The essentials
New Hampshire, at a glance
Yes, for eligible nonhazardous foods made in your primary residence.
Some channels are exempt from licensing, while internet sales, restaurant supply and other distribution require a license. Certain freeze-dried foods need licensing even at an otherwise exempt venue, so classify both the product and the sales method.
Choose the route that fits
- Exempt Homestead Food Operation
- Eligible home foods sold through specified exempt channels, without departmental license or routine inspection.
- Licensed Homestead Food Operation
- ClassH route for internet, mail, restaurant and distribution channels and specified freeze-dried products.
- Sales limits
The current statutory homestead exemption has no gross-sales threshold; the2023 act removed a monetary threshold from RSA143-A:5,VII, effective October3,2023.
- Registration & permits
ClassH applicants submit product list, sample finished label and applicable process reviews; initial licensing includes inspection under2304.02.
View official sources (5)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- He-P2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food New Hampshire government
- RSA143-A:11-a Certified Food Protection Manager New Hampshire government
- 2023 Chapter180 / HB119 final enacted version New Hampshire government
One step at a time
Your first 2 steps
Choose exempt or licensed operation
List your products and where each will be sold.
Residence, own farmstand, farmers-market and retail-store sales can qualify for the ordinary exemption. A plan involving online orders, mail order, restaurants or distributors belongs on the licensed route. The current statutory exemption is not based on a revenue threshold.
Prepare the licensed application
For Class H, gather the complete product list, a finished label and applicable process reviews, then arrange the licensing inspection.
Private-water applicants also submit bacteria, nitrate and nitrite results. The fee is $150, with annual renewal; ask DHHS for the current invoice and apply before the license expires.
View official sources (5)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- He-P2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food New Hampshire government
- 2023 Chapter180 / HB119 final enacted version New Hampshire government
Make what you love
Can you sell what you make?
These are examples. Check the complete recipe, preparation method and sales route before offering a product.
Baked goods must remain non-TCS
Check the conditionsBreads, cookies, brownies and other listed bakery foods can fit the program when the finished recipe does not need temperature control for safety.
Cheesecake and custard do not qualify. Describe fillings and toppings specifically: the name cake or bread alone does not establish whether a moist finished product is eligible.
Preserves and acidified foods
Check the conditionsReview the exact recipe and process before making a jarred product for sale.
Licensed operators using nonstandard jam, jelly or acidified recipes need process-authority review. Keep the reviewed formula unchanged until a change has been evaluated, and retain the associated process and pH records.
Freeze-dried candy and other foods differ
Check the conditionsAlready-non-TCS candy can follow ordinary homestead conditions.
Freeze-dried fruit, vegetables and commercially prepared dairy require licensing and process review, including when sold from home or a market. Do not assume every food placed in the same machine inherits the candy treatment.
Some products need another route
Check the conditionsThe DHHS FAQ excludes bottled drinks, apple cider, live sourdough starter, uncooked refrigerated dough and dehydrated meat, fruit or vegetables from homestead production.
Plain honey and maple syrup are separately regulated. Check the applicable program before building a business around one of these categories.
View official sources (4)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- He-P2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food New Hampshire government
From your kitchen to your customers
Where and how you can sell
| Selling method | What matters |
|---|---|
| Residence and own farmstand | Eligible products can use the exemption at these locations. Packaged sales still need the applicable identity, contact, allergen and status information. A limited ingredient-display alternative is available here, but it combines a QR code or website with a physical ingredient sign; a QR code by itself is insufficient. |
| Farmers markets and retail stores | These are ordinary exempt channels for eligible products. Use the normal individual package label, because the home/farmstand ingredient-display alternative does not extend to these venues. Keep the product classification in view too: specified freeze-dried foods still require a license. |
| Internet and mail orders | A homestead license is required for these sales. Obtain the license before adding an online checkout or mail-order fulfillment to an exempt business. If the destination is outside New Hampshire, ask DHHS about the proposed shipment and check destination requirements before treating state licensing as permission for that transaction. |
| Restaurants and distributors | Supplying a restaurant, wholesaler, broker or other distributor requires licensing. Do not confuse the statute’s retail-store exemption with permission for every business buyer. Describe who receives the food and how it reaches the customer when discussing the correct license with Food Protection. |
View official sources (3)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Your label, explained
Every field has a purpose.
Use the example to understand the structure. Follow the New Hampshire requirements below for your product and sales route.
Your product
name
Your product name and actual net quantity
Your complete recipe and supplier ingredients
Operation name; physical or active email address; telephone
The statement for your state, product and sales route
Exempt residential food
A guide to the fields, not a ready-to-print label. Use your actual product and business details.
Name it. Measure it.
Identify your product and its actual net quantity. Check the state’s formatting and unit requirements below.
Use your actual recipe.
Check every ingredient and supplier label. Use the applicable ingredient and allergen declarations for your product.
Identify your operation.
Operation name; physical or active email address; telephone
Use the wording for your route.
Requirements can differ by product and sales channel. Keep the disclosure, placement and type-size conditions together.
Operation and product information
Use the operation name, a physical or active email address, telephone number, product name, ingredients in descending order and allergen information.
The current statute permits the email alternative; it is not necessary to inherit an older template that insists on a physical home address for every package.
Exact wording for exempt products
For an exempt product, use: “This product is exempt from New Hampshire licensing and inspection.” The rule calls for at least 10-point type with clear background contrast.
Include the other applicable label information; this sentence does not replace ingredients, allergens or your business contact details.
Exact wording for licensed products
For a licensed product, use the full current statutory sentence: “This product is made in a residential food production area licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.” Apply the rule’s minimum 10-point contrasting type.
Older guidance abbreviates the agency name, but this wording follows the statute.
Make the batch traceable
For normal labels, the exempt rule calls for a batch number or manufacture date.
The licensed rule specifies manufacture date, container size and lot or batch, along with customary and metric net quantity. Keep the code connected to your production notes so a customer question can be traced to the right batch.
The wording for your label
Exempt residential food
Licensed residential food
This product is made in a residential food production area licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
View official sources (2)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- He-P2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food New Hampshire government
A useful head start
Your New Hampshire label kit.
Editable template, example label and starting checklist.
Personalize it for your products and business.
Enter your email. Get the files immediately.
Before your first sale
A few details worth getting right.
An example
A market baker adds online ordering
Imagine an exempt baker sells packaged cookies at a farmers market and then opens a website checkout.
The ordering channel changes the licensing requirement even if the recipe and packaging remain identical. Complete the licensed route before taking those internet orders, and update the package’s status statement accordingly.
Example scope: Hypothetical eligible non-TCS cookies.
An example
A town asks an exempt operator for a food license
Since July 2, 2026, municipal authorities cannot impose licensing or restrictions for the protected exempt activities and products.
Compare the actual business with the statutory exemption and provide the enacted provision when clarifying the issue. This protection does not exempt internet sales or foods that independently require licensing.
Keep production inside the qualifying residence
The statute permits the home kitchen or another compliant production area inside the primary residence.
It requires cleanable surfaces, protected storage, potable handwashing water and pet exclusion during production. Commercial equipment is permitted if it can be cleaned and sanitized there; buying commercial equipment does not change the location requirement.
View official sources (2)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- 2026 Chapter246 / SB418 final enacted version New Hampshire government
A few more answers
Common questions
Do I need a certified food protection manager?
The state manager-certification statute excludes homestead operations and establishments covered by the specified licensing exemption. Continue following the sanitation and product rules. If your process needs specialist review, treat that as a separate requirement rather than assuming the certification exemption eliminates every technical condition.
View sources for this answer (3)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- RSA143-A:11-a Certified Food Protection Manager New Hampshire government
Can I offer samples at a market?
Yes, for eligible non-TCS products, when samples are prepared and individually packaged at home and a correctly labeled package is displayed alongside them. Do not cut the food at the stall or turn a dry mix into a perishable dip for sampling under the homestead rules.
View sources for this answer (1)
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Keep it handy
Your first-sale checklist
Use this free checklist to keep track of your next steps. The conditions in this guide still apply.
0 of 2 completed · Restoring progress…
Official guidance
Sources, updates & your next step
Ask Food Protection about the specific plan
Contact dhhs.foodprotection@dhhs.nh.gov or 603-271-4589 with the product, recipe category, residence and channels. Licensed applicants should request the current application and invoice. When discussing municipal requirements for an exempt operation, use the 2026 enactment because older FAQ language still describes broader local licensing discretion.
Official sources 7 references
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required →
New Hampshire government · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- 2026 Chapter246 / SB418 final enacted version →
New Hampshire government · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- Homestead Food Operations →
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide →
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- He-P2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food →
New Hampshire government · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- RSA143-A:11-a Certified Food Protection Manager →
New Hampshire government · Reviewed September 14, 2026
- 2023 Chapter180 / HB119 final enacted version →
New Hampshire government · Reviewed September 14, 2026
Guide updates September 14, 2026
Reviewed New Hampshire’s product eligibility, sales routes, starting requirements and label guidance against the official sources below. Current conditions and any dated changes are explained in the relevant sections of this guide.
View sources for this update (4)
- RSA143-A:12 Homestead Food License Required New Hampshire government
- 2026 Chapter246 / SB418 final enacted version New Hampshire government
- Homestead Food Operations FAQ Reference Guide New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- 2023 Chapter180 / HB119 final enacted version New Hampshire government
This guide is a starting point. Confirm requirements for your products and location with the relevant authority. Examples are illustrative and are not a compliance approval.