Cottage Food Laws in Columbus, Ohio: What to Know

On this page

1. What Ohio’s cottage food law covers
2. When you need Ohio’s Home Bakery license
3. What it costs and what you need to file
4. Set up your records before your first order

If you are baking in Columbus and selling from home, start with the state rules. They decide what you can make and when you need a different license. For a wider view of how states compare, see cottage food laws by state.

What Ohio’s cottage food law covers

Chapter 3715 defines a cottage food production operation as a person who, in the person’s home, produces food items that are not potentially hazardous foods, including bakery products, jams, jellies, and candy. Section 3715.025 says a cottage food production operation shall not process acidified foods, low acid canned foods, or potentially hazardous foods. The Ohio Department of Agriculture publishes cottage food guidance based on Chapter 3715. If you are unsure whether a recipe fits, check the rules before you sell it. For more on how cottage food rules work, see cottage food laws and regulations.

When you need Ohio’s Home Bakery license

Ohio’s Home Bakery program covers bakery items permitted to be produced in a licensed home kitchen and offered for sale. Baked goods that must be refrigerated, such as cream pies and cheesecakes, fall under this license rather than the cottage food exemption. The Home Bakery license costs $10 per year and requires a one-time kitchen inspection. The Ohio Department of Agriculture administers the Home Bakery program.

What it costs and what you need to file

Under Ohio’s cottage food law, a Cottage Food Production Operation does not require a food handler card, registration, license, or fee. If you move into the Home Bakery license, the fee is $10 per year, plus the one-time kitchen inspection. Before you sell in Columbus, confirm any city or county requirements with your local health department. Keep your receipts and records separate so tax time is easier. See cottage food laws and taxes for what to track.

Set up your records before your first order

Keep a simple record of what you baked, what it cost, and who paid you. Brevl’s recipes include real costing, ingredient inventory, and a weekly planner, so you can price and plan from the same place you take orders. You can also move your old shop over: products, photos, reviews, and dates. A real person answers, usually within minutes.

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my home in Columbus?

Under Ohio's cottage food law, a Cottage Food Production Operation does not require a food handler card, registration, license, or fee. If you make baked goods that must be refrigerated, Ohio's Home Bakery license applies instead.

Can I sell cheesecake under Ohio cottage food rules?

No. Baked goods that must be refrigerated, such as cream pies and cheesecakes, fall under Ohio's separate Home Bakery license rather than the cottage food exemption.

How much does the Ohio Home Bakery license cost?

The Home Bakery license costs $10 per year and requires a one-time kitchen inspection.

What foods are not allowed under Ohio cottage food?

A cottage food production operation shall not process acidified foods, low acid canned foods, or potentially hazardous foods.

Does Ohio cottage food law require a food handler card?

No. Ohio's Cottage Food Production Operation law does not require a food handler card, registration, license, or fee.

Sources

1. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3715
2. Ohio Revised Code Section 3715.025
3. Ohio Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food
4. Ohio Department of Agriculture: Home Bakery
5. Cottage Food Law Library: Ohio
6. Food Handler Cert: Ohio Cottage Food

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules can change, so confirm the current requirements with the Ohio Department of Agriculture and your local health department before you sell.