New York Cottage Food Label Requirements
Home Processor Exemption (NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets; 1 CRR-NY 276.4)
Registration
Required
Free Home Processor Registration with Ag & Markets; no routine inspection (complaint-basis). Private-well users submit a water potability test. Processing can take up to 16 weeks.
Annual sales limit
none
Where you can sell
Wholesale AND retail within New York State only — farm stands, farmers markets, craft fairs, home delivery, internet sales (NY only), wholesale to NY restaurants/cafes/groceries. Interstate sales/shipping prohibited.
The required label statement
Made in a Home Kitchen
No verbatim sentence mandated. Ag & Markets guidance says processors "should" add a phrase like "Made at Home by XYZ", "Made in the Home Kitchen of XYZ", or "Made in a Home Kitchen", in font ≥1/16 inch. We default it on with the flexible wording.
What must be on your label
- Common/usual name of the product
- Ingredient list in order of predominance by weight
- Net quantity of contents (official example uses dual units: "NET WT 1 lbs (453g)")
- Processor name and full home address (street or PO Box, city, state, ZIP)
- All allergens clearly identified (eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, soybeans, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, sesame)
- Home-kitchen phrase ≥1/16 inch (recommended, not mandated)
- Products prepackaged and sealed at home; packaging at markets/events not permitted
Worth knowing
- Guidance-driven, not a detailed labeling statute; the home-kitchen phrase is "should", not "shall".
- NY's allowed-food list is comparatively strict (no no-bake items, pepper/wine jellies, sauces/salsas, chocolate-dipped items) — warn users in-product.
- NY allows wholesale, unlike FL and CA Class A.
Verified against official New York sources on 2026-08-31. Official source. This page is not legal advice — confirm requirements with your state.
Create a label with the New York statement included