Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in WA: What Home Bakers Must Check
The Washington rules in plain words, so you can bake and sell without guessing.
On this page
What to remember
- The food has to be made in the kitchen of your primary home, not a second kitchen or a rented space.
- Sales are direct to the consumer only.
- A Cottage Food Permit is required, and the application asks for a water test or a water bill.
- Anyone doing the food processing needs a Food Worker Card through the local health department.
- Everything you sell must be packaged and properly labeled.
If you bake from your own kitchen in Washington and sell to the people who order from you, this is the set of rules that covers you. Below is what the law allows, what it asks of you, and the details that catch bakers out. If you sell somewhere other than Washington, start with cottage food laws in the US instead.
What a cottage food operation is in Washington
The definition is narrow on purpose. You produce cottage food products only in the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence, and only for sale directly to the consumer. That means the kitchen in the home where you actually live. It is not a commercial kitchen, not a neighbor’s oven, and not a second property.
The trade off is that Chapter 69.22 RCW gives cottage food operations an exemption from provisions of chapter 69.07 RCW and from permitting and inspection by the local health jurisdiction. In plain words, you are not going through the same inspection process as a commercial kitchen. What you take on instead is the permit and the labeling rules.
What you can make and sell
The permit covers food that is not potentially hazardous. The state lists baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, dry spice blends, dry herbs, dry herb blends, and dry tea blends. Activities that specifically require the permit include making baked goods, standardized jams and jellies, vinegars, and dry mixes.
Getting set up, step by step
Confirm your kitchen qualifies
The food has to be made in the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence.
Apply for the Cottage Food Permit
The application asks for a water test or a water bill, so have that ready before you sit down to fill it in.
Get your Food Worker Card
Anyone who will be conducting food processing for the operation applies for and receives a Food Worker Card through the local health department.
Sort your packaging and labels
Every item you sell has to be packaged and properly labeled before it goes to the consumer.
Sell direct to the consumer
The law covers sale directly to the consumer. Keep that in mind when you plan how you take orders.
Labeling and what you cannot do with your bakes
A cottage food operation must package and properly label for sale to the consumer any food it produces. That is not optional, and it applies to every item, including the small add ons. Read the rule as part of your packing routine rather than an afterthought, and if you want the wider picture on paperwork, see cottage food laws and permits.
The other boundary worth knowing is the sale itself. The definition covers sale directly to the consumer, so the way you take orders and hand over food should keep you on the right side of that. Bakers swap a lot of half right answers about this, which is why cottage food laws on Reddit is worth a read before you trust a forum comment.
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- Cottage food laws across the US
- Cottage food laws and permits
- Checking cottage food claims on Reddit
Common questions
Do I need a permit to sell cookies from my home in Washington?
Yes. Making baked goods is listed as an activity that requires a Cottage Food Permit. You also need a Food Worker Card if you will be conducting food processing for the operation.
Can I sell my bakes to a cafe or a shop to resell?
The law defines a cottage food operation as producing cottage food products only for sale directly to the consumer. The food may not be repackaged, sold, or used as an ingredient in other foods by a food processor.
Does my kitchen get inspected?
Chapter 69.22 RCW includes an exemption from permitting and inspection by the local health jurisdiction for cottage food operations. You still need the Cottage Food Permit and the Food Worker Card.
What does the application ask for?
The application includes a water test or a water bill, so gather that before you start.
Can I make anything I like?
The permit is for food that is not potentially hazardous. The state lists baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, dry spice blends, dry herbs, dry herb blends, and dry tea blends.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm the current requirements with the agency that issues the Cottage Food Permit and with your local health department before you sell.