Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law for Home Bakers: What to Check
A plain check of cottage food rules so you know what to confirm before you take orders.
On this page
What to remember
- Your state sets the rules for home baked goods.
- Check with your state agriculture or health department before you sell.
- Some states ask for food safety training before you start.
- Labels, samples, and local rules can differ from one state to the next.
Start with Cottage Food Law Application: What to Do First. It walks through the first calls and papers. If you bake in Colorado, read Colorado Cottage Food Laws. In California, read California Cottage Food Law.
Start with your state, not a national license
Cottage food is regulated at the state level. The rules can change often, so confirm them with your state agriculture or health department before you take orders. That is why a baker in Ohio is under the Cottage Food Production Operation rules in Chapter 3715 of the Ohio Revised Code, while Georgia puts cottage food producers under the Retail Food section of the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
What some states ask before you sell
The first step is not always the same. In Colorado, the Cottage Foods Act requires producers to complete a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business. In Alabama, you take a food safety course certificate, a sample product label, and a completed cottage food review form to your local county health department for review. California has its own definition: a Cottage Food Operation may prepare and package certain non-potentially hazardous foods in a private home kitchen.
Find your state agency
Cottage food is regulated at the state level, so start with your state agriculture or health department.
Check training
Colorado requires a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business. Alabama asks for a food safety course certificate.
Check your label
Alabama asks for a sample product label as part of its county health department review.
Check samples
Florida cottage food operators may serve free samples for tasting, but the samples must be prepackaged.
Check local rules
Florida law says a local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit a cottage food operation or regulate its preparation, processing, storage, or sale of cottage food products.
Labels, samples, and local rules
Labels are often where a home baker gets caught. Alabama asks for a sample product label as part of its county health department review, so build your label before you print a full run. Samples are another place to check. Florida cottage food operators may serve free samples for tasting, but the samples must be prepackaged. Local rules can also matter. Florida law says a local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit a cottage food operation or regulate its preparation, processing, storage, or sale of cottage food products.
Keep your records simple
Write down what you checked and when. Keep a copy of your training certificate, your label, and any form your state or county asks for. If you sell at a market, keep the name of the market and the dates you attended. This makes the next check easier when the rules change.
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Common questions
Do I need a cottage food license in every state?
No single national license covers home bakeries. Cottage food is regulated at the state level, so check with your state agriculture or health department.
What if my state requires food safety training?
Some states do. Colorado requires a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business. Alabama asks for a food safety course certificate as part of its county health department review.
Can I give samples at a market?
Check your state. Florida allows cottage food operators to serve free samples for tasting, but the samples must be prepackaged.
Can a local rule stop me from selling?
It depends on your state. Florida law says a local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit a cottage food operation or regulate its preparation, processing, storage, or sale of cottage food products.
What should I bring to my health department?
In Alabama, bring a food safety course certificate, a sample product label, and a completed cottage food review form to your local county health department for review.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Cottage food laws change, so confirm the rules with your state agriculture or health department.