Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in Phoenix, AZ: What Home Bakers Need
The plain version of Arizona's cottage food rules so you can sell from your Phoenix kitchen with confidence.
On this page
What to remember
- The Arizona Department of Health Services runs the Cottage Food Program, including for Maricopa County.
- You register with the state and finish an accredited food handler course before selling.
- Arizona’s cottage food law covers foods that are not potentially hazardous and not TCS foods.
- The 2024 expansion, House Bill 2042, changed what the law allows.
- New rules apply once they are finalized, so check back on the state’s rulemaking.
If you are baking in a Phoenix kitchen and selling to neighbors, coworkers, and friends of friends, the rules are not as tangled as they first look. Arizona keeps a single cottage food program at the state health department, and the county directs home bakers there rather than running a separate path. That means one place to look, one set of steps, and one program to keep an eye on when things change. If you want to see how Arizona sits next to other states, our guide to cottage food laws by state is a good place to start.
Who runs cottage food in Phoenix
The Arizona Department of Health Services administers the Cottage Food Program under its Food Safety and Environmental Services section. Maricopa County’s cottage food FAQ points bakers to that same state program, so a Phoenix baker registers with the state, not with the city. The program exists to let individuals make homemade products at home and sell them, as long as those products fall inside what the law allows.
What you can sell, and what changed
Arizona’s cottage food program covers homemade products that are neither potentially hazardous nor Time or Temperature Control for Safety foods. That is the core rule, and it is the one to check against every item on your list before you take an order. The law was expanded by House Bill 2042 in 2024, and the state’s own FAQ notes that the expanded law allows certain foods that require temperature control, meaning perishable foods. Because the details of an expansion like that matter more than the headline, read the current program page before you add a new item to your menu. Our Cottage Food Laws by State guide shows how other states draw the same lines.
Register and get your food handler course done
Arizona asks two things of you before you sell homemade cottage food: register with the Department of Health Services, and complete an accredited food handler course. Neither is hard, but both take a little time, so start them before you take your first paid order rather than after. The state publishes a how to register document that walks through the registration step.
Check your items against the law
List everything you plan to sell and confirm each one is not a potentially hazardous or TCS food, or is covered by the 2024 expansion.
Register with the state
Register with the Arizona Department of Health Services Cottage Food Program, which covers Phoenix and the rest of Maricopa County.
Finish an accredited food handler course
Complete the course before you sell homemade cottage food.
Watch the rulemaking
New cottage food rules apply once finalized, so check the program page before you expand your menu.
Then start taking orders
Once you are registered and your course is done, you can sell the items the law allows.
When you are ready to sell, keep your labeling and your order records tidy from day one. If you are still deciding what to bake first, our guide to how to price your bakes pairs well with this one.
Try the free Brevl pricing calculator
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Where to check before you sell
The state’s Cottage Food Program page is the page to bookmark. It sits under Food Safety and Environmental Services, and it is where the registration document and any updates to the rules will show up. Maricopa County’s cottage food FAQ is a useful second read because it speaks directly to Phoenix area bakers and confirms the state program is the one that applies to you.
- Cottage Food Laws by State: Where Home Bakers Start
- Cottage Food Laws in Las Vegas: What Home Bakers Need
- Cottage Food Laws in Los Angeles: What Home Bakers Need
Common questions
Do I register with Phoenix or with the state?
With the state. The Arizona Department of Health Services administers the Cottage Food Program, including in Maricopa County, and the county's FAQ points bakers there.
What can I sell under Arizona's cottage food program?
Homemade products that are neither potentially hazardous nor Time or Temperature Control for Safety foods. The state's FAQ notes that the expanded law, House Bill 2042 from 2024, allows certain foods that require temperature control, meaning perishable foods.
Do I need a food handler course?
Yes. Arizona requires you to register with the Department of Health Services and complete an accredited food handler course before you sell homemade cottage food.
Are the rules going to change again?
The state has said new cottage food rules will apply to producers once they are finalized, and registrants are encouraged to monitor the rulemaking process.
Where do I find the registration steps?
The Arizona Department of Health Services publishes a how to register document on its Cottage Food Program pages under Food Safety and Environmental Services.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules change, and the Arizona Department of Health Services is the authority on what applies to you. Confirm the current requirements with the state before you sell.