption.
- A home kitchen used for cottage food is treated as a food establishment that needs a permit.
- Your local board of health must be involved in approving the operation.
- The permit covers non-TCS baked goods, jams, and jellies.
- Rules cover permit and license requirements, sales caps, and labeling.
If you are baking from your kitchen in Massachusetts and want to sell to neighbors, this is the part to slow down on. The state path runs through a Residential Kitchen permit under 105 CMR 590, and the details are set in the State Sanitary Code, Chapter X. The state publishes a residential kitchen questions and answers page to help you comply with state regulations for producing and selling food made in a home kitchen. If you bake across the border, compare Cottage Food License in CT or read Cottage Food License in Georgia for a different state path.
What the Massachusetts permit actually is
Under 105 CMR 590.010(F), a residential kitchen used for a cottage food operation is treated as a food establishment that requires a permit. That is different from a standalone cottage food exemption. The permit is for a permitted retail residential kitchen, and under 105 CMR 590 the operation must also comply with all applicable municipal law. Your local board of health is part of the approval process, so the conversation starts with your local board of health.
What you can make and what the rules cover
The cottage food production permit in Massachusetts covers baked goods that are non-TCS, plus jams and jellies. If your bakes fall outside those categories, ask your local board of health before you build a menu around them.
The rules also cover permit and license requirements, sales caps, and labeling. That means three things deserve a check before you print labels or set your prices: what permit you need, how much you can sell, and what must appear on the package. Do not guess at the sales cap or the label wording. Use the state residential kitchen FAQ and your local board of health as your source.
Before you take your first order
Get the permit path clear before you advertise. Confirm with your local board of health that your kitchen is approved as a permitted retail residential kitchen, and confirm that the foods you plan to sell are covered. Keep a copy of the state residential kitchen FAQ with your paperwork. If you sell at a market or to a shop, ask what they need to see before you deliver.
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Keep records and ask before you print labels
Labeling is one of the areas the Massachusetts cottage food rules cover, along with permit and license requirements and sales caps. Before you order stickers or print a menu, ask your local board of health what must be on the label for the foods you make. Keep your permit paperwork, your sales records, and your label text together so you can answer questions quickly.
If you want to compare how other states handle home baking, read Cottage Food License in Arizona or Cottage Food License in Alabama. The Massachusetts path is different because it runs through a Residential Kitchen permit, not a standalone cottage food exemption. Once your kitchen is approved, you can set up a simple way to take orders and get paid. Brevl is one flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales, and it works on a computer and a phone.
Common questions
Do I need a cottage food license in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts does not run a traditional cottage food exemption. A home baker operates as a permitted Residential Kitchen under 105 CMR 590, and the local board of health must be involved in approving the operation.
What foods can I make under the permit?
The cottage food production permit covers baked goods that are non-TCS, plus jams and jellies. Ask your local board of health before you add anything outside those categories.
Who approves the operation?
Your local board of health must be involved in approving the operation. Under 105 CMR 590, the permitted retail residential kitchen must also comply with all applicable municipal law.
Does Massachusetts have sales caps and labeling rules?
Yes. The Massachusetts cottage food rules cover permit and license requirements, sales caps, and labeling requirements. Check the state residential kitchen FAQ and your local board of health for the details that apply to you.
Where can I read the state guidance?
Massachusetts publishes a residential kitchen questions and answers FAQ to help individuals comply with state regulations for producing and selling food made in a home kitchen. Start there, then ask your local board of health about your specific kitchen.
Sources
- Massachusetts cottage food law library
- Massachusetts cottage food rules, CityRuleLookup
- Retail Food Code standards for permitted residential kitchens, Mass.gov
- Massachusetts cottage food compliance, Picnic Pie
- Massachusetts cottage food laws, Cakery Bakeries
- Residential kitchen questions and answers, Mass.gov
General information, not legal advice. Rules and local requirements can change. Confirm with your local board of health and the state residential kitchen FAQ before you sell.