Cottage food rules
Cottage Food License in Alaska: What Home Bakers Need
A plain answer on what Alaska asks of you before you sell a single bake.
On this page
What to remember
- Products sold under Alaska’s homemade food exemption do not need a state food permit or inspection.
- The exemption has conditions, so the food you make has to fit the rules.
- Cities and military installations in Alaska may have requirements beyond the state rules.
- Alaska sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so your kitchen and your time set the ceiling.
If you have been hunting for a form to fill in and a certificate to hang on the wall, the search gets easier here. Alaska handles this differently from most states. There is a state law that steps out of the way for small home sellers, and then there is a short list of things you still have to get right. It is worth reading the wider picture too, in cottage food laws in the USA, so you can see how Alaska compares.
What the Alaska exemption actually says
The Exemption for Homemade Food, AS 17.20.332, is a state law that allows certain types of homemade food to be sold in Alaska. Products sold under it do not require a state food permit or inspection. The rules behind it were set on June 25, 2012, when new Alaska Food Code regulations were adopted to allow the sale of non-potentially hazardous foods directly to the consumer without a permit, as long as certain conditions are met.
Check your city before your first order
The state rules are only half of the picture. Local jurisdictions in Alaska, including cities and military installations, may have additional requirements for selling homemade food beyond the state rules. That means the rules in your town can be stricter than the state page suggests, and a base can have its own process entirely. Our guide to where to check the rules walks through how to find the right office without a runaround.
Read the state homemade food page
Start at the Alaska page on homemade food. Read it end to end once, without skimming, so you know what the exemption does and does not cover.
Check that your bake fits
The 2012 regulations cover non-potentially hazardous foods sold directly to the consumer. If your product is not clearly in that group, ask before you sell it.
Call your city or borough
Ask a direct question: do you have any requirements for someone selling homemade food from home here? Write down the answer and the name of the person who gave it.
Ask about selling on base
If you plan to sell at or near a military installation, check with that installation separately. It may have its own requirements.
Keep your notes together
Save what you were told, the date, and who said it. When a customer or a market manager asks, you can answer in seconds.
No dollar cap, so your kitchen sets the limit
Alaska sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. That is unusual, and it is good news. It means the ceiling on what you can earn is your own kitchen capacity and your time, not a number in a statute. The practical question stops being how much am I allowed to sell and becomes how many batches can I comfortably turn out in a week without burning out.
That is a planning question, not a legal one. Look at your oven, your counter space, and the hours you actually have around everything else. Then build your week around that honest number instead of around a cap that does not exist. You can raise your prices and grow your menu without tripping a sales limit, and you can set up your shop so ordering and getting paid take minutes rather than an evening.
One last habit worth keeping: confirm the current state page and your city’s answer once a year, and any time you add a new product. Rules get updated, and a five minute check is cheaper than a bad surprise.
Common questions
Do I need a cottage food license in Alaska?
No. Alaska has a homemade food exemption under AS 17.20.332 instead of a cottage food license. Products sold under that exemption do not require a state food permit or inspection.
Can I sell my bakes anywhere in Alaska?
Not automatically. Local jurisdictions, including cities and military installations, may have additional requirements for selling homemade food beyond the state rules. Check with your city, and with the installation if you plan to sell on or near a base.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell?
Alaska sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. What limits you is your own kitchen capacity and the time you have, not a statutory cap.
What kinds of food does the exemption cover?
The June 25, 2012 Alaska Food Code regulations allow the sale of non-potentially hazardous foods directly to the consumer without a permit when certain conditions are met. Read the state page for the details and check anything unclear before you sell.
Are the rules about to change?
HB 415, introduced in April 2022, would codify existing Alaska cottage food regulations and the raw fruit and vegetable exemptions. Until something passes, follow the rules currently published by the state.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change and local requirements vary, so confirm the current state rules and your city's requirements before you sell.