Cottage food rules
Washington Cottage Food Laws: What Home Bakers Can Sell
Know what Washington asks of a home baker before you sell your first bake.
On this page
What to remember
- Get the Cottage Food Operation Permit before you sell.
- The permit costs $355 for two years and includes a kitchen inspection.
- Fees are non-refundable.
- Make the food only in the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence in Washington.
- Sell only directly to the consumer.
If you bake from your kitchen in Washington and want to sell to neighbors, the first thing to sort out is the permit. The state calls this a cottage food operation. The rules are specific about where you make the food and who you sell it to. Start with the Washington cottage food law guide if you want the broader picture, then use this page to check the permit, the product list, and the limits before you take orders.
What the Washington permit covers
The permit is for a person who makes cottage food products only in the home kitchen of their primary domestic residence in Washington. Sales are only directly to the consumer. That means the permit is built around a home kitchen and a direct sale. The Department of Agriculture lists baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends as foods that are not potentially hazardous and can fit the permit. The application also lists dry herbs, dry herb blends, and dry tea blends.
What it costs and how long it lasts
The Cottage Food Operation Permit costs $355 for two years and includes a kitchen inspection. The application packet says a successfully completed permit is valid for two years and that fees are non-refundable. Put the fee and the inspection on your calendar before you plan a launch. If you are comparing the cost of taking orders, Cost of Bakesy: What You Actually Pay Each Month looks at what another home bakery app charges each month.
Products that fit and products to check
The permit is for foods that are not potentially hazardous. The Department of Agriculture gives baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends as examples. The permit summary also lists standardized jams and jellies, vinegars, and dry mixes as activities that need the permit. The application form lists baked goods, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, dry herbs, dry herb blends, and dry tea blends. Chapter 16-149 WAC covers allowable cottage food products, prohibited products, and suspension, revocation, and denial of registrations. If your bake includes something not on the allowed list, check the rule before you sell it.
Before you take your first order
Check your kitchen
The law defines a cottage food operation as producing food only in the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence in Washington.
Apply for the permit
Washington requires the Cottage Food Operation Permit before you sell homemade shelf-stable foods. The permit costs $355 for two years and includes a kitchen inspection.
Check your product list
Allowed examples include baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends. Chapter 16-149 WAC covers allowable and prohibited products.
Plan direct sales
RCW 69.22 says cottage food products are only for sale directly to the consumer.
Wait for the permit
A successfully completed Cottage Food Permit is valid for two years. Fees are non-refundable.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
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When you are ready to take orders, keep your permit and your product list close. If you want a fair look at apps for taking orders, Home Bakery App: A Fair Roundup for Home Bakers can help you compare.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from my home in Washington?
Yes. Washington requires a Cottage Food Operation Permit from the Department of Agriculture before a person can sell homemade shelf-stable foods. The permit costs $355 for two years and includes a kitchen inspection.
What foods can I sell under a Washington cottage food permit?
The permit is for foods that are not potentially hazardous. The Department of Agriculture lists baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, and dry spice blends. The application also lists dry herbs, dry herb blends, and dry tea blends. Chapter 16-149 WAC covers allowable and prohibited products.
Can I sell my bakes to a coffee shop or a store?
RCW 69.22 defines a cottage food operation as selling only directly to the consumer. A sale to a shop or a reseller is outside that definition.
How long does the permit last?
A successfully completed Cottage Food Permit is valid for two years. Fees are non-refundable.
Where can I make the food?
Only in the home kitchen of your primary domestic residence in Washington.
Sources
- Cottage Food Law Library: Washington
- Washington State Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food
- Washington State Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food Permit summary
- Washington Cottage Food Operation Permit application
- Washington Cottage Food application packet
- RCW 69.22 Cottage food operations
- Chapter 16-149 WAC
General information, not legal advice. Check the current Washington rules and the Department of Agriculture before you sell.