North Carolina cottage food law
Sell cottage food in North Carolina
North Carolina cottage food law, label rules, and a free storefront. North Carolina's cottage food law lets home bakers sell directly to consumers with no statewide sales cap — provided you sell directly to consumers, label every product correctly, and follow North Carolina's rules. CottageOps configures the North Carolina label disclosure for you, tracks your sales against the cap, and gives you a free storefront to take orders.
What North Carolina's cottage food law says
- Sales cap
- No statewide sales cap — North Carolina doesn't set an annual revenue ceiling on cottage food sales.
- Refrigerated (TCS) foods
- North Carolina'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 North Carolina consumers — pickup, in-state delivery, farmers markets, and online sales to in-state customers.
Required label disclosure in North Carolina
Every North Carolina 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 North Carolina-required disclosure below. CottageOps fills the disclosure in for you, verbatim:
Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected nor regulated by the state
Before you sell in North Carolina
North Carolina requires a permit and a kitchen inspection before you sell.
Before accepting orders in North Carolina, you'll need to obtain the required permit and pass a kitchen inspection. This can take weeks, so start the application early. You can build your storefront and menu in CottageOps now and switch on orders once you're cleared.
Full North Carolina cottage-food law
The detail behind the summary above: North Carolina'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.C. Gen. Stat. §106-130 (general misbranding statute); NCDA&CS home-processing program (program is VOLUNTARY) (North Carolina home-processing program)
- Enforcing agency
- North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Food & Drug Protection Division
- Revenue cap
- No cap.
- Allowed foods
- Non-TCS (shelf-stable) home-processed foods including baked goods.
- Refrigerated (TCS) / prohibited
- Conservative shelf-stable only (engine refuses TCS labels for NC).
- Where you can sell
- Direct to consumer; NC's home-processing program is VOLUNTARY but a permit AND a kitchen inspection are part of that program before sale (permit + inspection tier).
- Labeling notes
- There is NO statutory mandate for a "not inspected" label statement (§106-130 is the general misbranding statute only). CottageOps renders the NCDA&CS-aligned SUGGESTED (non-mandatory) wording for label consistency: "Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected nor regulated by the state". It must NOT be presented as legally required.
- Watch-outs
- Disclosure is OPTIONAL/suggested, NOT mandated — do not present it as required.
- Home-processing program participation involves a permit + inspection (gated tier).
General information, not legal advice — confirm with your state agency. Last verified 2026-06-15.
Ready to start selling in North Carolina?
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North Carolina cottage food FAQ
What must a North Carolina cottage food label include?
A compliant North Carolina 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 North Carolina-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 North Carolina?
North Carolina requires this exact disclosure on the label: "Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected nor regulated by the state" You never type it — the generator applies the current North Carolina disclosure for you the moment you pick your state.
Can I sell TCS or refrigerated cottage food items in North Carolina?
No — North Carolina'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 North Carolina doesn't permit it, so you don't print a non-compliant label.
Is this North Carolina cottage food label generator really free?
Yes. Building and previewing your North Carolina-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 North Carolina bakers, plus our guides for every other state:
Free in 2026 — no card required.
A free North Carolina storefront, the North Carolina 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 North Carolina cottage food authority before selling. Last verified: 2026-06-13.