I'm trying to find out what the rules are for getting a license and if you can work out of your home. I've looked through the forums and didn't find anything. I tried going to all the government websites and nothing is direct. Who can I call or how do I find out?

What city are you in? You may be able to call the NYS Dept of Agriculture
Albany's number is 518-457-5459 Syracuse: 315-487-0853, Rochester 585-427-2273, and New York Citty at 718-722-2876. I hope that helps.
Good luck.

Karema

Did the the information I gave you help out?

I am on Long Island. So I don't think I can call any of those numbers (correct me if I'm wrong) I appreciate the reply!

Did you see this, I'm sure? Download and click on the link by NY. This should help. (Hope it does!) Then open the NY link and it should take you over to the home page, click on H for Home Processors.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-586218-0-days0-orderasc-.html

HTH all the way from the Other Washington!

You can call and NYC or Albany and ask for the number for long island. They will direct you in the right direction.

Thank you so much!! From what I was reading, it seems that you have to have a separate kitchen. But then I've heard that it varies by county. So as soon as I get a chance, I am going to start making some phone calls and see what they can tell me.

From what I've learned (I'm in Rochester) You have to have a seperate kitchen for what they call "Potentially hazzardous" food. (Sounds yummy, huh? It basically means any food that will spoil if left out.) Cakes fall into this category. To do cakes, you have to have a licensed kitchen and it has to have the same requirements as any restaurant kitchen--triple sink, seperate handwashing sink, slop sink, drains in the floor for mopping, commercial coolers and freezer, steel shelving, etc... For this type of business, you have to contact the Dept of Health for licensing.

For "non-potentially hazzardous" food (Again, a yummy description, huh?) you can contact the Dept of Agriculture in your county. This would be for baked goods that will just go stale if left out, not spoil. Things like cookies, double crusted fruit pies (Not cream pies-they are potentially hazzardous), muffins, breads etc... In Monroe County where I am, I can use my family kitchen for this certification. I just need a seperate sink for handwashing (My powder room sink is fine), gloves, a hat or hairnet, apron, double kitchen sink. Your baked goods need to be labeled with your company name and list of all ingredients. It's actually almost TOO easy to get this certificate.

I believe dividing the 2 categories is consistant throughout NY, but each is regulated seperately by the different depts (DOH or USDA) for your county. That's why you need to contact either dept for your county depending on what you want to do.

Buffalo is similar to Rochester except I can do cakes. I just can't do certain fillings that can spoil or fresh fruit that can spoil on it unless the customer is coming right to get it. I can make cakes pies, muffins, breads, brownies, cookies, but I cant do wedding cakes because they cost more and I would have to start paying taxes.

ty for all the info, im also on long island, suffolk county too and I wanted to look into this also.

I'm in suffolk and the answer I got from the health dept. was no you cannot have a home kitchen. The only way is to get a home processor exemption but this is for wholesale only and you can't sell individual cakes. Very frustrating. I believe NY state allows it but local laws trump the state ones so we are screwed as far as I know.