Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in Alabama: What Home Bakers Need
A plain language read of Alabama's cottage food rules, from the definition to the label.
On this page
What to remember
- Cottage food means non-potentially hazardous food made in your home, with no time or temperature control needed for safety.
- The Alabama Department of Public Health states that non-potentially hazardous items containing less than 3% alcohol may be sold under the law.
- Every label needs your name and address, an ingredient list, and a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department.
- The law started in 2014 and was revised in 2021.
If you bake from your kitchen and sell to neighbors, this is the page to read before your first order. Start with what cottage food law means if the whole idea is new to you, then come back here for the Alabama details.
What counts as cottage food in Alabama
The heart of the law is the definition. Cottage food is a non-potentially hazardous food prepared in a person’s home that does not require time or temperature control for safety to limit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Alabama’s administrative code uses that same definition. In plain terms, if a food needs to be kept hot or kept cold to stay safe, it sits outside the cottage food definition. The Alabama Department of Public Health also states that non-potentially hazardous food items containing less than 3% alcohol may be sold under the Cottage Food Law.
What has to be on your label
The law requires that all labels include three things: 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 the ingredients. That is a short list, but every item needs it. If you want to see how another state words its labels, our cottage food labels in Texas guide and the Ohio cottage food labels guide are useful comparisons, but use the Alabama wording on the Alabama label.
Check the food against the definition
Confirm the item is non-potentially hazardous and does not need time or temperature control for safety.
Write the three required lines
Your name and address, the statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department, and the ingredient list.
Put the label on every item
The requirement is that all labels carry these details, so treat it as a rule for each thing you hand over.
Where the law came from and what changed
The Alabama Cottage Food Law went into effect in 2014 and was revised in 2021, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The same guide explains that the law states individuals can produce certain nonhazardous foods in their homes. Because the revision is recent, check any summary you are relying on against the current rule before you print labels or take a big order.
One practical habit: keep your label file somewhere you can edit quickly, so a wording change does not mean redoing everything by hand. Brevl recipes carry real costing and ingredient inventory, so your ingredient list and your prices stay in step as your menu grows.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
Once your labels are sorted, the next question is usually money. Knowing what a batch costs before you set a price keeps a home baking business worth your time, and it is easier to answer when your recipe costs live in the same place as your orders.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Alabama?
The material here covers the definition, the label rules, and the 2014 and 2021 dates. It does not cover licensing, so confirm that directly with the Alabama Department of Public Health before you sell.
What foods are allowed?
Cottage food is defined as a non-potentially hazardous food prepared in a person's home that does not require time or temperature control for safety to limit pathogenic microorganism growth.
Can I sell anything with alcohol in it?
The Alabama Department of Public Health states that non-potentially hazardous food items containing less than 3% alcohol may be sold under the Cottage Food Law.
What three things must my label include?
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 the ingredients.
When did the law change?
The Alabama Cottage Food Law went into effect in 2014 and was revised in 2021.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm the details with the Alabama Department of Public Health before you sell.