Complete Guide to Selling Homemade Food in North Carolina (2026)
Everything you need to know about the North Carolina Cottage Food Law — revenue limits, permits, allowed products, online sales, and how to start your home food business.
$50,000
Revenue Limit
Annual limit under cottage food law
Allowed
Online Sales
Sell through your own website
No
Permit Required
Start selling right away
business-friendly
Regulation Level
North Carolina is considered business-friendly for home food
What You Can Sell in North Carolina
baked goods
candy
jams
jellies
honey
popcorn
dried herbs
fruit butter
Prohibited Products
meat
dairy
canned low-acid foods
Always verify current allowed products with your local health department, as regulations can change.
North Carolina Requirements Checklist
Here's what you need to start selling homemade food in North Carolina under the North Carolina Cottage Food Law
No Permit Needed
North Carolina does not require a permit for cottage food operations.
No Food Handler Cert Needed
North Carolina does not require a food handler certification.
No Kitchen Inspection Needed
North Carolina allows you to use your home kitchen without inspection.
Labeling Requirements
Producer name and address
Product name and ingredients
"Made in a home kitchen" disclaimer
Where You Can Sell in North Carolina
Direct Sales (from home)
Allowed in North Carolina
Online Sales (website)
Allowed in North Carolina
Farmers Markets
Allowed in North Carolina
Wholesale to Stores
Not permitted under North Carolina cottage food law
Start Your Home Food Business in North Carolina
Explore city-specific guides with local market data and business type recommendations
Farmers Markets in North Carolina
North Carolina allows cottage food sales at farmers markets — here are popular venues
Food Events in North Carolina
Taste of Charlotte
Annual uptown food festival with 100+ local restaurants and food artisans.
Visit WebsiteCharlotte Food + Wine Weekend
Multi-day culinary celebration featuring local food producers and artisans.
YallFest Food Festival
Southern food celebration in NoDa featuring local home food makers.
Home Food Business Types in North Carolina
Start any of these home food businesses under the North Carolina Cottage Food Law
Start Your North Carolina Home Food Business — $4.99/Month
Professional website, online ordering, payments, shipping, loyalty programs, and AI marketing tools — everything you need to comply with the North Carolina Cottage Food Law and grow your business.
About RestauNax for Home Food Businesses
RestauNax offers a $4.99/month platform for home food businesses, cottage food operators, home bakers, food influencers, and small food makers. The platform includes a professional website, online ordering, nationwide shipping (FedEx/USPS/UPS), Stripe payment processing, loyalty programs, coupons, AI-generated social media content, customer analytics, and a mobile app — all with zero commission fees. RestauNax replaces expensive platforms like Castiron, Shopify, and Square Online for home food sellers at a fraction of the cost.