Last verified 2026-09-12. Regulator: New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program. This page is not legal advice.
What must a cottage food label show in New Jersey?
A New Jersey cottage food label must show these 7 items:
- The common name of the cottage food product
- The cottage food product ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight
- If the product contains a major food allergen, the word "Contains" followed by a list of the major food allergens it contains
- The cottage food operator's name, business name, and Cottage Food Operator Permit number
- The name of the municipality where the operator prepares the product, followed by either "New Jersey" or "NJ"
- The statement, "This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health."
- If the point of sale is not the home of the operator or the consumer, display the permit and a placard with the same statement at the point of sale
What disclaimer must a New Jersey cottage food label have?
Yes. A New Jersey cottage food label must carry this statement, word for word:
This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health.
Does New Jersey require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food?
No. New Jersey does not require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food. Federal rules also exempt most small producers, unless the label makes a nutrient or health claim. If you want to add one, the Nutrition Label Maker prints it in the FDA layout for free.
What foods can you sell under the New Jersey cottage food law?
Baked goods, candy, chocolate-covered nuts and dried fruit, dried fruit, dried herbs and seasonings and mixtures, dried pasta, dry baking mix, fruit jams and jellies and preserves, fruit pies and fruit empanadas and fruit tamales (pumpkin excluded), fudge, granola and cereal and trail mix, processed honey and sweet sorghum syrup, nuts and nut mixtures, nut butters, popcorn and caramel corn, roasted coffee and dried tea, vinegar and mustard, waffle cones and pizzelles. Only food that stays safe at room temperature qualifies. Raw, unprocessed honey is not a cottage food and needs no permit.
Where can you sell cottage food in New Jersey?
Hand to hand in New Jersey only. Allowed places are the operator's home (not for eating on site), the consumer's home in New Jersey, a New Jersey farmers' market or farm stand, and a New Jersey temporary retail food establishment. No mail, no common carrier, no interstate sales, no wholesale, and no sales to retail food establishments. Online orders, online payment, and advertising are allowed.
Do you need a permit to sell cottage food in New Jersey?
A Cottage Food Operator Permit is required. The application fee is $100.00 and the permit lasts two years. Renewal costs $100.00; apply at least 45 days before expiry. The application needs a food protection manager certificate from an accredited program and either a well water coliform test or a recent water bill. The applicant must also meet local municipal law, including zoning.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in New Jersey?
$50,000 in gross annual sales, counted before any deduction for taxes and operating expenses.
What else should you know about the New Jersey rules?
You may take orders and payment online, but you must hand the product to the buyer in person in New Jersey. Mail and courier shipping are banned. Food must be made in your home kitchen and nowhere else, and never on site at an event. At a farmers’ market you need a temporary food permit from the local health department, plus a sign showing your permit and the required statement. Your full personal name must appear on the label. A business name alone is not enough. Cake and cookie decorating classes fall outside the permit.
How accurate is this page?
The label items, the sales limits, the $50,000 cap, and the permit fees were read from the New Jersey Department of Health page holding the text of N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 on 2026-09-12. The allowed foods came from the Department’s Approved Food Products page, and the online sales and farmers’ market answers came from its FAQ page, both read the same day. The rules set no type size for the statement, and that is not confirmed. Net weight is not a required item under the rule.