This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permit and tax rules change, and your situation may differ. Always confirm current requirements with the official state agency linked in this guide, and consult a licensed attorney or tax professional for advice about your specific business.Last verified against official state sources: 2026-06-12
Yes: an annual Cottage Food Operator license from DCP ($50, applied for via elicense.ct.gov) before selling. Prerequisites: written proof local zoning allows it, an approved food safety course certificate, and a recent water test if on a private well (retested annually). The license lists your specific approved products, and you may only make what is on it; production must happen in your home kitchen, with no outbuildings or rented kitchens.
Yes: a food safety training program covering food processing and packaging, from DCP's recognized course list, submitted with the application.
Only non-potentially-hazardous foods individually approved by DCP: plain breads, cakes (no cheesecake), cookies, brownies, cake pops, candies, fudge, freeze-dried candy, popcorn, fruit pies (not pumpkin), jams and jellies meeting federal standards, dried and freeze-dried produce, fruit leathers, herbs, granola, nuts, vinegars, dry tea and coffee, dehydrated sourdough starter, and egg-free dried pasta. Maple syrup and honey are excluded from the cottage definition by statute.
Connecticut bans acidified foods entirely with no pH-testing path: no pickles, salsa, hot sauce, relishes, applesauce, fruit butters, syrups, extracts, infused oils, or any beverages including cider, plus whipped cream, cream cheese and buttercream frostings, flan, and tres leches.
Direct to consumer only, within Connecticut: from home, farmers markets, fairs, festivals, and charity functions, displaying your license everywhere you sell. Orders may be taken online, by mail, or by phone, but you or your designee must hand-deliver in person inside Connecticut; shipping by mail, UPS, FedEx, or delivery apps is prohibited, and so are wholesale, consignment, and sales to stores, restaurants, day cares, or schools.
Annual sales cap: $50,000 per calendar year by statute (PA 22-8 in 2022 doubled the old $25,000 figure, which some DCP materials still show); keep sales records for DCP verification.
Prepackaged with an English label: operation name and physical home address, product's common name, ingredients with sub-ingredients by weight, federal allergen info, net weight or volume with metric equivalent, and in at least 10-point type: 'Made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection.' Wedding cakes that cannot be labeled put the info on the delivered invoice.
Groceries are exempt from Connecticut's 6.35 percent tax, but two catches: candy and confectionery are taxable at 6.35 percent (fudge, chocolates), and food sold ready for immediate consumption is a 'meal' taxed at 7.35 percent, which includes small quantities like five or fewer pastries or loose cookies under 8 ounces. Whole loaves, cakes, and pies are exempt as bulk food. Taxable sellers need a DRS Sales and Use Tax Permit.
Zoning confirmation is required before applying, septic verification can be required, local health directors retain outbreak and complaint investigation authority, and local health departments must approve free sampling.
DCP can suspend or revoke licenses (summarily in emergencies); revoked operators cannot reapply for a year, and exceeding the cap means upgrading to a food manufacturing license or stopping.
Selling non-food crafts too? See the Connecticut craft fair permit and sales tax guide.
Yes, under Connecticut Cottage Food Law (Conn. Gen. Stat. 21a-62b to 21a-62h; cap raised by PA 22-8). Yes: an annual Cottage Food Operator license from DCP ($50, applied for via elicense.ct.gov) before selling. Prerequisites: written proof local zoning allows it, an approved food safety course certificate, and a recent water test if on a private well (retested annually). The license lists your specific approved products, and you may only make what is on it; production must happen in your home kitchen, with no outbuildings or rented kitchens.
Only non-potentially-hazardous foods individually approved by DCP: plain breads, cakes (no cheesecake), cookies, brownies, cake pops, candies, fudge, freeze-dried candy, popcorn, fruit pies (not pumpkin), jams and jellies meeting federal standards, dried and freeze-dried produce, fruit leathers, herbs, granola, nuts, vinegars, dry tea and coffee, dehydrated sourdough starter, and egg-free dried pasta. Maple syrup and honey are excluded from the cottage definition by statute. Connecticut bans acidified foods entirely with no pH-testing path: no pickles, salsa, hot sauce, relishes, applesauce, fruit butters, syrups, extracts, infused oils, or any beverages including cider, plus whipped cream, cream cheese and buttercream frostings, flan, and tres leches.
Yes: $50,000 per calendar year by statute (PA 22-8 in 2022 doubled the old $25,000 figure, which some DCP materials still show); keep sales records for DCP verification.
Direct to consumer only, within Connecticut: from home, farmers markets, fairs, festivals, and charity functions, displaying your license everywhere you sell. Orders may be taken online, by mail, or by phone, but you or your designee must hand-deliver in person inside Connecticut; shipping by mail, UPS, FedEx, or delivery apps is prohibited, and so are wholesale, consignment, and sales to stores, restaurants, day cares, or schools.
Prepackaged with an English label: operation name and physical home address, product's common name, ingredients with sub-ingredients by weight, federal allergen info, net weight or volume with metric equivalent, and in at least 10-point type: 'Made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection.' Wedding cakes that cannot be labeled put the info on the delivered invoice.
Groceries are exempt from Connecticut's 6.35 percent tax, but two catches: candy and confectionery are taxable at 6.35 percent (fudge, chocolates), and food sold ready for immediate consumption is a 'meal' taxed at 7.35 percent, which includes small quantities like five or fewer pastries or loose cookies under 8 ounces. Whole loaves, cakes, and pies are exempt as bulk food. Taxable sellers need a DRS Sales and Use Tax Permit.
Browse upcoming craft fairs and markets in Connecticut with booth fees and application deadlines, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan a profitable season.
Last verified: 2026-06-12. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.