Cottage food laws by state

Alabama removed its sales cap in 2021, making it one of the more accessible cottage food states — but it adds three requirements most states skip: state-approved food safety training, county health department registration, and label approval before you sell your first product.

Annual cap

$20,000

Reviewed

May 21, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Alaska's 2024 Homemade Food Rule is one of the most flexible cottage food laws in the country — it lets you sell potentially hazardous foods like cheesecake and cold brew coffee straight from your home kitchen. But the fine print matters: there's a dual sales cap, you'll likely need a general business license, and meat, seafood, and game meat are off the table entirely.

Annual cap

$250,000

Reviewed

Jul 5, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Arizona has one of the most permissive cottage food laws in the country. After HB2042 — the 2024 'Tamale Bill' — the law allows both shelf-stable and certain TCS foods, including dairy, meat, and poultry when federal and approved-source rules are met. Registration with ADHS and a food handler certification are required, but there are no routine kitchen inspections.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 11, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Arkansas replaced its old Cottage Food Law with the Food Freedom Act in 2021 — no permit, no sales cap, and you can sell through grocery stores or ship across state lines. Here's what home bakers need to know.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Apr 21, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

California's two-tier cottage food system gives home bakers real flexibility — sell at farmers markets, take online orders, ship within California, and deliver directly. Here's what you need to know to do it legally.

Annual cap

Two-tier sales cap

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Colorado's cottage food law has no permit or registration — but it has a $10,000 per-product annual cap that catches most bakers off guard, and it requires food safety training before your first sale.

Annual cap

$10,000

Reviewed

May 25, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Connecticut lets home bakers sell approved shelf-stable foods, but the path is structured: get a DCP license, clear product and label review, stay under $50,000, and keep every online order local with direct handoff.

Annual cap

$50,000

Reviewed

Jun 23, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Delaware has no sales cap for cottage food producers as of late 2023, but you must navigate mandatory state registration, a pre-operational home kitchen inspection, and strict direct-to-consumer-only sales rules to legally sell your approved baked goods, jams, and candies.

Annual cap

$25

Reviewed

Jul 3, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Florida has one of the more baker-friendly cottage food laws in the country — no state permit, no routine kitchen inspection, direct online sales, and shipping by mail service are all allowed. Here's what you need to know to sell legally.

Annual cap

$250,000

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Georgia's 2025 HB 398 removed the old sales cap and state license, opened the door to retail and restaurant sales, and changed the disclosure rules bakers need to follow. Here's what home bakers need to know.

Annual cap

No state sales cap under HB 398

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Hawaii's 2025 HAR 11-50 amendments made it one of the most baker-friendly states in the country—no permit, no sales cap, and flexible label contact info where even an email address satisfies the requirement.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jul 2, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Idaho replaced its older cottage-food rule with the Idaho Direct-to-Consumer Commerce Act, effective March 20, 2026. The new law allows in-state direct sales of homemade shelf-stable and perishable foods with no routine permit, licensing, or inspection requirement, but producers must give a consumer notice, keep transaction records, and stay within Idaho.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

May 20, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Illinois gives home bakers real flexibility: no published sales cap, direct online sales, delivery, and in-state shipping are all on the table. The tradeoff is that registration is annual and every person preparing or packaging product must be a Certified Food Protection Manager.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

May 8, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Indiana is one of the most baker-friendly states in the country: home-based vendors face no sales cap and no state permit, but a major 'Food Freedom' law (House Enrolled Act 1424) goes into effect July 1, 2026, adding a separate homestead-vendor and small-farm pathway with a $1.5 million cap and a new label disclaimer. Knowing which law covers your sales date — and which exact disclaimer your labels need — is the line between a clean launch and a costly re-print.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 26, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Iowa lets you sell homemade baked goods, jams, and even home-canned pickles from your own kitchen with zero state permit, zero inspection, and zero sales cap. You just need to label correctly, sell direct-to-consumer, and test your canned goods for pH or water activity. It is one of the most hands-off cottage food laws in the country.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 28, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Kansas doesn't have a dedicated cottage food law — instead, home food sales live inside a licensing exemption in the Kansas Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (K.S.A. 65-689(d)(4)). That means no license, no registration, no sales cap, and no required disclaimer for shelf-stable foods sold directly to consumers. Kansas also skips routine pre-approval inspections, while keeping complaint-driven oversight if a violation is reported. It's one of the simplest cottage food frameworks in the country, and this guide walks you through every detail.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 29, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Kentucky lets home bakers sell shelf-stable breads, cakes, cookies, jams, and even pecan pies directly to consumers under a clear framework: a $50 annual registration, a $60,000 sales cap, and six required label elements. The catch? Shipping is forbidden — every sale must be a direct, in-person handoff within the Bluegrass State.

Annual cap

$60,000

Reviewed

Jun 28, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Louisiana runs an unusual two-track system: bakers selling breads, cakes, cookies, and pies are limited to direct-to-customer sales, while other cottage foods can also reach stores and restaurants — all under one $30,000 annual cap. There's no state permit, but you need both a state and a local sales tax certificate before your first sale.

Annual cap

$30,000

Reviewed

Jun 25, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Maine regulates home baking through an annual Home Food Manufacturing license, and the DACF inspects your kitchen before you get it. Here's what that means for selling from home, what you can make, and how labeling works.

Annual cap

Code of Maine Rules Ch. 345 does not set an annual gross sales cap (not separately confirmed with Maine DACF)

Reviewed

Apr 21, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Maryland lets you sell non-potentially hazardous foods from your home kitchen with no permit, no inspection, and no food-handler course — plus a free MDH identification number that keeps your home address off your labels. The annual sales cap is currently $50,000 and jumps to $100,000 on October 1, 2026.

Annual cap

$50,000

Reviewed

Jun 27, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Massachusetts lets home bakers sell shelf-stable cottage foods, but the program runs through local boards of health. Before selling, you need local approval, a valid Retail Residential Kitchen permit, and labels with the required product, ingredient, allergen, net-weight, and business-address details.

Annual cap

No statewide sales cap is published in MA.gov residential-kitchen guidance; local boards of health administer Retail Residential Kitchen permits.

Reviewed

Jun 26, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Michigan's 2026 law overhaul opened online sales and third-party delivery to home bakers for the first time — and nearly doubled the annual sales cap to $50,000. Most guides miss the MSU Product Center registration, which lets you keep your home address off your labels entirely.

Annual cap

$50,000

Reviewed

May 25, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Minnesota requires annual MDA registration before your first sale and currently uses two training and fee tiers. In-state shipping, a single $30 fee, advanced training for all registrants, and biennial cap adjustments begin August 1, 2027.

Annual cap

$78,000

Reviewed

Jun 2, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Mississippi lets you start a home bakery with zero state permits, zero fees, and zero health department registrations—but you'll face a hard $35,000 gross sales ceiling and a strict ban on online transactions. If you're comfortable selling face-to-face at your home, farmers' markets, and local fairs, the Magnolia State offers one of the simplest entry paths in the country.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 29, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Missouri's cottage food rules live inside the state Food Code — an 'individual stands' exemption (§3.H) that opens the door to a broad range of shelf-stable foods with no sales cap and no state permit, but only where local codes allow it. Sales are direct-to-consumer only, and labels must include a statement that your kitchen hasn't been inspected by the state.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 25, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Montana gives home bakers an unusual choice: the Local Food Choice Act, which covers a much broader set of direct homemade-food sales with no state permit or specific label text, or the traditional Cottage Food Law, which requires a one-time $40 registration and specific label disclaimer. Understanding the difference between these two paths is the single most important step before you bake your first sale.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jul 3, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Nebraska's cottage food law is one of the most progressive in the nation: no sales cap, no-cost online registration, and the rare allowance of certain refrigerated TCS foods like cheesecake and ice cream. This guide covers exactly what you can sell, how to register, how to label it, and how to start.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 29, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Nevada cottage food operators must register separately with every health district where they sell, and only a 'natural person' — not an LLC or employee — can run the operation. Right now you're limited to $35,000 in annual in-person sales, but AB 352 reshapes everything in July 2027 with a $100,000 cap and online shipping.

Annual cap

$35,000

Reviewed

Apr 21, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

New Hampshire has no sales cap on cottage food revenue — period — and lets you sell everything from sourdough to pickles straight from your kitchen under a streamlined two-tier system. Whether you stay exempt and sell locally, or grab the $150 Class H license for online and wholesale, here's everything you need to know about labels, allowed foods, and getting started in 2026.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jul 2, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

New Jersey was the last state in the country to legalize cottage food sales, in 2021 — and its rules reflect that hard-won compromise. Selling requires a Cottage Food Operator Permit, a Food Protection Manager credential, and in-person handoff of every order. Shipping is prohibited, and the sales cap is $50,000 per year.

Annual cap

$50,000

Reviewed

Jun 10, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

New Mexico lets you sell unlimited baked goods and other shelf-stable foods from home with no state permit — just a food handler card and a simple label. Here's the complete rulebook for the Homemade Food Act.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 29, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

New York's Home Processor Exemption is one of the broadest home-kitchen frameworks in the country: free registration, no published sales cap, wholesale allowed, and in-state internet sales. Here's what home bakers need to know.

Annual cap

No published annual sales cap under the Home Processor Exemption

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

North Carolina home bakers operate under a Home Processor Program — not a formal cottage food law. NCDA&CS approval and a kitchen inspection are required before you sell, and required labels are reviewed during the application process. There is no sales cap once you are approved.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

May 11, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

North Dakota is one of the most food-friendly states in the country. Its Food Freedom Act has no sales cap, requires no license or routine inspection, and as of March 2025, you can ship most cottage food products across state lines.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jul 5, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• State label support

Ohio home bakers face one of the most open cottage food frameworks in the country — no annual revenue cap, no permit, and no kitchen inspection. The main obligation is a compliant label with the required "This product is home produced." disclaimer in 10-point type.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

May 10, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• State label support

Oklahoma's Homemade Food Freedom Act is one of the most permissive cottage food laws in the country — you need no state permit, no license, and no routine kitchen inspection to sell homemade food. With a $75,000 annual sales cap and the rare ability to sell across state lines and through retail stores, Oklahoma gives home bakers more selling options than almost any other state.

Annual cap

$75,000

Reviewed

Jun 28, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Oregon's cottage food exemption is one of the more flexible home-food laws: no permit, no routine inspection, a $10 food handler card, mail and online sales within Oregon, and a $52,700 annual sales cap for 2026.

Annual cap

$52,700

Reviewed

May 19, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Pennsylvania doesn't use a simple cottage-food exemption. Most home bakers operate through the state's inspected Limited Food Establishment system, which brings more paperwork but more flexibility too.

Annual cap

No published annual sales cap in current PDA guidance

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Rhode Island has one of the strictest cottage food laws in the country, allowing only nonperishable baked goods like breads, cookies, and cakes under a mandatory $65/year registration and a $50,000 sales cap. If you're a home baker in the Ocean State, this guide lays out every rule, from kitchen requirements to the verbatim label disclaimer, so you can start on solid footing.

Annual cap

$50,000

Reviewed

Jul 3, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• State label support

South Carolina's cottage food law is one of the most permissive in the country: no sales cap, no state permit required, and you can sell wholesale to retail stores. The state does require every label to display a specific, verbatim disclaimer in ALL CAPS, and offers a free SCDA ID number so you can keep your home address off your products.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 27, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

South Dakota lets home bakers sell an impressively broad range of products — including home-canned goods, fermented foods, and even cheesecake — with no statewide sales cap. You'll need $40 food safety training for the higher-risk items, dual-address labeling, and an allergen-specific disclaimer you can't paraphrase. Ship it? Nope — South Dakota keeps your sales in-person.

Annual cap

No statewide cap — SDCL § 34-18-35 and § 34-18-38 do not establish a gross sales cap.

Reviewed

Jul 3, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• State label support

Tennessee runs one of the most permissive cottage food programs in the country — no permit, no sales cap, no inspection, and as of July 1, 2025, the law was expanded to cover pasteurized dairy and cooked poultry alongside the usual baked goods, jams, and shelf-stable foods. The main thing standing between you and your first sale is a compliant label with four required elements.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 26, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Texas lets home bakers sell up to $150,000/year, and many operators can still start without a permit. The big 2025 change is that some foods and sales paths now trigger DSHS registration.

Annual cap

$150,000

Reviewed

May 7, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Utah stands apart by offering two distinct legal paths for home food producers: the regulated UDAF Cottage Food program and the more permissive Food Freedom Act. The Cottage Food path requires registration, inspection, and a specific 'Home Produced' label but opens up retail and wholesale sales. The Food Freedom path, by contrast, exempts you from state licensing and labeling for direct-to-consumer sales, though it restricts where you can sell.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 28, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support

Vermont tripled its cottage food sales cap to $30,000 with Act 42 in 2025, but you still must file an annual self-attestation with the VDH and use your physical home address on every label.

Annual cap

$30,000

Reviewed

Jul 6, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Virginia has no permit requirement and no annual sales cap for most cottage foods — and as of 2026, online sales and mail order within the state are now legal. The only meaningful limit is a $9,000 cap on acidified foods like pickles and salsas.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

May 25, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Washington home bakers operate under one of the more structured cottage food frameworks in the country — a $355 permit from WSDA, a mandatory kitchen inspection, a $35,000 annual sales cap, and a required disclaimer on every label. The permit process takes 6–8 weeks, so plan ahead before your first batch sale.

Annual cap

$35,000

Reviewed

May 12, 2026

• Pickup-focused
• State label support

West Virginia uniquely separates cottage foods into two clear paths: shelf-stable non-potentially hazardous items under a no-permit exemption, and potentially hazardous foods that now require a free WVDA permit, kitchen inspection, and specific training. Both paths require compliant labels, including a mandated 2023 disclaimer, and neither has a sales cap.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 30, 2026

• Online sales
• Wholesale allowed
• State label support

Wisconsin's cottage food law is shaped by a landmark 2017 court order, not just statutes — giving home bakers significant freedom for shelf-stable baked goods while leaving unbaked foods like fudge and chocolate outside the exemption. Canned goods operate under a separate $5,000 cap.

Annual cap

No annual sales cap

Reviewed

Jun 7, 2026

• Online sales
• State label support