Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in Houston, Texas: What to Know
Know what Texas and Houston ask of a home baker before you take your next order.
On this page
What to remember
- Texas does not require a permit or license for most homemade foods sold from a home kitchen.
- You still register with the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Labeling and production rules are set through 25 Tex. Admin. Code § 229.661.
- Houston temporary food permit pages explain exemptions and cottage food requirements for local events.
If you bake from your home in Houston and sell to neighbors, the state rules are the main set to read first. Then check the Houston Health Department pages before you book a temporary event or promise a big order. For a nearby city view, see cottage food laws in Austin, Texas.
Start with the Texas rules
The Texas Cottage Food statute as passed by the legislature is contained largely in Chapter 437 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. Texas does not require a permit or license to sell most homemade foods from a home kitchen, but sellers register with the Department of State Health Services. The Department of State Health Services provides cottage food production information covering licensing, training materials, and food labeling. Read that page with your phone in hand and save it. If you want the wider state picture, see cottage food laws by state.
What to have ready before you sell
You do not need to build a complicated binder. You need the state registration, a clear label, and a way to show what is in each bake. The Department of State Health Services provides cottage food production information covering licensing, training materials, and food labeling. 25 Tex. Admin. Code § 229.661 implements Chapter 437 for cottage food production operations and requires the department to adopt rules for labeling and production. If you sell more than once, keep your label wording and your ingredient list in a place you can find on your phone.
Houston details that catch home bakers
Houston has its own food permit pages, and the temporary food permit documents are the ones that explain permit exemptions and outline requirements specific to cottage food operations. That matters if you plan to sell at a temporary event or market where the organizer asks for paperwork. The city is also aligning local food safety regulations and permit fees with the state under Senate Bill 1008. Check the Houston Health Department food permit pages before you pay a fee or promise a date. For the money side of home baking, see cottage food laws and taxes.
If you are still deciding what to sell, the rules are only one part. Your label, your price, and your order list need to work together. The state page covers training materials and labeling, and the code section covers production and labeling rules. Use cottage food laws and regulations for the broader view, and keep your own notes short enough to read at the kitchen counter.
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Common questions
Do I need a Houston permit to sell homemade cookies?
Texas does not require a permit or license to sell most homemade foods from a home kitchen, but sellers register with the Department of State Health Services. The Houston Health Department temporary food permit documents explain permit exemptions and outline requirements specific to cottage food operations, so check those pages before a temporary event.
Do I have to register with the state?
Yes. Sellers register with the Department of State Health Services. The DSHS cottage food production page covers licensing, training materials, and food labeling.
Where are the label rules?
25 Tex. Admin. Code § 229.661 implements Chapter 437 for cottage food production operations and requires the department to adopt rules for labeling and production. The Department of State Health Services provides cottage food production information covering food labeling.
Is Houston changing its food permit fees?
As part of Senate Bill 1008, the Houston Health Department is aligning local food safety regulations and permit fees with those set by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Check the Houston Health Department food permit pages for the current position.
What law covers cottage food in Texas?
The Texas Cottage Food statute as passed by the legislature is contained largely in Chapter 437 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. 25 Tex. Admin. Code § 229.661 implements Chapter 437 for cottage food production operations.
Where can I read the state cottage food page?
The Texas Department of State Health Services provides cottage food production information covering licensing, training materials, and food labeling. Start there, then read the Houston temporary food permit page if you plan to sell at a temporary event.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Check the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Houston Health Department for the current position before you sell.