Cottage Food Home Kitchen Rules in North Carolina

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administers the home processor exemption, which lets residents sell non-potentially hazardous foods such as baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, and dry mixes without a commercial kitchen. Producers must apply, allow an inspection of their home kitchen, and label products with name, address, and ingredients. Acidified foods, meat, dairy, and refrigerated items are not allowed. The framework is statewide; municipalities cannot ban cottage food production but may regulate signage and customer traffic through zoning.

Selling potentially hazardous foods, producing without inspection approval, mislabeling products, or operating beyond residential scale can result in stop-sale orders and fines.