Cottage food rules
Wisconsin Cottage Food Laws: What Home Bakers Should Check
The two questions that decide whether you can sell your bakes in Wisconsin, and how to get a straight answer.
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What to remember
- A food processing license or a retail food establishment license is generally required to produce and sell food in Wisconsin.
- The exceptions to that requirement are set out in state statute, so the detail matters.
- Wisconsin puts no dollar limit on cottage food sales.
- Confirm which rule covers your bakes before you take a paid order.
If you bake from your kitchen and sell to neighbors, the question is not whether rules exist. It is which rule covers what you make. Two things decide that: the license Wisconsin generally requires, and the exceptions the legislature wrote into law. Read both before you print a label or take a deposit. If you want to see how another state writes its rules, Washington’s cottage food rules show one version.
The license question comes first
Wisconsin’s default is a license. A food processing license or a retail food establishment license is generally required to produce and sell food products. The exceptions exist, but they are exceptions: specific, written down, and worth reading for your own products rather than trusting a summary from a friend. The Wisconsin Legislative Council issue brief on the cottage food law walks through the requirement and the exceptions in statute, and it is the plainest place to start.
No sales cap, so your kitchen sets the limit
Wisconsin sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. That changes how you plan. You are not managing a number that switches you into a different rule at some point. You are managing oven space, fridge space, and the hours you can actually bake. Growth then comes from better pricing, repeat customers, and a schedule you can keep, not from racing toward a ceiling.
Check the rule for your own kitchen
Start with the state brief
Read the Wisconsin Legislative Council issue brief on the cottage food law. It sets out the license that is generally required and the exceptions in statute.
Write your product list
List every item you plan to sell, including toppings, fillings, and anything you sell by the slice or the dozen.
Match each item to the exceptions
Go through the list one item at a time and check whether the statutory exception clearly covers it. Note the ones you are unsure about.
Ask before you sell
For anything unclear, ask the state agency that handles food licensing and get the answer in writing.
Keep the answer
Save the reply, the date, and the name of the person who gave it to you, and keep it with your records.
Check again when things change
A new product, a new market, or a new way of selling is a good moment to reread the rule.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
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Records and orders
Whatever the rule turns out to be for your bakes, a simple record of what you made, when, and where you sold it will serve you. It answers questions from a customer, helps you price the next batch, and gives you something to show if anyone asks. When you are ready to take orders without juggling texts, a home bakery app is worth a fair look, and so is a shop that runs on your phone and on your computer.
Brevl is $20 a month flat with 0% commission. You take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. Your shop is yours to customize with your photos, your colors, and your own web address. We set it up with you and move your old shop over, products, photos, reviews, and dates, and a real person answers, usually within minutes.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my home in Wisconsin?
State law generally requires a food processing license or a retail food establishment license to produce and sell food. Exceptions are written into statute, so check whether one clearly covers what you plan to sell.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell?
No. Wisconsin sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales. What limits you is your kitchen space and the hours you can bake.
Where do I read the actual rule?
Start with the Wisconsin Legislative Council issue brief on the cottage food law. It explains the license that is generally required and the exceptions in statute.
What should I do before my first paid order?
Work out which license or exception applies to each item you plan to sell, ask the state about anything unclear, and keep the answer in writing with your records.
Do I still need records if there is no sales cap?
A simple record of what you made, when, and where you sold it helps you price the next batch, answer customer questions, and show what you did if anyone asks.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current rule with the State of Wisconsin before you sell.