Okay, so I'm totally new and wondering a few things. I'd like to get the homestead license to make and sell cakes out of the home. I was wondering if the fact that I have 2 cats and 1 dog is going to affect that? And does anyone have recent info about home licensing in NH? From my understanding you're only allowed to make up to $5000 a year and if you make over then you have to file under something differently. And anyone know what icings and fillings will NOT be approved for a home licensed bakery? Thank you!!!

barleysbakery, here's the info I received back in 2007 when I inquired about opening my company.

"If you want to be licensed as a home food manufacturer with the State of NH there are now are two class levels for residential (home) kitchens. The level 1 class (H) is for people who sell $5000 of product or less per year.
A renewal application will need to be submitted each year. If the
residential kitchen has a private well, a water test result must be
attached to the license application each year. The residential kitchen must
have either a two-bay sink or a one bay sink and a dishmachine. Baked
products can be made with this license, including but not limited to
breads, rolls, muffins, cookies, brownies, cakes, double crusted fruit
pies, candy, fudge and also packaged dry products such as spices and herbs.

Also, jams and jellies can be made, but a process review is required unless
you use certain standard recipes that can be found on the following
website: www.uga.edu/nchfp. Please look at He-P 2329 for a list of process
reviewers. A list of products must be submitted with the application each
year. Please be specific as to exactly what you are making. If you have a
process review done, you must submit the results with your application. If
you use a standard recipe from the above mentioned website, you must specify that you have done this.

The level 2 class (D) will cost $125 per year., including renewals. This
class is for residential kitchens that sell greater than $5000 worth of
product per year. These kitchens can make the same products as specified above, but are required to take and pass a food protection employee certification program. The same requirements for process reviews apply as in level 1. A list of products must be submitted with the application, please provide specific information about what you are making.

Please call our office at 271-4589 if you want to acquire a new
establishment packet (He-P2300, application, water requirements etc) at a charge of $10. Also, please be aware that you cannot operate a food service establishment without a food service license."

Hope this helps. Any more questions or to download the application so you can take a look at it, go to http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/FOODSANITATION/default.htm . And feel free to call them. Very helpful!

Sorry that quoted section came out formatted weird.

Anyway, I forgot to answer you about ingredients. "Many products containing ingredients such as banana, pumpkin, zucchini, and/or cream filling/icing are considered to be potentially hazardous foods. License holders producing food in a level 1 Homestead shall not produce or sell potentially hazardous food, including any food which requires refrigeration."

You can have a sample of a recipe tested at a lab in Maine. (U of ME, Orono) if you want to be allowed to use/sell it...like cream cheese frosting for carrot cake as an example.

Ok, so I have a dog and 2 cats...and I read the laws about animals, that they can't be in the kitchen or prep area. So anyone successfully get a homestead license in NH who owns pets? I'm wondering if getting a long divider pet gate would be sufficient for them to approve it....