Do you need a permit to sell cottage food in New York?
You register (not license) as a Home Processor with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets using form FSI-898c — there's no fee and no dollar sales cap. Eligibility depends entirely on product type: New York allows baked goods without cream/custard filling, high-acid fruit jams/jellies/preserves, repackaged dry goods, confections, crackers/pretzels, vegetable chips, and waffle cones. Pickles, relishes, sauces, salsas, and other acidified/canned foods are excluded and need a licensed, inspected facility instead, as do potentially hazardous foods, dairy-based frostings, meat/fish/poultry, cheese/dairy, and several other categories. If you're on a private well, you'll need a certified water potability test. You can sell direct or wholesale (to restaurants, cafes, grocery stores) as long as it all stays inside New York — interstate shipping and out-of-state wholesale aren't covered.