Cottage food rules
Can I Sell Sourdough Starter From Home? Legal Check (2026)
What to check before you sell a live starter, and where the rules get strict.
On this page
What to remember
- Check your state cottage food list before you jar a starter.
- In California, the product must be non-potentially hazardous and on the Approved Cottage Food List.
- California food safety certification applies to Class A and Class B.
- Price each jar with ingredients, labor, and overhead.
- Brevl is $20 a month with 0% commission and a 14 day free trial.
The question can i sell sourdough starter from home is really two questions. First, is a jar of starter an allowed cottage food where you live. Second, can you make money on it after your time and your costs. Answer the first before you print a label or buy jars.
Is sourdough starter on your state cottage food list?
Your state food program is the place to start. In California, the California Department of Public Health keeps an Approved Cottage Food List. Allowed cottage food products must be non-potentially hazardous and must comply with that list. Look for starter on the list before you sell it as a cottage food.
If you already sell baked bread, read the bread rules for your state before you add a jar. Start with bread from home in Texas for one example. Then check your own state list. A rule for a baked loaf is not a rule for a jar of starter.
What California requires before you sell a jar
California uses Class A and Class B cottage food operations. Food safety certification is required for both classes, according to foodhandlercert.org. Do not wait until your first order to get it. Put the certificate on your checklist next to your list check.
The certificate and the list check answer different questions. The list says whether the product is allowed. The certificate shows you met the food safety certification rule. Keep both where you can find them.
The money check before you fill a jar
A jar price has to cover more than flour. It has to cover the jar, the label, your time, and the cost of taking orders. If one of those lines is missing, your busy week can still end with no pay.
Cost one jar
Add the flour, water, jar, and label for one jar. Use your receipts, not a guess.
Put a rate on your time
Count the minutes to feed, check, and pack each order. Multiply by the hourly rate you want to pay yourself.
Add monthly overhead
Brevl is $20 a month with 0% commission. Divide that by the jars you expect to sell. Add any other fixed cost the same way.
Read the margin
Price minus ingredients, labor, and overhead is your margin. If it is zero or less, change the jar size or the price before you sell.
For example, suppose you sell 20 jars in a month. The $20 Brevl fee is $1 a jar. Your margin per jar is your price minus the ingredient cost, minus your labor for that jar, minus that $1. The result is the number to watch before you take another order.
Jars, labels, and delivery are real lines too. Add them before you set a price. A low price with free delivery can wipe out the margin you worked to build.
What to check before you commit
Before you buy jars by the case, get three answers. Is starter on your state cottage food list. What certification or permit does your state require. Does your market or your buyer ask for anything else.
Ask for the rule in writing. A phone answer is hard to keep. Save the email or the page you used. If the rule changes, you have a record of what you checked.
What a buyer may ask before she pays
A buyer may ask what is in the jar and where it was made. Decide your answer before you sell. Keep it short and true. Do not promise a rule your state does not give you.
If starter is not allowed, sell an allowed bake
Sometimes the answer is no for starter and yes for a baked good. If your state list does not allow starter, do not sell it as a cottage food. Switch to a product your state does allow, and follow those rules. Read bread from home in Florida or the general cake from home rules before you switch.
A new product means a new label, a new cost, and a new list check. Do not reuse a starter price for a loaf. Cost the loaf from scratch, then decide if the switch pays.
A smaller jar is not a way around the list. If starter is not allowed, do not sell it in any size. Pick a product that is on the list, then cost that product with the same three lines.
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Common questions
Can I sell sourdough starter from home in California?
Only if the starter is a non-potentially hazardous cottage food on the California Department of Public Health Approved Cottage Food List. You also need food safety certification for Class A or Class B. If it is not on the list, do not sell it as a cottage food.
Do I need a license to sell starter?
In California, food safety certification is required for both Class A and Class B cottage food operations. Your state may use different names and forms. Ask your state food program what it requires before you sell a jar. Do not guess from a social post.
Is sourdough starter allowed on the cottage food list?
The state health department keeps an Approved Cottage Food List. Check the list itself, not a blog or a group post. If starter is not on the list, it is not an allowed cottage food product in California.
Can I sell starter at a farmers market?
Market rules sit on top of state cottage food rules. In California, check the Approved Cottage Food List and your food safety certification first. Then ask the market manager what they require. Do not pay for a booth until you have both answers.
What should I charge for a jar of starter?
Start with your ingredient cost for the jar, add your labor at an hourly rate, and add overhead. Brevl costs $20 a month with 0% commission, so that is one overhead line you can see. If the price does not cover all three, do not sell that size.
Does Brevl handle cottage food permits?
No. Brevl is a $20 a month shop tool with a 14 day free trial. It helps you take orders and get paid, but it does not replace your state or local food rules. Check your cottage food list and certification before you open.
Sources
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Cottage food rules and certification requirements change. Check with your state food program and a local advisor before you sell.