Cottage food rules
North Dakota Cottage Food License: What Home Bakers Need
Know exactly what North Dakota asks of you before you sell your first bake.
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What to remember
- No license, permit, or inspection is required to sell homemade food under North Dakota’s cottage food rules.
- The Food Freedom Act requires no license, registration, inspection, or fee.
- North Dakota has no revenue cap on cottage food sales.
- You still have to follow county and city laws and zoning rules for a home business.
- Labeling rules are updated periodically, so check them before each selling season.
If you have been putting off selling because you thought you needed a state license first, this is good news. North Dakota is one of the easier states to start in. That does not mean there is nothing to do. It means the work sits in different places: your local rules, your labels, and your own kitchen habits. If you want the wider picture of what licensing looks like in other states, our guide on how to get a home bakery license walks through the usual paths.
No license, and what that actually means for you
The North Dakota Cottage Foods Act was passed by the 65th Legislative Assembly as House Bill 1433 in 2017 and went into effect on August 1, 2017. It allows people to sell certain homemade foods directly to customers. Under the state’s cottage food rules, there is no license, permit, or inspection required. The Food Freedom Act, N.D.C.C. ch. 23-09.5, goes further and requires no license, registration, inspection, or fee.
So the answer to the question you typed into your phone is simple: there is no North Dakota cottage food license to apply for. What remains is local. A cottage food operation must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and zoning ordinances that apply to conducting a business from your home residence. A quick call to your city office before you print labels will save you a headache later.
What you can sell from your kitchen
North Dakota has no revenue cap on cottage food sales, which is a real advantage if you want to grow past a few dozen orders a month. Under the state’s law, a producer can sell nearly any homemade food except meat, with an exception. If your baking involves meat in any form, get that clarified with the state before you sell it. Everything else on your usual list, from cookies to quick breads to cakes, sits comfortably inside the rules.
Labels and the details that change
North Dakota cottage food rules for home bakers include labeling requirements, and those requirements are updated periodically. That word periodically is the one to remember. A label you copied from a blog three years ago may not be what the state asks for now. Check the current guidance from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services before you order a new batch of stickers, and check again when a new season starts. If you sell across the border, our look at Minnesota cottage food license rules covers what changes when you cross state lines.
With no license fee and no revenue cap, your margin comes down to what you charge. Most home bakers underprice at the start because they count flour and sugar and forget the box, the sticker, the gas, and their own hours. Our guide on how to price your bakes walks through the full cost of a batch so you set a price that actually pays you. The federal cottage food laws guide is worth a read too if you ever wonder what sits above the state rules.
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- How to get a home bakery license
- Minnesota cottage food license rules
- How to price your bakes without guessing
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my home in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota requires no license, permit, or inspection to sell homemade food under its cottage food rules. The Food Freedom Act requires no license, registration, inspection, or fee either.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell?
North Dakota has no revenue cap on cottage food sales.
Can I sell any kind of homemade food?
Under North Dakota's law a producer can sell nearly any homemade food except meat, with an exception. If meat is involved in your product, confirm the details with the state before selling.
What about my city or county?
A cottage food operation must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and zoning ordinances that apply to conducting a business from your home residence. Check with your local office before you start.
Do I need labels?
Yes. North Dakota cottage food rules for home bakers include labeling requirements, and those requirements are updated periodically, so confirm the current version before you print.
Sources
This is general information about North Dakota cottage food rules, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services and your local city or county office before you sell.