Where are the official Massachusetts cottage food rules?

Massachusetts Department of Public Health publishes them. Start at the Massachusetts residential kitchen page. Use the statute compilation when you need the code text.

Can I sell cottage food at a farmers market in Massachusetts?

Often yes, if the food is on the state's allowed list and you meet the label and sales rules. The market can still require its own application. Confirm both.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page was reviewed in October 2026 and points you to the state sources. If a sales cap or food list here disagrees with the state page, use the state page.

MA · Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Massachusetts cottage food laws

Massachusetts uses a residential kitchen permit, not a no-permit cottage food exemption. The state page explains the permit. A local board of health issues it.

Open the official source Read the statute

Official source: Massachusetts residential kitchen page. Reviewed October 2026. Not legal advice.

What the Massachusetts law decides

Massachusetts residential kitchen rules answers these points. The state page is the current list. A county health department or a farmers market can add a form, a fee, or a product ban.

Which foods are allowed, and which foods need refrigeration or a pH test
The current sales cap, or whether the state has removed it
Where you can sell: farmers markets, online orders, shipping, and stores
The label, including allergens and any home-kitchen statement
Registration, a food-handler class, or a county permit

Sell it only after the rule checks out

A cottage food page is market research, not a promise of income. Price the product, find a market in Massachusetts, and sell one batch before you buy equipment.

Massachusetts farmers markets Price checker Cottage food selling guide Test a business idea