Anyone Have/starting A Business From Their Home In Ma, Usa?
Business By mom2spunkynbug Updated 28 Feb 2007 , 6:02pm by procrastibaker
I am looking to start my cake decorating business out of my own home soon. I would like to make sure I am 100% legal before I do anything. Is there anyone out there that lives in Massachusetts that has a business out of their residential kitchen? Or anyone that is trying to start a business in MA out of their kitchen? If so I would like to hear from you!
I have gone through *many* links on this site & also MA's website & cannot find answers to many questions I have, so I'm just going to start with a phone call or visit to City Hall on Tuesday!
I'm thinking it is legal to do this all here, because there is a catering business on the same street that I live on & they have a "regular" house.
So if you're from MA, give me a shout! 
I am also trying to start a business from my home in Ma. I've done SO many searches to find out info, if you go to ma.gov I did a search on food-safe and also food license from home, you can find guide lines and there is also an application for a food license, you have to send in a $300.00 check. I would assume you would have to pass inspection also.
I called the town board of health the other day and they were supposed to have the inspector call me (they really couldn't tell me much) so far I haven't heard anything.
Please keep me posted if you find anything and I will do the same.
I am very anxious to get this started, I am afraid to start getting the word out until I am legal.
The fololowing information comes from this page:
http://www.mass.gov/agr/markets/specfood/selling_foods_made_in_your_farm_kitchen.htm
For a copy of the Regulations for a residential kitchen call
State House Bookstore
617-727-2834
Request 105 CMR 590.000-595.000 Vending Machines and State Sanitary Code for Food Establishments Article X - Department of Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The section with information on residential kitchens is 590.028: Residential Kitchen Operations for Retail Sale. The publication costs $6.55 by mail.
Hope this helps!
Um, 2sweetcookies...is that a typo?! $300.00??? Where I live the application fee for a food establishment is thirty five dollars ($35.00).
I went to city hall & have since spoken to the food inspector & she will be doing an inspection on my kitchen soon! 
I found the application form on the ma.gov web site, I searched home based food license and the form said attach a $300.00 check. I sure hope I'm wrong on this, it seemed a little much. $35.00 is more like it.
I know the inspection costs around $25.00. I'm still waiting to hear from them, I will have to call back monday.
My hopes are a little higher after seeing $35.00. Where did you get your application form?
My local board of health couldn't give me any information.
Well, I am in Berkshire County (by the NY border). I got my application from my city's board of health. I also found it online (on my city's website) where it also stated the $35 fee. I didn't see any fee for the actual inspection...& the inspector told me she doesn't collect money.
Did you check your own city's website? Instead of using mass.gov?
Add me to the list! I am on the NH border and going through this all right now (I'm the one who posted about meeting with my health inspector).
I used to own a coffee shop, and I paid like $25 or something for my health permit there, I can't imagine it could be that much more for a cake business.
Let me just warn you, so far it appears it's not possible to be "legal" in MA unless you just sell Wholesale (he told me that meant selling through another location, like a grocer). I'm working with my health insp. to see if there are any loopholes that we could fall under and I'll gladly pass along anything I find out!
It seems being VERY nice to the health insp. is VERY helpful!
Good luck! Let's keep this thread going!
-Michelle
I have recently had my kitchen licensed. It was so much easier than I thought it would be. I even have a dog. Depending on the town you live in the cost will vary. I payed 50.00 here in Bridgewater. You will also need to take a serve safe class and the cost is about $150.00 YOu need to dedicate 1 shelf in your fridge for your business, have a thermometer in the fridge because the temp needs to be lower than 40.5 degrees. YOu must have coveres on your trash cans outside. Other than that there really wasnt too much more thant I can think of right now. Let me know if you have any other questions
good luck
I am in Worcester County, I went to their board of health web site, and couldn't find anything on a home based business. My town wasn't any help either. I went to ma.gov anf the regulations said it is strictly prohibited to sel anything potentially hazardous (cream filled pastry, custards, etc) or anything that requires refridgeration. That's also where I found the $300. application. Could there be mor than one?? Im still searching for the $35.00 one.
right now I feel lost. I guess I will be making a lot of phone calls monday.
I am in Middlesex county and don't have a clue either. We are in MA - the $300 would not surprise me at all!
I have to take my serve safe class through school, so I'll ask my prof on tuesday where else they offer it for you guys!
Psurrette- what did you get your licence for (wholesale,retail etc...) My health insp, wants me to ask around and see what it's possible to get permits for so he can help me.
Thanks!
-Michelle
I just got shot down!!!!!
The board of health said I would need a residential kitchen, I wouldn't be able to sell to a caterer, retail store or any other function hall type of place. They said the only way I could do it was if I baked from a licensed kitchen and there must be ingredient labels on everything, which I would do anyway.
I NEVER expected to hear that I would need a seperate kitchen..
I can sell cakes word of mouth and be ok, I guess I just wouldn't be able to advertise.
I'm working on a website just for show, I will have people email me for a price list so it wont be considered "advertising"
I guess I will take it from there and hope for the best.. I'm NOT giving up.
I, too, would like to start a cake decorating business from home. I am from the Taunton/Fall River area. I thought I read somewhere that to have a licensed kitchen in your home you needed a seperate refrigerator and at least a double sink - we have a single porcelain 1950s-type sink, and my dog would not be able to be in the kitchen at all (even when not doing cakes). It all seemed too much to try to do it at home and I am starting to look around at some spaces (buildings) that I may be able to rent/lease. I am currently looking in the Taunton area, and if anyone is located nearby, I would consider sharing the space with someone (assuming I find an acceptable one!).
~Chelle
WYSMOMMY - Yes it is legal in MA to sell cakes from your licensed kitchen.
2SWEETCOOKIES - A residential kitchen is what your kitchen in your house is called. You don't need a seperate kitchen.
When I spoke with the board of health she said I need a residential kitchen and asked if I knew what that was???? Well ya, I assumed it was my own kitchen!!! she said no it had to be an entirely seperate kitchen from my own. She got the info from the inspector, I was a little confused maybe she used th wrong term or just doesn't know what a residential kitchen is.
Back to square one!!!
For everybody who asked about getting certified in food saftey, the woman I had tonight was AWESOME! She's going to look into where other classes are held and let me know and I'll pass it along!
Now I'm off to sleep...16 hours in school today I'm too tired to eat the products of my labor! (Croissants!)
Michelle
My gosh!! Well, I don't know what to say! I heard that things vary from state to state & even city to city, but holy cow!! How could they vary that much? 
Can you find out if there are any caterers or bakers in your city that do it out of their home & try to speak with them about things?
Good luck
Here is the link to a serv safe site where and when they have classes
http://www.easternmassfoodsafety.com/servsafe_training/servsafe_class_sched.html
I am going to the meeting on Sunday!!!
~Michelle
Hello from Beverly, MA! Is there a website for the ICES Mass. chapter? I am new to decorating but would be interested in attending a meeting.
Thanks!
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