Selling cottage food in New Hampshire (2026 guide)

If you bake out of your home in New Hampshire, the rules you live by are set by the state's cottage food law — currently New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated Title X — Public Health, Chapter 143-A — Food Service Licensure, Section 143-A:12 — Homestead Food License Required. It's a Good-tier law on the Crosodo scale: workable for most home bakers — moderate restrictions and a reasonable cap. This post is the plain-English version. The full breakdown — every county-specific zoning rule, the registration link, the latest verified statute citation — lives on the Crosodo New Hampshire state guide and the downloadable New Hampshire PDF report.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly and call the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

The quick facts

What you can sell

Non-potentially-hazardous homestead food products prepared in the operator's primary home kitchen may be sold from the homestead residence, at the owner's farm stand, at farmers markets, and at retail food stores without a license (below the sales threshold). Above the sales threshold, or for sales to restaurants, via internet/mail order, or to wholesalers, a Class H Homestead License ($150 fee) is required.

What's specifically excluded

Potentially hazardous foods — those requiring temperature control for safety, including processed acidified and low-acid canned foods — cannot be produced or sold under the homestead food framework. Operations selling above the annual gross sales threshold set in RSA 143-A:5(VII) must obtain a license.

Where you can sell

Direct-to-consumer is always covered: farmers markets, home pickup, delivery, roadside stands, events. The interesting question is indirect sales — through a coffee shop, a grocery, a third-party retailer, or online with shipping. On indirect sales here: Exempt operations (below sales cap) may sell at retail food stores without a license. Sales to restaurants, over the internet, by mail order, or to wholesalers/distributors require a Class H Homestead License under RSA 143-A:4. The department may inspect upon suspicion of imminent health hazard but does not conduct routine inspections of exempt operations.

Labeling requirements

All packaged homestead food products must be labeled with: name, address, and phone number of the operation; product name; ingredients in descending order by weight; allergen information. Exempt operations must also state: 'This product is exempt from New Hampshire licensing and inspection.' Licensed operations must state: 'This product is made in a residential kitchen licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.' Net weight/volume in US customary and metric, and a product code/batch number, are also required. Label must include a 10-point font disclosure statement.

Texas has the most detailed plain-English label walkthrough we've published — the structure translates well to most other states. See how to label cottage food in Texas for a copy-paste template you can adapt for New Hampshire.

Common questions

Do I need to register before I start?

No — New Hampshire does not require home bakers to register before selling cottage food. That said, you should still keep clean records, follow the labeling rules, and check whether your county or city imposes its own home-occupation permit or business license. County-level details for New Hampshire are on the Crosodo New Hampshire state guide.

Do I need a food handler certification?

No — New Hampshire does not require a state-level food handler certification for cottage food. Many bakers take ServSafe Food Handler anyway (it's about $15 and takes 90 minutes); it's good practice and useful if a farmers market manager ever asks.

Is my home kitchen inspected?

Only on complaint. Your home kitchen is not routinely inspected, but the state can come out if a customer files a complaint or there's a foodborne illness report. Keep clean records and clean equipment.

What's the sales cap?

tiered. Caps are gross sales, not profit. When you start approaching the cap, that's the signal to read cottage food vs commercial kitchen — it walks through the move-up math.

If you're just starting out

1. Read your statute. RSA §143-A:12 It's shorter than you think.
2. Check your county. State law is the floor; your county can add zoning rules on top. The Crosodo New Hampshire state guide lists the top counties with their specific requirements.
3. Pick what you'll bake. The top selling sourdough loaves and beyond bread (cookies, buns, scones) posts cover what tends to actually sell at farmers markets.
4. Price it right. The cottage baker pricing post walks through unit economics — most new bakers underprice by 30%.
5. Label it correctly. Adapt the Texas label template to New Hampshire's required disclaimer language.
6. Set up your back office. The cottage baker software stack post covers what we use day-to-day.

Official sources

• RSA §143-A:12
• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
• State extension service guidance
• Forrager — New Hampshire
• Crosodo New Hampshire state guide
• Crosodo New Hampshire PDF report

If your county is missing from our New Hampshire directory, tell us and we'll add it next. And if you want one of our sourdough varsity shirts while you proof your starter, the shop is here.