Cottage food rules
Indiana Cottage Food Laws: 2026 Update for Home Bakers
A clear read on Indiana's home-based vendor rules and the bills that could affect your home bakery.
On this page
What to remember
- Indiana law uses the term home-based vendor.
- House Enrolled Act 1149 from 2022 defines the requirements for home-based vendors.
- The 2022 law allowed certain food products to be made in private residences with limited regulatory oversight.
- A home-based vendor’s food product may not be resold.
- House Bill 1424 from 2026 would set time and temperature rules but says they may not be applied to a homestead vendor.
If you sell from your home kitchen in Indiana, start with the state’s home-based vendor rules. The cottage food law requirements by state guide helps you compare Indiana with other states. The cottage food laws by state map shows how states label these rules, so you can read the Indiana update in context.
What changed in 2022
House Enrolled Act 1149 passed in 2022. It defines the requirements for home-based vendors in the preparation and sale of food products. The same law allowed certain food products to be made in private residences with limited regulatory oversight. Before that, House Enrolled Act 1309 passed in 2009 and made it possible for individuals to prepare certain foods out of their homes as a home-based vendor. The goal of the 2009 act was to allow safe food production in the home and sales of home-produced foods that do not present a health risk.
A home-based vendor’s food product may not be resold. It is also subject to state law and the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act. That resale rule matters when you plan a menu or take an order. Keep the rule in plain sight as you build your shop.
Bills to watch in 2025 and 2026
House Bill 1562 from 2025 exempts public buildings used by small farms and home-based vendors from certain public building regulations. If you sell at a public building, this bill is part of the update to watch. It is separate from the 2022 law that defines home-based vendor requirements.
House Bill 1424 in 2026 would allow the executive board of the Indiana Department of Health to adopt rules concerning time and temperature control for food safety. The bill provides that those rules may not be applied to a homestead vendor. Because HB 1424 is a bill, check its status before you change how you bake or sell. The bill uses the term homestead vendor, and the 2022 law uses home-based vendor, so read the text closely.
How to read the update for your kitchen
The 2022 law is the main piece. The 2025 bill is about public buildings. The 2026 bill is about time and temperature rules. Read each one for what it covers, and do not mix them together. That keeps your notes clear.
Start with the 2022 law, then check the later bills. Use how to check your state’s cottage food laws to find the current text. Match your menu to what the law says today, not what you remember from last year. If a bill is still moving, do not treat it as a rule yet.
Your home bakery can stay simple while you sort out the rules. Brevl gives you a shop that is yours to customize, with your photos, your colors, and your own web address. Recipes with real costing help you price and plan. You can take orders and get paid without giving up a cut of your sales.
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Common questions
Does Indiana call cottage food home-based vendor?
Indiana's rules use the term home-based vendor. House Enrolled Act 1149 defines the requirements for home-based vendors in the preparation and sale of food products.
What did the 2022 law do?
House Enrolled Act 1149 passed in 2022. It defines requirements for home-based vendors and allowed certain food products to be made in private residences with limited regulatory oversight.
Can I resell food from another business?
A home-based vendor's food product may not be resold. It is also subject to state law and the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act.
What is House Bill 1424?
House Bill 1424 in 2026 would allow the executive board of the Indiana Department of Health to adopt time and temperature control rules for food safety. The bill provides that those rules may not be applied to a homestead vendor.
What is House Bill 1562?
House Bill 1562 from 2025 exempts public buildings used by small farms and home-based vendors from certain public building regulations.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Check the current law and bill status before you sell.