Honey
Honey is a classic non-TCS cottage food; beekeepers also register apiaries.
Cottage Food EligibleNon-TCSShelf-stable
MDARApiary program
LocalPermit from your town
PureStandard label word
What is covered and what needs a different path
What this guide covers
- Raw and filtered honey in jars
- Comb honey
- Creamed honey
- Honey sticks packaged shelf-stable
Needs a different path
- Honey blended with unlisted sweeteners marketed as pure
- Claims that honey is safe for infants under 12 months
- Honey-based foods needing refrigeration
- Wholesale without DPH permit
Three compliance steps
A
Apply for the permit
Apply to your city or town Board of Health for a Residential Kitchen (cottage food) permit. Fees are set locally; Boston lists $100.
B
Make only non-TCS foods
Foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Anything needing refrigeration, or a pH or water-activity process, moves to a licensed kitchen.
C
Label and sell direct
Sell directly to consumers. Label with name, address, ingredients, allergens, net weight and the residential-kitchen statement. Wholesale needs a DPH license.
Quick reference
| Item | Rule | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | Non-TCS; permitted under residential kitchen rules | 105 CMR 590.010(F) |
| Beekeeping | Register apiaries with the state | MDAR Apiary Program |
| Label | Name, address, net weight | FDA; 105 CMR 520 |
| Honey blends | Added sweeteners declared | FDA |
| Weights | Sealed scale | MA Division of Standards |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register my hives?Massachusetts runs an apiary inspection program through MDAR; confirm your registration.
Can I say raw?Use accurate terms; raw means unheated and unfiltered.
Is honey taxable?Food honey is generally exempt.
Printable checklist
- Apiary registered
- Permit in hand
- Label correct
- Net weight verified
- Added sweeteners declared
- Scale sealed
- Clean extraction area