Cottage food rules
Home Bakery License in New York: What You Need
What New York actually asks of a home baker, in plain words.
On this page
What to remember
- Register for the free Home Processor Exemption through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
- There is no sales cap on the exemption, and registration costs nothing.
- The exemption covers foods such as certain baked goods, jellies, and snack mixes.
- Many home bakers can sell eligible shelf stable baked goods without a 20-C food processing license, but eligibility has to be confirmed.
- New York City handles home bakery permits its own way, with costs from $0 to $880.
New York is one of the kinder states for someone baking at home for income. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets issues licenses to a variety of food based businesses, and the type of license depends on the food processing done at the establishment. For a home kitchen turning out shelf stable bakes, the exemption is usually the fit. If you bake just over the river, the rules change, so read home bakery license in New Jersey separately from this one.
What the Home Processor Exemption covers
The exemption allows home bakers to prepare foods such as certain baked goods, jellies, or snack mixes in their home kitchen for wholesale sale. It is written around the products you make, not around the size of your business, which is why the sales cap question does not come up. The catch is that eligibility is decided product by product, so a loaf that qualifies and a cream filled item that does not can sit on the same kitchen counter.
The practical move is to write your menu first and check it against the exemption before you print labels or post photos. That one step saves you from selling something you later have to pull.
How to register, step by step
List what you plan to sell
Write down every item you intend to bake and sell. The exemption names certain baked goods, jellies, and snack mixes, so match your list to what is allowed before you build a menu.
Apply for the Home Processor Exemption
Send your application to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. This is the step that starts a home based food business in New York.
Register as a home food seller
Home food sellers in New York must register with New York State, and that registration is free. Once you are registered, homemade food from your home kitchen can be sold under the exemption.
Check whether a 20-C license applies to you
Many New York home bakers can sell eligible shelf stable baked goods without a 20-C food processing license. Confirm that your products qualify instead of assuming they do.
Check the rules for your own address
New York City handles home bakery permits its own way, with required licenses and costs that run from $0 to $880. Look at your city before you set your prices.
What it costs
Registration under the Home Processor Exemption is free, and the exemption has no sales cap. Cost only becomes a real question if your products fall outside the exemption and need a food processing license, because the license type follows the processing you do. Work that out early, before you promise a customer a date.
Nearby states and other rules
Rules change the moment you cross a state line, so do not carry advice from one state into the next. If you sell to family in Connecticut or Massachusetts, read home bakery license in Connecticut and home bakery license in Massachusetts as separate setups from your New York one. And once your registration is in hand, the next job is pricing the work so the baking actually pays you.
Work out your prices with the free Brevl pricing calculator
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Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my home in New York?
Most home bakers start with the Home Processor Exemption rather than a full food processing license. You apply for it through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and register as a home food seller.
How much does it cost to register?
The registration is free, and the exemption has no sales cap.
Can I sell anything I bake?
No. The exemption covers foods such as certain baked goods, jellies, and snack mixes. Confirm that each product is eligible before you sell it.
Do I need a 20-C food processing license?
Many New York home bakers can sell eligible shelf stable baked goods without a 20-C food processing license. Register as required and confirm your product eligibility.
I live in New York City. Is it different?
Yes. Home bakery and cottage food permit requirements in New York City involve required licenses with costs ranging from $0 to $880.
Sources
- New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets: Home Processing
- New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets: Food Business Licensing
- SellFood: New York Permits
- Cottage Food Law Library: New York
- Nolo: Starting a Home Based Food Business in New York
- Baking Subs: New York Home Processor Rules for Home Bakers
- Vertex Legal: Do You Need a License to Sell Baked Goods from Home in New York
- StartPermit: New York City Home Bakery
This is general information about New York rules, not legal advice. Requirements change and your products decide which rules apply, so confirm the details with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets before you sell.