Cottage food label requirements in Rhode Island
Cottage Food Manufacture, R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-27-6.2 (enacted 2022); 216-RICR-50-10-1.11; fee: 216-RICR-10-05-2 § 2.11. Regulated by Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection. Checked against state sources on .
Not fully verified. We could not confirm every detail for Rhode Island on a primary state source when we checked. Treat these items as unconfirmed and check them with Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection before you print: disclaimerText, annualCapUSD, requiredElements, shippingInState, permitUrl.
The statement your label needs
Made by a Cottage Food Business Registrant that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection
Type size and placement: At least ten-point type, clear and conspicuous, contrasting with the label background; not required if made in a department-licensed commercial kitchen
What is different in Rhode Island
- Baked goods only (narrower than most states)
- Internet, mail and phone orders allowed but registrant or designee must deliver in-state
- Consignment and wholesale prohibited
- Sales subject to RI sales tax (§ 44-18-7)
- Separate Farm Home Food Manufacture registration (§ 21-27-6.1, $65) for farmers
- Permit
- Registration required. Annual registration certificate, $65 fee; notarized affidavit of compliance; food safety manager course, ANSI-approved food handler course or other department-approved course before initial registration. Kitchen may be inspected at any time; private water supply tested yearly.
- Sales cap
- $50,000 a year. $50,000 gross sales per calendar year; above that a food processor license is required or operations must cease.
- Where you can sell
- Direct to consumers in Rhode Island, by pickup or delivery by the registrant or a designee. No sales at grocery stores, restaurants, long-term-care facilities, group homes, daycares or schools.
- Online orders
- Orders online or by phone, delivered in person
- Ship in state
- No
- Ship out of state
- No
- Sell to shops / cafés
- No
- Allowed foods
- Baked goods that do not require refrigeration or time/temperature control for safety, e.g. double-crust pies, yeast breads, biscuits, brownies, cookies, muffins and cakes not needing refrigeration; RIDOH may define others.
What a Rhode Island cottage food label must show
- Name, address and telephone number of the registrant
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance
- Allergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements
- The required statement (above)
Federal rules still apply on top: ingredients in descending order by weight (21 CFR 101.4), the nine major allergens declared by name (FALCPA and the FASTER Act), and net quantity in ounces and grams (21 CFR 101.7). Rhode Island lets you take orders online or by phone, but the food must be handed over in person (pickup or your own delivery). Mailing or shipping is not allowed, and products may not cross state lines.
Make a Rhode Island label now
The Rhode Island statement is already on it. Type your ingredients, tick the allergens and print on Avery sheets or a thermal roll. To have the ingredient order and allergens worked out from a costed recipe, use the workbench.
Still missing: business name and address.
Print at 100% scale with no margins. Check the result against Rhode Island’s rules above before selling.
True size. Rhode Island statement at 10 pt minimum.
Rhode Island cottage food questions
What statement has to be on a Rhode Island cottage food label?
Rhode Island requires: “Made by a Cottage Food Business Registrant that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection” (At least ten-point type, clear and conspicuous, contrasting with the label background; not required if made in a department-licensed commercial kitchen).
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from home in Rhode Island?
Registration required. Annual registration certificate, $65 fee; notarized affidavit of compliance; food safety manager course, ANSI-approved food handler course or other department-approved course before initial registration. Kitchen may be inspected at any time; private water supply tested yearly.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Rhode Island?
Yes: $50,000 in gross sales a year. $50,000 gross sales per calendar year; above that a food processor license is required or operations must cease.
Can I sell cottage food online or ship it in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island lets you take orders online or by phone, but the food must be handed over in person (pickup or your own delivery). Mailing or shipping is not allowed, and products may not cross state lines.
Sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-27-6.2 Cottage food manufacture (statute)
- 216-RICR-50-10-1 Food Code, § 1.11 Cottage Food Manufacturers (regulation)
- 216-RICR-10-05-2 Fee Structure, § 2.11 Food Protection Fees (regulation)
- RIDOH: Cottage Foods (agency)
- Permit or registration page (agency)
Checked October 18, 2026. This is a checklist built from the sources above, not legal advice. Rules change; your county or the agency has the final word. Spotted something out of date? The about page explains how we check.
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