Cottage food rules
Connecticut Cottage Food Law: What Home Bakers Need
A plain look at the Connecticut cottage food rules before you sell your first bake.
On this page
What to remember
- You need an annual Cottage Food Operator license from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
- The state sales cap is $50,000 gross per year.
- A cottage food operation cannot be run as a restaurant, a retail food shop, or a food manufacturing plant.
- The DCP Cottage Foods page lists what can and cannot be sold, the safety rules, the sales practices, and the application requirements.
If you bake from your home kitchen in Connecticut and want to sell to neighbors, the first step is not a logo or a price list. It is the state license and the state sales cap. The rules are specific, and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is the place to confirm them. If you are still choosing how to take orders, home bakery app gives a fair look at options for home bakers.
Start with the Connecticut license
Connecticut law says all cottage food operations shall be licensed annually by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. The Department of Consumer Protection’s Cottage Foods page lists the items that can and cannot be sold, safety regulations, required sales practices, frequently asked questions, and application requirements for a Cottage Food Operator license. Read that page before you take orders or buy packaging.
The $50,000 gross sales cap
Connecticut caps annual cottage food sales at $50,000 gross per year. Public Act 22-8, effective October 1, 2022, doubled the cap from $25,000 to $50,000. Track your sales through the year so you know where you stand before you get close.
What a cottage food operation cannot be
The Connecticut statute says 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. If your plan looks like a restaurant, a food shop, or a food plant, read the definitions in the statute before you spend money on it.
A simple path from home kitchen to first order
Read the DCP Cottage Foods page
Start with the state list of items that can and cannot be sold, the safety rules, the sales practices, and the application requirements.
Apply for the Cottage Food Operator license
The license is annual and comes from the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Follow the application requirements on the DCP page.
Check every recipe against the state list
Do not assume a recipe is allowed because it is baked at home. Confirm it against the DCP list.
Set up how you will take orders and get paid
Choose a payment method you can confirm before your first sale. Bakesy payment methods walks through what to check.
Track gross sales toward the cap
Add up your sales through the year. The cap is $50,000 gross per year.
Keep your records together
Keep your license, sales totals, and receipts where you can find them. cost of Bakesy can help you compare monthly costs if you use an app.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
If you are comparing ways to take orders, home bakery app gives a fair look at options for home bakers. The main job is simpler: get the Connecticut license, stay under the sales cap, and sell only what the state allows.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut law says all cottage food operations shall be licensed annually by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.
What is the Connecticut cottage food sales cap?
The cap is $50,000 gross per year. Public Act 22-8, effective October 1, 2022, doubled it from $25,000 to $50,000.
Where do I find what I can and cannot sell?
The Department of Consumer Protection's Cottage Foods page lists the items that can and cannot be sold, plus safety regulations, required sales practices, and application requirements.
Can I run a restaurant or retail food business under a cottage food license?
No. The statute says 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.
What happens if my Connecticut cottage food license is suspended?
Under Connecticut General Statutes § 21a-62h, when the commissioner issues a summary suspension, the commissioner shall schedule a hearing to determine whether to reinstate the license.
Sources
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the current rules with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and your own advisor.