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Can I sell food from home in Vermont?
Vermont cottage food law at a glance
| Home food sales allowed | yes Cottage Food Operator licensing exemption (Vermont Department of Health); also Home Bakery license |
|---|---|
| Law | Act 42 (2025); 18 V.S.A. 4351; Vermont Manufactured Food Emergency Rule (adopted July 1, 2025) |
| Sales cap | $30,000 gross annual receipts from cottage food products (plus separate $10,000 small food processor exemption) |
| Permit or registration | registration. No license or fee under the exemption, but operator must complete the Health Department's online training annually and file a license exemption in the online portal each year by January 15. Must follow Manufactured Food Rule sanitation; inspector may inspect. Alternatively, a licensed Home Bakery (opening inspection) for non-TCS baked goods. |
| Sell in person | yes |
| Take online orders | unverified |
| Ship within the state | unverified |
| Ship to other states | limited |
| Sell to shops and cafes | limited |
| Where you can sell, details | Exempt products may not be sold to restaurants or other licensed food service establishments. Health Dept says out-of-state sales are interstate commerce subject to federal rules and the destination state's law. Online sales, shipping and retail-store consignment not addressed in guidance reviewed. |
yes = allowed; limited = allowed with conditions; no = not allowed; unverified = we could not confirm it from an official source.
What foods can you sell from home in Vermont?
Allowed: Cottage foods = foods not needing refrigeration or TCS: non-potentially hazardous baked goods, candy, jams/jellies, dry herbs, trail mix, granola, cereal, nuts, flavored vinegar, popcorn, coffee beans, dry tea, home-canned acid/low-water-activity foods made with NCHFP-approved or process-authority-reviewed recipes.
Not allowed: TCS foods: meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy, cooked plant foods, cut items, sprouts, tofu, garlic-in-oil; cheesecake, quiche, cheese danish; home-dehydrated meats, fruits and vegetables; foods made in rented kitchens.
Label requirements in Vermont
Required statement: Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health. exact wording from an official source
Other label items: Statement in at least 10-point type in contrasting color. Also: operation name and physical address (no PO box), product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, net weight/volume, federal allergen info, nutrition labeling if claims made.
Selling from home in Vermont? The Cottage Kitchen Toolkit prices your recipes for markets, pre-orders and shops. It scales batches and prints ingredient and allergen labels with Vermont's required statement filled in. It also has this guide for all 50 states and DC. One-time price, and it works offline.
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Act 42 (2025) created the $30,000 cottage food exemption; emergency rule effective July 1, 2025, with permanent rules pending. Exemption filings were due before Jan 15, 2026 and annually after. Meals/prepared foods require a Home Caterer license.
Sources
- VDH Food Manufacturing Licensing Exemptions (Nov 2025, PDF) official
- VDH Home-Based Food Licenses and Exemptions official
- 18 V.S.A. 4351 official
Last checked: 2026-10-24 · confidence: medium (high = key facts confirmed on an official page; medium = partly confirmed or secondary sources agree; low = a single secondary or outdated source). Summaries are our own wording, not the text of the law.
This page is a research summary, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm with your state agency and local health department, using the official sources below, before you sell.