New Hampshire: the home-kitchen movement
Cottage food (restricted) Exempt Homestead Food Operation (no license required) · Licensed Homestead Food Operation (Class H Homestead License under RSA 143-A:4)
New Hampshire's home-kitchen law is the 'homestead food' framework under RSA 143-A:12, administered statewide by the NH Department of Health and Human Services — no county opt-in and no MEHKO-style hot-meal regime (a 2023 bill attempting one was killed). It is a two-tier system: exempt operators who make only non-potentially hazardous foods in their primary home kitchen (or a qualifying food production area) and sell only from their residence, own farm stand, farmers' markets, or retail food stores need no license; operators selling to restaurants, online, by mail order, or wholesale — and, since late 2025, freeze-dried food producers — must hold a Class H Homestead License. There is no sales cap: the former $35,000 threshold was repealed in 2023, and since July 2026 municipalities cannot add their own licensing or restrictions on exempt homestead food activities.
Status, history, and administering agency are verified from the state law guide's primary sources. Supporter/opposition research for this state is still in progress — nothing is listed until it can be sourced.
Where it stands
2023: HB 119-FN (Chapter 180, signed 8/4/2023; homestead provisions eff. 10/3/2023) removed the former $35,000 maximum annual gross sales threshold for the homestead licensure exemption in RSA 143-A:5, VII — New Hampshire homestead food sales are now uncapped. A separate 2023 bill, HB 122-FN ('relative to microenterprise home kitchen operations'), which would have created a MEHKO-style meal-service regime (up to 30 meals/day, 60/week, including potentially hazardous foods), was killed in the House on 1/3/2024 (inexpedient to legislate) and did not become law. 2024: HB 1565-FN (Chapter 77, approved 6/14/2024, eff. 8/13/2024) removed 'processed acidified' foods from the definition of 'potentially hazardous food' in RSA 143-A:12, I(b), opening homestead production to acidified foods such as pickles and relishes. 2025: three homestead laws — HB 150 (Chapter 18, eff. 7/13/2025) allows homestead operations to use commercial kitchen equipment that can be cleaned and sanitized; HB 307 (Chapter 46, approved 5/29/2025, eff. 7/28/2025) allows production in a 'food production area' in the primary residence meeting handwashing, storage, sanitation, and pet-exclusion standards (incorporating HB 150 and the QR-code/labeling options of HB 304); HB 505-FN (Chapter 193, approved 7/15/2025, eff. 11/12/2025) requires licensure for homestead operations that process and sell freeze-dried foods (defined as fruits, vegetables, and commercially prepared dairy). 2026: SB 418 (Chapter 246, approved and effective 7/2/2026) added RSA 147:1, IV, prohibiting municipal governing bodies and local health officers from requiring licenses, restrictions, or exclusions for homestead food activities exempt under RSA 143-A:12 or RSA 143-A:5, VII. No pending homestead-kitchen bills were identified as of this writing; the 2026 session concluded with SB 418 enacted.
Residents can find and support local kitchens through the New Hampshire hub — browse kitchens, read the law guide, and see what is cooking near you.
Cottage food fight in New Hampshire
- 2023 — HB 119-FN — homestead cap removed
HB 119-FN (Chapter 180, signed August 4, 2023) removed the former $35,000 maximum annual gross sales threshold for New Hampshire's homestead licensure exemption — homestead food sales are now uncapped. (Homestead is New Hampshire's cottage-equivalent track.) Source - 2024 — HB 1565-FN — acidified foods category opened
HB 1565-FN (Chapter 77, approved June 14, 2024) removed 'processed acidified' foods from the definition of 'potentially hazardous food,' opening homestead production to acidified foods such as pickles and relishes. Source
How we got here
- 2023 — Exempt Homestead Food Operation (no license required) Cottage food fight
2023: HB 119-FN (Chapter 180, signed 8/4/2023; homestead provisions eff. Source - 2023 — Exempt Homestead Food Operation (no license required)
10/3/2023) removed the former $35,000 maximum annual gross sales threshold for the homestead licensure exemption in RSA 143-A:5, VII — New Hampshire homestead food sales are now uncapped. Source - 2023 — Exempt Homestead Food Operation (no license required)
A separate 2023 bill, HB 122-FN ('relative to microenterprise home kitchen operations'), which would have created a MEHKO-style meal-service regime (up to 30 meals/day, 60/week, including potentially hazardous foods), was killed in the House on 1/3/2024 (inexpedient to legislate) and did not become law. Source - 2024 — Exempt Homestead Food Operation (no license required) Cottage food fight
2024: HB 1565-FN (Chapter 77, approved 6/14/2024, eff. Source - 2023 — HB 119-FN — homestead cap removed Cottage food fight
HB 119-FN (Chapter 180, signed August 4, 2023) removed the former $35,000 maximum annual gross sales threshold for New Hampshire's homestead licensure exemption — homestead food sales are now uncapped. (Homestead is New Hampshire's cottage-equivalent track.) Source - 2024 — HB 1565-FN — acidified foods category opened Cottage food fight
HB 1565-FN (Chapter 77, approved June 14, 2024) removed 'processed acidified' foods from the definition of 'potentially hazardous food,' opening homestead production to acidified foods such as pickles and relishes. Source
Supporters
Supporter research for this state is in progress — nothing is listed until it can be sourced.
Opposition
No on-record opposition has been verified for this state yet.
The deciders
Governor
Office of the Governor of New Hampshire (name not yet verified in this research pass)
Contact the deciders
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