Cottage food rules
Cottage Food License in Arizona: What You Actually Need
A plain guide to Arizona cottage food registration, food handler rules, and sales limits.
On this page
What to remember
- Arizona uses a cottage food registration, not a license.
- Only non-potentially hazardous and non-TCS foods qualify.
- There is no dollar cap on Arizona cottage food sales.
- Keep your food handler certification and registration active.
- AZDHS has sample recipes, labels, and ingredient templates.
If you bake from your home kitchen and sell to neighbors, the first question is usually whether you need a license. In Arizona, the state health department frames it as a registration. The rules are built around the kind of food you make and the certifications you keep current. A good place to see how this works in a city is our guide to cottage food laws in Phoenix, AZ.
What Arizona allows you to sell
Arizona’s Cottage Food Program allows individuals to make homemade products that are neither potentially hazardous nor Time or Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods. That means the state is drawing a line around foods that need temperature control to stay safe. Under Arizona Revised Statutes 36-931, ‘potentially hazardous’ means that a cottage food product does not meet the requirements of the food code published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as modified and incorporated by rule. If your product falls outside the allowed group, the cottage food registration is not the path for it.
Registration, food handler card, and sales limits
Arizona sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so growth is limited by your own kitchen and time rather than a statutory cap. The state rule is clear that a cottage food operator is not exempt from all other requirements in the article if they do not maintain both an active food handler’s certification and a current registration. In practice, that means the paperwork is not a one-time task. You need to keep both pieces current while you sell.
Check the product first
Confirm your bake is neither potentially hazardous nor a TCS food under the Arizona cottage food rules.
Get your food handler certification
The state rule expects an active food handler’s certification. AZDHS points bakers to information on how to get a food handler card.
Register your cottage food operation
Keep a current cottage food registration with the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Keep both current
A lapse in either the certification or the registration affects the exemption under the rule.
Where to find labels, recipes, and food handler help
The Arizona Department of Health Services’ cottage industry food website provides sample recipes and labels, ingredient templates, and information on how to get a food handler card. That is useful before you print labels or plan a menu, because the state gives you examples to work from rather than leaving you to guess. If you are comparing how another state handles the same question, our guide to the cottage food license in Alabama shows a different set of state rules.
What to keep in mind as you grow
Because Arizona has no dollar limit on cottage food sales, you can take on more orders without hitting a state sales cap. The limit you will feel is your own kitchen capacity and your time. That makes pricing and planning important. Brevl includes recipes with real costing, ingredient inventory, and a weekly planner, so you can see what a bake costs and what your week can hold. We set it up with you and can move your old shop over, including products, photos, reviews, and dates.
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Common questions
Is it a cottage food license or a registration in Arizona?
Arizona handles it as a cottage food registration with the Arizona Department of Health Services. The state's program materials use registration language, and the rule refers to a current registration.
What foods can I sell under the Arizona cottage food program?
The program allows homemade products that are neither potentially hazardous nor Time or Temperature Control for Safety foods. Under Arizona Revised Statutes 36-931, potentially hazardous is tied to the FDA food code as modified and incorporated by rule.
Is there a sales limit for Arizona cottage food operators?
Arizona sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. Growth is limited by the operator's own kitchen and time rather than a statutory cap.
Do I need a food handler card?
Yes. The state rule says a cottage food operator is not exempt from all other requirements in the article if they do not maintain both an active food handler's certification and a current registration.
Where can I find sample labels and recipes?
The Arizona Department of Health Services' cottage industry food website provides sample recipes and labels, ingredient templates, and information on how to get a food handler card.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Rules can change. Confirm with the Arizona Department of Health Services before you sell.