Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Decorating Business › Do I need a Lic. to sell cakes out of my home in NY?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Do I need a Lic. to sell cakes out of my home in NY?

post #1 of 16
7/19/09 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Hi I can't seem to find the answer to this question, can someone please HELP!! I live in Nassau county NY and I was wondering if I need a lic. or if I am even allowed to bake cakes in my home and sell them? If anyone has any information I would love to hear...Thanks! icon_biggrin.gif
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 16
7/19/09 at 4:49pm
You definitely need a license, but I am not sure of the specific rules for your area. I know in NY it varies from county to county if you are allowed to use your residential kitchen to sell foods to the public. The best thing you can do is give your health department and ask about the regs for where you are. icon_smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 16
7/19/09 at 5:21pm
In NYS it is illegal to sell bake goods - or any food - out of your residence, unless the residence is inaccessable from the rest of the house - like a seperate entrance. Then you'll need a license - check with the Health Department or the USDA. Once you do this, you'll also be subject to taxes, insurance, inspection fees, etc.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 16
7/19/09 at 5:23pm
In NYS it is illegal to sell bake goods - or any food - out of your residence, unless the residence is inaccessable from the rest of the house - like a seperate entrance. Then you'll need a license - check with the Health Department or the USDA. Once you do this, you'll also be subject to taxes, insurance, inspection fees, etc.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 16
7/19/09 at 6:09pm
It goes by county in New York State. I am in suffolk and the answer is no for Suffolk, Nassau & NYC. The other counties I am not sure of. Sorry it sucks, I know first hand.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 16
7/19/09 at 6:11pm
double post sorry
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 16
7/19/09 at 6:53pm
I saw an article on CNN the other day about a woman in NY (at least I'm 99% sure it was NY) selling apple cakes out of her home to save her home. I'm thinking she isn't licensed and in the picture it looked like she was in her home kitchen. It made me wonder if the health dept. will be on her now or if there is a commercial kitchen involved somewhere I missed.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 16
7/19/09 at 6:59pm
When I checked into this for Nassau county, I was I COULD get a license to sell wholesale to restaurants etc. But I CAN'T get a license to make/sell cakes directly to the public...it makes NO sense to me
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 16
7/19/09 at 7:09pm
So you can poison people en masse but not one at a time. icon_wink.gif
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 16
7/19/09 at 7:48pm
The woman selling apple cakes is in NJ - and there was a large post here yesterday on that.

As far as selling in NY - I was watching a wedding cake show (WE Tv, but not this season of AWC). The lady was making extremely high end wedding cakes, with a signature sugar chalice on top, hand painted, real gold leafing. She was making cakes in her home kitchen, in Manhattan (NY County). She must be licensed, but didn't have separate entrance - it was her actual tiny kitchen. So maybe NY County is different from what is posted above?
"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
Reply
"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
Reply
post #11 of 16
7/19/09 at 7:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by auntmamie

The woman selling apple cakes is in NJ - and there was a large post here yesterday on that.

As far as selling in NY - I was watching a wedding cake show (WE Tv, but not this season of AWC). The lady was making extremely high end wedding cakes, with a signature sugar chalice on top, hand painted, real gold leafing. She was making cakes in her home kitchen, in Manhattan (NY County). She must be licensed, but didn't have separate entrance - it was her actual tiny kitchen. So maybe NY County is different from what is posted above?



Oh, well shame on me for being busy with a wedding cake and missing that large post.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 16
7/20/09 at 4:36am
It depends on the county. I live in Erie County and I have a licence to sell baked goods out of my house, but I have restrictions. For example, I can not sell anything that needs to be refrigerated.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 16
7/20/09 at 9:48am
MosMom - I didn't mean to put you down - Truly I didn't, and I'm sorry if I made you feel that way.

BTW - Love the picture in your signature, and the cake in your avatar. Well done!
"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
Reply
"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
Reply
post #14 of 16
7/20/09 at 9:55am
Im in Cayuga county and you are allowed to sell items out of your house, but there are restrictions. only baked goods, jellies, jams, sauces, single crust pies, no double crust (why i have NO idea), that kind of thing, but like someone else said, nothing that has to be refrigerated. There are also quite a few Amish/Menonite stores around here with items prepared in their home kitchens, I'm not quite sure how they get around that, quite honestly.
I'm not a control freak...I just have excellent quality control skills

"I went to the store to buy a candle holder, they were out...so I bought a cake!" Mitch Hedberg
Reply
I'm not a control freak...I just have excellent quality control skills

"I went to the store to buy a candle holder, they were out...so I bought a cake!" Mitch Hedberg
Reply
post #15 of 16
7/20/09 at 10:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by auntmamie

The woman selling apple cakes is in NJ - and there was a large post here yesterday on that.

As far as selling in NY - I was watching a wedding cake show (WE Tv, but not this season of AWC). The lady was making extremely high end wedding cakes, with a signature sugar chalice on top, hand painted, real gold leafing. She was making cakes in her home kitchen, in Manhattan (NY County). She must be licensed, but didn't have separate entrance - it was her actual tiny kitchen. So maybe NY County is different from what is posted above?



You are probably talking about Margaret Braun. She does work out of her kitchen, it is tiny and she keeps it at 60degrees at all times.

NY is tough on bakers from homes. They like to collect their fees and will tax you to death for everything.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cake Decorating Business
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Decorating Business › Do I need a Lic. to sell cakes out of my home in NY?