North Carolina cottage food makers
347 listings in 70 North Carolina counties so far, and growing. Scroll down for North Carolina's cottage food rules.
Counties with listings
Mountains (41 listings)
Avery County
Banner Elk
1 listingBuncombe County
Asheville, Swannanoa
4 listingsBurke County
Glen Alpine, Morganton, Connelly Springs, Valdese
6 listingsCaldwell County
Lenoir, Hudson, Granite Falls
6 listingsHaywood County
Canton, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley
3 listingsHenderson County
Hendersonville, Fletcher, Mills River
6 listingsMacon County
Franklin, Highlands
3 listingsMitchell County
Bakersville, Spruce Pine
4 listingsPolk County
Columbus, Tryon
2 listingsRutherford County
Forest City, Rutherfordton
2 listingsWatauga County
Blowing Rock, Boone
2 listingsWilkes County
Wilkesboro
2 listingsPiedmont (196 listings)
Alamance County
Burlington, Elon, Mebane
10 listingsAlexander County
Taylorsville
1 listingCabarrus County
Kannapolis, Concord
5 listingsCatawba County
Hickory, Newton
3 listingsChatham County
Pittsboro, Siler City
5 listingsCleveland County
Lawndale, Shelby
2 listingsDavidson County
Lexington, Thomasville
4 listingsDavie County
Mocksville
2 listingsDurham County
Durham, Rougemont
5 listingsForsyth County
Winston-Salem, Kernersville, Clemmons
7 listingsFranklin County
Franklinton, Youngsville, Louisburg
9 listingsGaston County
Gastonia, Cherryville, Lowell, Mount Holly
11 listingsGranville County
Oxford
1 listingGuilford County
Greensboro, Stokesdale, Gibsonville, High Point
18 listingsIredell County
Mooresville, Statesville, Troutman, Union Grove
12 listingsLee County
Sanford
3 listingsLincoln County
Denver, Lincolnton
3 listingsMecklenburg County
Charlotte, Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews
14 listingsMontgomery County
Biscoe, Star, Troy
3 listingsMoore County
Carthage, Pinehurst, Whispering Pines
4 listingsOrange County
Chapel Hill, Hillsborough
2 listingsPerson County
Hurdle Mills
1 listingRandolph County
Archdale, Asheboro, Liberty
4 listingsRichmond County
Ellerbe, Rockingham
2 listingsRockingham County
Eden, Madison
4 listingsRowan County
Salisbury, China Grove
5 listingsStanly County
Albemarle, Locust, Richfield
3 listingsStokes County
Pinnacle
1 listingSurry County
Mount Airy, Siloam
2 listingsUnion County
Indian Trail, Waxhaw, Monroe, Stallings
9 listingsWake County
Raleigh, Apex, Garner, Holly Springs
40 listingsWarren County
Norlina
1 listingCoastal Plain (110 listings)
Bladen County
Clarkton
1 listingBrunswick County
Ash, Leland, Shallotte, Sunset Beach
5 listingsCamden County
Camden
1 listingCarteret County
Indian Beach, Newport
2 listingsColumbus County
Delco
1 listingCraven County
New Bern, Havelock
5 listingsCumberland County
Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake
13 listingsDare County
Frisco, Kill Devil Hills
2 listingsDuplin County
Beulaville
1 listingEdgecombe County
Macclesfield
1 listingGates County
Gates
1 listingHalifax County
Littleton
1 listingHarnett County
Dunn, Angier, Bunnlevel, Lillington
5 listingsHoke County
Raeford
2 listingsJohnston County
Benson, Clayton, Smithfield, Archer Lodge
11 listingsLenoir County
La Grange, Pink Hill
2 listingsNew Hanover County
Wilmington
9 listingsOnslow County
Jacksonville, Hubert, Richlands, Swansboro
18 listingsPamlico County
Bayboro, Vandemere
2 listingsPasquotank County
Elizabeth City
5 listingsPitt County
Greenville, Winterville, Farmville, Simpson
9 listingsRobeson County
Lumberton, Maxton
3 listingsSampson County
Clinton, Newton Grove
2 listingsTyrrell County
Columbia
1 listingWayne County
Goldsboro, Pikeville
4 listingsWilson County
Wilson
3 listings30 more North Carolina counties with no listings yet
Make cottage food in one of these counties? Be one of the first listed. Pick your county to add your business free.
North Carolina cottage food rules in plain English
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state and local rules. Last reviewed Oct. 13, 2026.
What it is
North Carolina has no cottage food exemption. Home-based food businesses are "home processors," and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) must inspect the home kitchen before any food made there is sold.
License or permit
A free NCDA&CS home kitchen inspection is required. No permit is issued; the home processor gets a copy of the inspection report and a Notice of Inspection. No pets may come into the home.
What you can make
Low-risk, shelf-stable foods such as baked goods that do not need refrigeration, jams and jellies, candies, dried mixes and some sauces. Refrigerated or frozen foods, dairy, seafood, low-acid canned foods and bakery items with cream or cream cheese fillings, including cheesecakes, are not allowed.
How you can sell
After passing inspection, home processors may sell directly to consumers and to retail stores, restaurants and distributors. Products shipped by mail or carrier need a full label.
Labels
Labels are required for self-service, wholesale and shipped products: the product name, the manufacturer's name and address, the net weight (with the gram equivalent) and the ingredients in order of weight, with allergens declared. Made-to-order items handed directly to the buyer do not need an affixed label.
Read the full North Carolina cottage food law guide and FAQs