Selling homemade food in New York

Learn how to sell homemade food in New York: kitchen requirements, permits, food safety training, official forms and permitted sales channels.

Research checked: October 13, 2026

Home food rules in New York

Home Processor Registration. Approved baked goods, jellies, snacks and other products; obtain approval for each product.

Sales channels for qualifying home foods

Foods must be pre-packaged, labeled and sold within New York State. The exemption can be lost by adding prohibited foods or a licensed food business.

Markets and events
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Home pickup
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Delivery
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Online orders
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Retail and wholesale
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route

Permits and kitchen approval

Foods outside the Home Processor exemption require the appropriate food-service or processing approval. Do not combine an exempt home-processing operation with a licensed food business without discussing the effect on the exemption.

Your steps in this location

Check every food and ingredient Required
Approved baked goods, jellies, snacks and other products; obtain approval for each product.
Complete the right paperwork Required
Submit FSI-898c Home Processor Registration Request and water results where required; re-submit to add foods or after moving.
Confirm training for your route Confirm locally
Confirm training for any operation outside the registered home-processing exemption.
Review your kitchen, water and sanitation Confirm locally
Check the official program’s preparation, storage, pets, cleaning, water testing and inspection conditions. Ask before changing the production location.
Confirm how customers can order and receive food Confirm locally
Foods must be pre-packaged, labeled and sold within New York State. The exemption can be lost by adding prohibited foods or a licensed food business.
Prepare labels and check local business rules Required
Follow the current program’s ingredient, allergen, producer and disclosure requirements. Check city or county zoning, business registration and applicable taxes.

Forms and official resources

New York official home-food rules and application resources
Guide
FSI-898c Home Processor Registration Request
Form

Local requirements

Confirm before selling

Research checked October 13, 2026. Confirm the current forms, fees, sales limits and product-specific conditions with the named authority before opening.

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Four different things people mix up

A certificate does not let you open. Each of these is its own step, and you may need more than one.

Food safety certificate
Proves you passed training. It does not approve your kitchen or business.
Food business permit
Authorizes a specific operation, where one is required.
Notification or registration
Telling the health authority you are operating. A separate process.
Business license
Your city’s home-occupation or business approval. Also separate.

Federal and business rules to check in the US

The details depend on your product and selling method. Check the applicable requirements and exemptions.

Labels and allergens
Check product identity, ingredients, major allergens including sesame, net quantity, producer details and your state’s home-kitchen disclosure. Check whether a nutrition-label exemption actually applies.
Selling across state lines
An online order does not automatically permit interstate shipping. Check the origin and destination rules plus FDA or USDA requirements. A private residence is not automatically an FDA-registered food facility.
Business setup and taxes
Check business structure, income and self-employment taxes, any EIN requirements, and state or local sales-tax registration. A cottage-food exemption is separate from tax obligations.
Local licenses and permits
Food permissions, home-occupation approval and business registration are separate. Use the SBA launch resources and your city or county to identify the applicable local process.

What sellers wish they knew

Practical lessons from people in this location. These are dated personal accounts, separate from the official requirements above.

Sources read October 13, 2026. Reported outcomes and timelines are not independently verified.

Ana Delgado with Apple & Jars
Seller interview · New York · June 17, 2025
Home-food business
Ana used a commercial kitchen in Manhattan, then restarted at home after relocation made the kitchen commute impractical. She prices products to reflect preparation work.
Practical takeaway: Include kitchen travel in costs and use an event sellout to collect future interest rather than ending customer contact.
Keep in mind: This is a reported experience, not current legal requirements or typical earnings.

Your startup checklist

Completing this list does not establish government approval.

Write down your menu: ingredients, fillings, packaging, storage and shelf life.
Find your home-food exemption or approved-kitchen route.
List every way you will sell: markets, online, pickup, delivery, shops and shipping.
Check city zoning, home occupation and business licensing.
Contact your food authority and complete required notifications, applications and inspections.
Book accepted training where it is required.
Register your business name where needed and check your tax obligations.
Check insurance and landlord or HOA permission.
Set up cleaning, storage, water, supplier, allergen and transport procedures.
Keep records of approvals, training, recipes and suppliers.