State Guides5 min read
Vermont Cottage Food Laws 2026: Exemptions, Caps and Labels
Vermont's 2026 cottage food exemption covers $30,000 in annual sales with no license fee, plus a $10,000 processor exemption. How to file, train and label.
At a glance
- License-exempt, not unregulated.
- Vermont law requires a license to operate a food manufacturing establishment, but a cottage food operation with $30,000 or less in gross annual receipts from cottage food sales is exempt from the license and fee (18 V.S.A. § 4358).
- Annual filing and training.
- You must complete the Health Department’s online training and file a license exemption in the portal each year before January 15 (Health Department guidance).
- Two stacking exemptions.
- You can make up to $30,000 worth of cottage foods under the cottage food operator exemption, plus up to $10,000 of processed foods under the exemption for food processors with annual sales of $10,000 or less (Health Department guidance).
- Direct sales only.
- Food made under a license exemption cannot be sold to restaurants or other licensed food establishments (Health Department guidance).
- Home kitchen only.
- The cottage food operator exemption applies only to producing or packaging cottage foods in the kitchen of your private residential dwelling or a kitchen on your personal property (Health Department guidance).
What you can sell
Cottage food products are foods sold by a cottage food operator that do not require refrigeration or time or temperature control for safety (18 V.S.A. § 4301). The law’s list includes non-potentially hazardous baked goods such as bread, cookies and brownies; candy; jams and jellies; dry herbs; trail mix; granola; cereal; mixed nuts; flavored vinegar; popcorn; coffee beans; dry tea; and home-canned pickles, vegetables or fruits with an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity value of 0.85 or less, made using recipes approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation or reviewed by a food processing authority for safety (Manufactured Food Rule § 4.1.6).
Foods that need to be cooked for a certain length of time or kept at a certain temperature to prevent risks of illness from consumption are not cottage foods. The Health Department lists quiche, cheese danish and cheesecake as examples of baked goods that do not qualify (Health Department guidance). Meats are a potentially hazardous food and are not cottage food products that fall under the exemption. Dehydration of fruits and vegetables is a specialized process that requires special equipment to ensure the food is consistently processed to a water activity value that would make the food non-potentially hazardous (Health Department guidance). If you make prepared meals for sale direct-to-customer, you need a Home Caterer License, not an exemption (Health Department guidance).
How and where you can sell
You can sell cottage food products directly to consumers, but food made under a license exemption cannot be sold to restaurants or other licensed food establishments. Food made under a license exemption cannot be sold to restaurants or other licensed food establishments (Health Department guidance). Food products crossing state lines are considered interstate commerce and subject to applicable federal rules and regulations, and the laws of the state where you are selling may also apply (Health Department guidance).
Kitchen and training rules
You must be able to wash, rinse and sanitize equipment and utensils in separate compartments; if your kitchen has a two-compartment sink, a plastic tub can be used as the third compartment for sanitizing (Health Department guidance). Keep small children and pets out of the kitchen while preparing food you sell (Health Department guidance). If you use a private well for water, test water annually for total coliform bacteria and E. coli at a certified lab. You must submit a copy of acceptable test results before an inspection can be done (Health Department guidance). A public health inspector may inspect your establishment to make sure you are meeting requirements and to investigate potential public health hazards (Health Department guidance).
Labels
Vermont requires the same label items for any license-exempt food manufacturing establishment, whether a cottage food operation or a non-bakery food manufacturing establishment with gross annual sales of $10,000 or less. The block below lists each item with the official wording.
Label rules last verified Oct 3, 2026 against 6 official sources.
Make a Vermont labelMore
person's private residential dwelling or a kitchen on the person's personal property) with gross annual sales of $30,000 or less from cottage food products, or a non-bakery food manufacturing establishment with gross annual sales of $10,000 or less. Rule § 6.2.1 gives one label list for any 'licensed exempt food manufacturing establishment' and does not distinguish between the two. The exemption also needs annual training and an annual exemption filing, which are not label rules. Not covered: a licensed Home Bakery or Home Caterer, which the Department says follows the Health Regulations for Food Service Establishments; those regulations are not on the saved pages.Required on the label
Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health.
- Product nameThe name of the food product.
- IngredientsAll ingredients, in descending order of predominance by weight.
- AllergensAllergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements.
- Net quantityThe net weight or net volume of the food product.
- Business or producer nameThe name of the operation.
- AddressThe address of the operation.
Depends on your product or how you sell
- Nutrition informationWhen: The label makes any nutrient content claim or health claim, or provides other nutritional information.Nutritional labeling as specified by federal labeling requirements.
The cottage food rules say nothing about date made. That does not make them optional: general food labeling rules may still apply, and the label generator lets you add them.
General labeling law: Yes in part, per the saved pages, but how far is not settled by them.
Sources (6)
- Vermont Dept. of Health, Manufactured Food Rule (Ch. 5, Subch. 1; final adopted rule, effective 1/15/2026), § 6.2.1 (labeling requirements)
- 18 V.S.A. § 4301(b) (Vermont Statutes Online, which labels itself an unofficial copy; no label content)
- Vermont Dept. of Health, Home-Based Food Licenses and Exemptions
- Vermont Dept. of Health, Food Manufacturing Licensing Exemptions FAQ (June 2025)
- Vermont Secretary of State Rules Service, Rule 25-E01 (Manufactured Food Emergency Rule) posting; summary only, no label text
- Vermont Dept. of Health, Food Establishment Licensing Exemptions (July 2024); predates Act 42 (2025) and the rule effective 1/15/2026, describes the older $6,500 home-bakery exemption, not relied on
Before your first sale
- To do: Check every product against the cottage food definition and the TCS food list.
- To do: Complete the Health Department's online training for license-exempt food processors and cottage food operators annually.
- To do: File a Health Department license exemption in the online portal each year before January 15.
- To do: Print labels with the required home-kitchen statement in at least 10-point type in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background label.
- To do: Contact your city or town about local land use, development, and zoning; depending on your business structure, you may need to register with the Secretary of State's office; contact the Department of Taxes to set up a tax account if necessary.
Common questions
Can I sell my cottage food products in another state?
Food products crossing state lines are considered interstate commerce and subject to applicable federal rules and regulations. The laws of the state where you are selling the product may also apply. Check with that state’s jurisdiction for applicable requirements (Health Department guidance).
Can I make products in a rented kitchen and sell them under the cottage food operator exemption?
No. The cottage food operator exemption applies only to the production of cottage foods in the kitchen of a food manufacturer’s private, residential dwelling or in a kitchen on the food manufacturer’s personal property. If you rent kitchen space, even a licensed commercial kitchen, you need a license to sell the products made there (Health Department guidance).
Do I need a license if I sell prepared meals from home?
Yes. If you make prepared food or meals for sale direct-to-customer, or prepare food for cooking later at a special event or at a farmers market, you need a Home Caterer License. You may also need a Temporary Food Service License for the event (Health Department guidance).
