New Jersey cottage food law
Sell cottage food in New Jersey
New Jersey cottage food law, label rules, and a free storefront. New Jersey's cottage food law lets home bakers sell directly to consumers up to a $50,000 sales cap — provided you sell directly to consumers, label every product correctly, and follow New Jersey's rules. CottageOps configures the New Jersey label disclosure for you, tracks your sales against the cap, and gives you a free storefront to take orders.
What New Jersey's cottage food law says
- Sales cap
- $50,000 per year, gross sales. In New Jersey this is a hard cap — once you reach it in a 12-month window, the lawful move is to stop selling under the cottage food exemption (or move to a fully licensed operation).
- Refrigerated (TCS) foods
- New Jersey's cottage food path is limited to shelf-stable goods — refrigerated (TCS) items aren't allowed under the exemption.
- Where you can sell
- Direct to New Jersey consumers — pickup, in-state delivery, farmers markets, and online sales to in-state customers.
Required label disclosure in New Jersey
Every New Jersey cottage food label must carry the product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, the net weight, a “Contains” allergen statement for any FDA major allergens, your name and address as the producer, and the New Jersey-required disclosure below. CottageOps fills the disclosure in for you, verbatim:
This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health.
Before you sell in New Jersey
New Jersey requires you to register with the state before you sell.
Before accepting orders in New Jersey, you'll need to register with the state agency that oversees cottage food. There's no kitchen inspection — it's typically a one-time registration. You can set everything up in CottageOps first and flip on orders once you're registered.
Full New Jersey cottage-food law
The detail behind the summary above: New Jersey's primary statute, the agency that enforces it, the revenue cap, what foods are allowed, refrigerated-food (TCS) rules, labeling notes, and the watch-outs to know before you sell.
- Primary statute
- N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 (New Jersey Cottage Food Operator Permit rules) (New Jersey Cottage Food Operator rules)
- Enforcing agency
- New Jersey Department of Health
- Revenue cap
- $50,000/year (⚖️ confirm current figure). Hard cap.
- Allowed foods
- Non-TCS (shelf-stable) cottage foods including baked goods, under a Cottage Food Operator permit.
- Refrigerated (TCS) / prohibited
- Conservative shelf-stable only (engine refuses TCS labels for NJ).
- Where you can sell
- Direct to consumer; a Cottage Food Operator permit / registration is required before sale (registration tier).
- Labeling notes
- Disclosure "This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health." at ≥10pt.
- Watch-outs
- Cottage Food Operator permit / registration required before sale (gated tier).
- Cap figure flagged for confirmation in the engine.
General information, not legal advice — confirm with your state agency. Last verified 2026-06-15.
Ready to start selling in New Jersey?
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New Jersey cottage food FAQ
What must a New Jersey cottage food label include?
A compliant New Jersey cottage food label needs the product name, the ingredients in descending order by weight, the net weight (oz and/or grams), the "Contains" allergen statement for any FDA major allergens, the producer's name and address, and the New Jersey-required legal disclosure. Our free generator fills in the disclosure for you and lays out the rest automatically as you type.
What is the required cottage food disclosure in New Jersey?
New Jersey requires this exact disclosure on the label: "This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health." You never type it — the generator applies the current New Jersey disclosure for you the moment you pick your state.
Can I sell TCS or refrigerated cottage food items in New Jersey?
No — New Jersey's cottage food path is limited to shelf-stable goods, so TCS items that need refrigeration are not allowed under the cottage food exemption. If you toggle "Contains a TCS item" the generator will flag that New Jersey doesn't permit it, so you don't print a non-compliant label.
Is this New Jersey cottage food label generator really free?
Yes. Building and previewing your New Jersey-compliant label is free with no account. CottageOps is free through 2026 — no credit card — and when you're ready to download or print the full-resolution label you just claim your free CottageOps account. In 2027 it's a flat $19/mo (or $190/yr).
More for New Jersey bakers, plus our guides for every other state:
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A free New Jersey storefront, the New Jersey label disclosure configured for you, and sales tracking — built in from day one. Cancel anytime; the most-recent month is refundable.
Start freeThis is general information, not legal advice — confirm with your New Jersey cottage food authority before selling. Last verified: 2026-06-13.