Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law Class in Alabama: What You Need
A clear path through the Alabama class, from approved course to county registration and your first label.
On this page
What to remember
- The required class is an Alabama Department of Public Health approved food safety course.
- You must attend and pass it, not just sign up.
- You register with your county health department.
- No license or food service permit is required for cottage foods.
- The law began in 2014 and was revised in 2021.
If you are new to selling from your home kitchen, start with Cottage Food Law Alabama for the big picture. This guide stays on the class: what it is, who approves it, and what you do after you pass. The short version is that the food safety course is not optional.
What the Alabama cottage food class actually is
The class is a food safety course, not a business license. It is approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The state says a person operating under the Alabama Cottage Food Law must attend and pass an approved course. Alabama does not require a license or food service permit to sell homemade cottage foods. Instead, you register your operation with your county health department and complete an approved food safety course.
The law lets individuals produce certain nonhazardous foods in their homes. Production must happen in your primary home kitchen, and sales must be direct to the final consumer within Alabama. If you bake breads, cookies, cakes, or other baked goods, read cottage food law for baked goods before you choose your menu.
How to get the class done
Confirm the course is approved
Ask the provider if the food safety course is approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The law requires an approved course, so keep a record of the provider and the date.
Attend and pass
The requirement is to attend and pass the course. Signing up alone does not meet the law.
Register with your county health department
Alabama does not issue a cottage food license or food service permit for this. You register your operation with your county health department instead.
Label before your first sale
Your label needs the name and address of the cottage food operation, a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department, and a list of ingredients. You also need a clearly visible label, tag, or placard telling buyers the food is prepared in a home kitchen.
Labels, sales, and what comes after
Once you pass the class and register, the label is what buyers see first. Alabama requires the name and address of the cottage food operation, a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department, and a list of ingredients. Consumers must be informed by a clearly visible label, tag, or placard that the food is prepared in a home kitchen. Check the details in Alabama cottage food law requirements before you print.
Alabama sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. The ceiling on growth is the kitchen and time rather than a statutory cap. The law went into effect in 2014 and was revised in 2021, so check the current Alabama Department of Public Health materials for your county before you sell.
Common questions
Is the Alabama cottage food class the same as a license?
No. Alabama does not require a license or food service permit to sell homemade cottage foods. You register with your county health department and complete an approved food safety course.
Who approves the class?
The Alabama Department of Public Health approves the food safety course.
Do I have to pass the class or just attend?
You must attend and pass the course.
Can I sell to a store or a restaurant?
Sales must be direct to the final consumer within Alabama.
Is there a dollar limit on sales?
No. Alabama sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so the ceiling on growth is the kitchen and time rather than a statutory cap.
What has to be on my label?
The name and address of the cottage food operation, a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department, and a list of ingredients. Buyers must also see a clearly visible label, tag, or placard that the food is prepared in a home kitchen.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Check the current Alabama Department of Public Health materials for your county before you sell.