Cottage food rules
Colorado Cottage Food Law Requirements
The steps Colorado asks for, in order, so you can start selling without guessing.
On this page
What to remember
- Take a food safety training course before your first sale.
- Register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
- Renew that registration every year.
- Shelf-stable foods sold directly to consumers do not need a retail food establishment license.
If you are still weighing where to bake and sell, it helps to see how Colorado sits next to other states. Our rundown of the best cottage food law states for home bakers puts the training and registration rules side by side. Then come back here, because the order of the steps matters more than the paperwork itself.
What Colorado asks before your first sale
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act came from the state legislature in 2012. It let a limited set of food products be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection. That is the trade you are making: you keep it small and direct, and the state keeps the licensing step out of your way. Shelf-stable cottage foods sold directly to consumers do not need a retail food establishment license.
Take a food safety course
Colorado requires a food safety training course before you start a cottage foods business. Do it first, not after you already have orders on the books.
Register with CDPHE
Cottage food producers register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This is a separate step from the course.
Renew it every year
The registration is not a one time thing. It has to be renewed annually, so pick a month and stick to it.
Sell direct, and stay inside the Act
The Act covers limited types of food products sold directly to consumers. Keep your sales in that lane.
Watch for changes
A bill in the legislature would widen what home bakers may sell. Check its status before you plan a menu around it.
The food safety course, and where to take it
Colorado State University Extension runs a Cottage Food Safety Training program. It covers the specifics of the Colorado Cottage Foods Act and how to safely operate a food business. That makes it a sensible first stop, since it lines up the training requirement with the everyday side of baking for paying customers.
Once the course and the registration are behind you, the real work is orders, baking, and getting paid. That part should not need a manual.
Register with the state, then book the renewal
Registration is its own step, separate from the course. Producers now register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and that registration must be renewed annually. Pick the same month each year and it becomes a five minute job instead of a scramble the week you want to take holiday orders.
What may change
A bill, HB26-1033, would expand the Colorado Cottage Foods Act. It would allow the sale of homemade foods that require refrigeration, and foods that include meat and meat products. It is a bill, not the current rule, so do not plan a menu around it yet.
Whatever you sell, the label on the package is where the rules show up on the counter. Our guide to the Colorado cottage food law label covers what to print. And if you are still deciding whether to stay small or step up to a licensed kitchen, read how to apply for a home bakery license before you spend money on either path.
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Common questions
Do I need a license to sell cottage foods in Colorado?
No retail food establishment license is required for shelf-stable cottage foods sold directly to consumers in Colorado. The Act was written to let limited types of food products be sold directly without licensing or inspection.
Do I have to register with the state?
Yes. Cottage food producers register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and that registration must be renewed annually.
What training does Colorado require?
A food safety training course before you start a cottage foods business. Colorado State University Extension offers a Cottage Food Safety Training program that covers the Act and how to safely operate a food business.
How often do I renew my registration?
Annually. Choose the same month each year and set a reminder so it does not catch you mid season.
Can I sell refrigerated foods or foods with meat?
As it stands, the Act covers limited types of food products. HB26-1033 would expand it to allow homemade foods that require refrigeration, and foods that include meat and meat products. That is a bill, not the current rule.
Sources
This is general information about Colorado cottage food rules, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment before you sell.