Cottage food rules
WA Cottage Food Law: What Home Bakers Can Sell
A clear look at what Washington's cottage food law lets you bake and sell from home.
On this page
What to remember
- A cottage food operation makes cottage food products only in the home kitchen of the person’s primary domestic residence in Washington.
- Sales are direct to consumers only under the definition in chapter 69.22 RCW.
- A Washington Cottage Food Permit covers foods that are not potentially hazardous, including baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends.
- Other state or federal laws and local ordinances are not affected by the cottage food chapter.
- If gross sales exceed the maximum allowable annual gross sales amount, you must get a food processing plant license under chapter 69.07 RCW or cease operations.
If you bake from your home kitchen in Washington and sell to people who come to you, the cottage food law is the first set of rules to read. Start with the broad picture in cottage food laws: what you can sell from home, then come back here for the Washington details.
Who counts as a cottage food operation
Chapter 69.22 RCW defines a cottage food operation as a person who produces cottage food products only in the home kitchen of that person’s primary domestic residence in Washington and only for sale directly to consumers. Chapter 16-149 WAC uses the same definition. That means the food comes from your main home kitchen, and the sale is direct to the person who buys it.
Chapter 16-149 WAC also addresses allowable cottage food products, prohibited products, and the suspension, revocation, and denial of registrations. Read it before you plan a menu or print labels.
What you can make and sell
A Washington Cottage Food Permit allows a resident of Washington state to make food that is not potentially hazardous. The examples given are baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends. If you are a home baker, that list is the place to start when you choose what to offer.
What happens when sales pass the limit
The law sets a maximum allowable annual gross sales amount. If gross sales exceed that amount, the cottage food operation must either obtain a food processing plant license under chapter 69.07 RCW or cease operations. The material here does not give a dollar figure, so check the current amount before you plan for a busy season.
Chapter 69.22 RCW contains an exemption provision covering the provisions of chapter 69.07 RCW or permitting and inspection by the local health jurisdiction. That exemption is part of the cottage food chapter, and it sits alongside the sales limit.
If you are close to the limit, price carefully and keep records. A simple pricing method helps you see what a batch really earns. See how to price your bakes without guessing.
Before you sell
A cottage food operation is tied to the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence in Washington. If you are still working out the broader licensing path, read how to get a home bakery license. It helps you see where a cottage food permit fits and when you might need more.
Keep the current chapter 69.22 RCW, chapter 16-149 WAC, and the Washington Cottage Food Permit page on hand. The rules cover definitions, allowed and prohibited products, and registration actions, so a quick check is easier than guessing.
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Common questions
Can I sell baked goods from my home kitchen in Washington?
A Washington Cottage Food Permit allows a resident of Washington state to make food that is not potentially hazardous, and baked goods are one of the examples given. The operation must fit the cottage food definition in chapter 69.22 RCW.
Who can I sell to under the Washington cottage food law?
The definition says cottage food products are produced only for sale directly to consumers. Chapter 16-149 WAC uses the same definition.
What foods does a Washington Cottage Food Permit cover?
The permit allows food that is not potentially hazardous. The examples given are baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends.
Is there a sales limit for Washington cottage food operations?
The material does not give a dollar amount. It says that if gross sales exceed the maximum allowable annual gross sales amount, the operation must obtain a food processing plant license under chapter 69.07 RCW or cease operations.
Do local health rules still apply to a cottage food operation?
Chapter 69.22 RCW states that other state or federal laws and ordinances of a local unit of government are not affected by the cottage food chapter. The chapter also contains an exemption provision covering the provisions of chapter 69.07 RCW or permitting and inspection by the local health jurisdiction.
What does chapter 16-149 WAC cover?
It addresses allowable cottage food products, prohibited products, and the suspension, revocation, and denial of registrations. It also defines a cottage food operation the same way as chapter 69.22 RCW.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Check the current chapter 69.22 RCW, chapter 16-149 WAC, and your local rules before you sell.