Vermont Home Bakery and Cottage Food Exemption

Vermont's home food exemption is administered by the Department of Health under 18 V.S.A. chapter 85, not the Agency of Agriculture. Act 42 of 2025 set a unified $30,000 annual sales cap for shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods such as baked goods, jams, jellies, and candies; above the cap a $100 Home Bakery or Food Processor license applies. Exempt sellers must complete free Department of Health training and file a license-exemption form annually by January 15. Products must be labeled and sold direct-to-consumer within Vermont. Potentially hazardous items like meat, dairy, and acidified foods require full licensing.

Selling non-exempt foods without a license, exceeding the $30,000 cap without licensing, or omitting required labeling can lead to Department of Health enforcement, including product embargo and civil penalties.