CottageFoodTool New Hampshire

New Hampshire · Homestead Food Operations

Part of our walk-through for all 50 US states — see every state.

New Hampshire cottage food label requirements and homestead license checklist

Answer a few plain-English questions about what you make and how you want to sell it. We check it against New Hampshire's current homestead food operation rules, flag which sales channels push you from the free unlicensed tier into a Class H license, and build you a personalized checklist plus a printable label draft.

Free permit walk-through Free label generation Free checklist
Free customized label/checklist after walk-through completion

Built from current New Hampshire DHHS guidance and RSA 143-A (Homestead Food Operations). Not legal advice and not state approval — verify final requirements with NH DHHS before selling.

  • Free permit walk-throughSee fast whether you fit New Hampshire's unlicensed homestead tier or need a Class H license.
  • Free checklistKeep the sales-channel rules and allowed-product list tied to your own answers.
  • Free label generationDraft the exact disclosure statement for your tier plus your producer and ingredient lines in one place.

Do you need a license to sell cottage food in New Hampshire?

It depends on how you sell and what you make. New Hampshire's homestead food operation law has two tiers: an unlicensed, free tier for sales from home, your own farm stand, farmers' markets, or a retail food store — with no sales cap — and a licensed "Class H" tier required for online sales, mail order, wholesale/distributor sales, selling to a restaurant, or making freeze-dried products. The unlicensed tier only covers a specific enumerated product list (baked goods, double-crusted fruit pies, candy/fudge, repackaged spices/herbs, vinegars/mustards, jams/jellies) — meat, dairy, other TCS foods, and low-acid canned goods aren't covered at either tier, and honey isn't covered by these rules at all.

NH DHHS — Homestead Food Operations RSA 143-A

New Hampshire label requirements

  • Operation name and contact information
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight
  • Net weight or net volume
  • Allergen information required by federal law
  • Unlicensed: "This product is exempt from New Hampshire licensing and inspection." Class H (or freeze-dried): "This product is made in a residential food production area licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services."

Common New Hampshire blockers

  • Meat, dairy, or other TCS products, or low-acid canned goods
  • Shelf-stable products outside the enumerated unlicensed list (check with DHHS)
  • Freeze-dried products or honey (freeze-dried needs Class H; honey isn't covered by homestead rules at all)
  • Online sales, mail order, wholesale/distributor sales, or restaurant sales without a Class H license

New Hampshire rule review

What this New Hampshire checker reviews before you print a label

The page is built from New Hampshire DHHS — Homestead Food Operations and the cited official sources below, then turns those rules into a practical pre-sale review.

Sales path

  • From your home, your own farm stand, or farmers' markets
  • Through a retail food store
  • Online orders or mail order
  • Wholesale to a distributor/broker, or sale to a restaurant

Product fit

  • Baked goods (breads, rolls, muffins, cookies, brownies, cakes), double-crusted fruit pies, candy or fudge, repackaged spices/herbs, vinegars/mustards, or jams/jellies
  • Some other non-potentially-hazardous, shelf-stable food not on that list (e.g. dried pasta, roasted nuts, granola)
  • Freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, or commercially-prepared dairy products
  • Honey

Label draft fields

  • Product name
  • Ingredients
  • Net weight or volume
  • Producer / operation name
  • Phone number or email
  • City
  • Major allergen statement

Final wording should be checked against RSA 143-A — Homestead Food Operations before printing.

Needs extra review

Some other non-potentially-hazardous, shelf-stable food not on that list (e.g. dried pasta, roasted nuts, granola)

New Hampshire's unlicensed homestead tier only covers a specific enumerated list of allowed products — being shelf-stable and non-TCS isn't automatically enough. Check with DHHS whether your specific product is covered or needs a Class H license.

N.H. Admin. Code He-P 2310/2311 — Homestead food operation product & process rules

Needs extra review

Honey

Honey isn't covered by New Hampshire's homestead food operation rules at all (neither tier) — it's regulated separately by the NH Department of Agriculture, not DHHS.

RSA 143-A — Homestead Food Operations

Usually blocks the cottage food path

Meat, dairy, or other potentially-hazardous (TCS) foods, or low-acid canned goods

New Hampshire's homestead food operation exemption only covers foods that don't require time/temperature control for safety.

RSA 143-A — Homestead Food Operations

New Hampshire permit prep

New Hampshire cottage food permit steps

Use this order when you prepare the permit packet, label, and direct-sales plan.

Step 1

Check whether your product fits the New Hampshire cottage food path

Start with the product category and shelf-stability questions. The wizard flags foods that usually need refrigeration, separate licensing, or extra official review in New Hampshire.

Step 2

Confirm where and how you plan to sell

Choose every sales channel you expect to use. The result calls out direct-sale limits, shipping issues, wholesale/resale limits, and other channel rules that matter before you take orders.

Step 3

Draft the label from your actual product details

Enter the product name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, producer information, and any New Hampshire-specific disclosure or permit field requested by the form.

Step 4

Print the checklist and verify against official sources

A plain-English helper for New Hampshire homestead food sellers. Not legal advice and not state approval.

New Hampshire FAQ

New Hampshire cottage food questions

Short answers to the questions people usually ask before they start the wizard.

Can I sell homemade food in New Hampshire?

It depends on how you sell and what you make. New Hampshire's homestead food operation law has two tiers: an unlicensed, free tier for sales from home, your own farm stand, farmers' markets, or a retail food store — with no sales cap — and a licensed "Class H" tier required for online sales, mail order, wholesale/distributor sales, selling to a restaurant, or making freeze-dried products. The unlicensed tier only covers a specific enumerated product list (baked goods, double-crusted fruit pies, candy/fudge, repackaged spices/herbs, vinegars/mustards, jams/jellies) — meat, dairy, other TCS foods, and low-acid canned goods aren't covered at either tier, and honey isn't covered by these rules at all.

What does the New Hampshire checker do?

It walks through the state-specific blockers, then produces a printable checklist and a label draft using the answers you entered.

What should I verify before selling in New Hampshire?

Verify your product category, sales channel, annual limit or registration requirement, and label wording against New Hampshire DHHS — Homestead Food Operations before relying on the checklist.

Is the label draft official approval?

No. It is an informational draft based on the page sources. Check final wording with RSA 143-A — Homestead Food Operations or the responsible local agency before printing labels.