Cottage food rules
Florida Cottage Food Law: What Home Bakers Must Know
A plain look at what Florida asks of a home baker, and where to check before you sell.
What to remember
- No state food permit while you meet the cottage food conditions.
- No inspection by FDACS or another state agency while you qualify.
- The sales limit for a cottage food operation is $250,000.
- Some foods may be sold and some may not. Check the list first.
- The law also says what your label must show and where you may sell.
If you bake in your own kitchen and sell to the people who buy from you, this is the law that decides what you may make, how you may label it, and where you may sell it. Read it once, slowly, before you take your first order. If cakes and cookies are your main line, the cottage food law for baked goods guide is a good next stop.
What the exemption covers
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services puts it simply: cottage food operators in Florida can produce and sell certain products directly to consumers without a food permit from the department. The word certain is doing a lot of work in that sentence, and the rest of this page is about what it means for you.
The Florida cottage food statute is section 500.80 of the Florida Statutes. A cottage food operation still has to comply with the applicable requirements of chapter 500, but it is exempt from the permitting requirements of section 500.12 as long as it meets the conditions in the cottage food statute. That is the trade. Follow the rules closely and you do not need a state food permit.
The same conditions keep you off the inspection schedule. Florida cottage food operations are exempt from the section 500.12 permitting requirements and are not inspected by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or any other state government entity, provided they meet the statutory conditions. This is not a one time pass. It holds only while you stay inside the law.
The sales limit and the food list
Florida’s cottage food law sets a $250,000 sales limit for cottage food operations. It also spells out which foods may and may not be sold by a cottage food operation, so that list is the place to start before you plan a menu. A bake that is not on the allowed side does not become allowed because it sells well.
Labels and where you can sell
Florida’s cottage food rules include required label elements for cottage food products. What goes on the label is not a style choice, so print it the way the rules describe. The Florida cottage food label guide walks through the elements one at a time.
The law also specifies where cottage food products may be sold. Before you say yes to a market stall, a porch pickup, or a neighbor’s shop, confirm that the spot is one the law allows. If you have seen talk of paperwork and wondered whether you need any, read Cottage food law Florida permit: what you need to know and Florida cottage food law application: what to know first.
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Rules like these are easier to live with when your prices, labels, and orders are already in order. Write down what you sell, keep your labels the same from batch to batch, and check the FDACS cottage food page when something changes. Then get back to the part you love, which is the baking.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from my Florida home kitchen?
Under the cottage food law, no food permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is required, as long as you meet the conditions in section 500.80. The exemption depends on following the statute, including the food list and the sales limit.
Is there a sales limit for a Florida cottage food operation?
Yes. Florida's cottage food law sets a $250,000 sales limit for cottage food operations.
Will my home kitchen be inspected?
Cottage food operations are exempt from the section 500.12 permitting requirements and are not inspected by FDACS or any other state government entity, provided they meet the statutory conditions.
What has to be on my label?
Florida's cottage food rules include required label elements for cottage food products. The label guide on this site goes through each element so you can print yours correctly.
Where am I allowed to sell?
Florida's cottage food law specifies where cottage food products may be sold. Confirm the location against that list before you agree to a market, a pickup spot, or a retail shelf.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change. Confirm the current requirements with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the statute before you sell.