Where You Can Sell
- Permitted sales channel: Home Pickup
- Permitted sales channel: Farmers Markets
- Permitted sales channel: Roadside stands
- Permitted sales channel: Events & Fairs
- Permitted sales channel: Online Orders
- Permitted sales channel: Phone orders
- Permitted sales channel: Home Pickup
- Not permitted sales channel: Interstate Sales
Yes, you can legally sell baked goods and other shelf-stable foods from your home kitchen in Alabama under the Alabama Cottage Food Law (Alabama Code § 22-20-5.1). In recent years Alabama removed its sales cap entirely, making it one of the better states in the South to launch a home-based food operation — but it adds a unique "pre-clearance" requirement most states skip.
Before you sell your first product, you must complete a state-approved food safety training course, register your business with your county health department, and get your product labels formally approved by a health official. Once you clear that process, there is no routine kitchen inspection and no cap on how much you can earn.
Is Cottage Food Legal in Alabama?
Yes. Cottage food production is legal in Alabama under Alabama Code § 22-20-5.1, enacted in 2013 and substantially revised by SB 160 effective August 1, 2021. Alabama's law allows qualifying home food producers to sell non-potentially-hazardous foods directly to consumers within the state without a food service permit or routine kitchen inspection.
The 2021 revision made two major changes:
- Removed the annual sales cap — there is now no limit on gross revenue from cottage food sales.
- Expanded allowed delivery methods — online, phone, and in-state delivery are now explicitly permitted alongside in-person sales.
Alabama's cottage food law is administered jointly: the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) sets statewide rules and approves the food safety training curriculum; county health departments handle individual registrations and label approvals. Requirements and fees vary by county, so confirm with your specific county health department before selling.
Contact the Alabama Department of Public Health or your county health department with specific product eligibility or registration questions before you start selling.
What Foods Can You Sell?
Alabama cottage food law permits the sale of non-potentially-hazardous foods — foods that do not require time or temperature control for safety. If a product would need to be kept cold to stay safe to eat, it is not eligible under the cottage food law.
✅ You Can Sell
- Breads, biscuits, rolls, muffins, and quick breads
- Cookies, brownies, bars, and doughnuts
- Cakes and cupcakes without perishable fillings
- Fruit pies with shelf-stable fillings
- Cheese straws and savory shelf-stable baked goods
- Candies, chocolates, and fudge
- Jams, jellies, fruit preserves, marmalades, and fruit butters
- Candied or roasted nuts
- Popcorn and flavored popcorn
- Roasted coffee
- Dried herbs and spice blends
- Dried baking mixes
- Dehydrated fruits and vegetables
- Acidified foods (conditional — see below)
❌ You Cannot Sell
- Foods requiring refrigeration for safety
- Cream-filled pastries (cream puffs, éclairs)
- Custard pies, cheesecakes, and cream pies
- Meat, poultry, or fish products
- Garlic-in-oil mixtures
- Milk products (cheese, yogurt, butter)
- Vegetable pizzas
- Kombucha
- Products with more than 3% alcohol
- Pet food or pet treats
- Medical or health supplements
- Raw cookie dough or products requiring refrigeration
- —
- —
| ✅ You Can Sell | ❌ You Cannot Sell |
|---|---|
| Breads, biscuits, rolls, muffins, and quick breads | Foods requiring refrigeration for safety |
| Cookies, brownies, bars, and doughnuts | Cream-filled pastries (cream puffs, éclairs) |
| Cakes and cupcakes without perishable fillings | Custard pies, cheesecakes, and cream pies |
| Fruit pies with shelf-stable fillings | Meat, poultry, or fish products |
| Cheese straws and savory shelf-stable baked goods | Garlic-in-oil mixtures |
| Candies, chocolates, and fudge | Milk products (cheese, yogurt, butter) |
| Jams, jellies, fruit preserves, marmalades, and fruit butters | Vegetable pizzas |
| Candied or roasted nuts | Kombucha |
| Popcorn and flavored popcorn | Products with more than 3% alcohol |
| Roasted coffee | Pet food or pet treats |
| Dried herbs and spice blends | Medical or health supplements |
| Dried baking mixes | Raw cookie dough or products requiring refrigeration |
| Dehydrated fruits and vegetables | — |
| Acidified foods (conditional — see below) | — |
⚠ Watch out
Cream-filled baked goods, custard-based desserts, and cheesecakes are not permitted — they require refrigeration and are classified as potentially hazardous foods. If a product needs to stay cold to be safe, it falls outside the cottage food law.
The Conditional Category: Acidified and Fermented Foods
Alabama allows the sale of some fermented, preserved, dried, or dehydrated foods only if they meet safety parameters accepted by ADPH. Examples can include pickled fruits and vegetables, salsa, sauerkraut, fruit butters, barbecue sauce, infused vinegars, and dehydrated produce. The product must demonstrate either:
- A water activity of less than 0.88, or
- A pH level of less than 4.2
You must have an approved commercial lab or food processing authority test your specific recipe when testing is required, then submit those results to your county health department as part of your registration. Do not sell any conditional product without completing the review your county requires.
✓ Tip
If you are unsure whether a specific product qualifies, ask your county health department before including it in your menu and before printing labels. Product eligibility is reviewed during the label approval process.
Annual Revenue Cap and Sales Channels
No Annual Revenue Cap
Alabama removed its annual revenue cap via SB 160 in August 2021. There is no longer a statutory limit on gross revenue from cottage food sales, so your pricing and batch planning can be based on capacity rather than a legal ceiling. If you are still setting menu economics, use the home bakery pricing guide to make sure growth is actually profitable.
Where You Can Sell
Alabama requires all cottage food sales to be direct-to-consumer and within the state. The 2021 law expanded the permitted channels to include online and phone orders and in-state delivery.
Permitted sales channels:
- Home sales and porch pickup — selling directly to consumers at your residence
- Farmers markets — one of the most common channels for Alabama cottage food sellers
- Community events, craft fairs, and roadside stands — direct-to-consumer sales at temporary venues
- Online orders — Alabama explicitly permits online ordering and payment collection from in-state buyers
- Phone orders — orders taken by phone are permitted
- In-state delivery — you may deliver by mail (USPS, UPS, FedEx), through an agent of your business, or directly to the consumer within Alabama
What is not permitted:
- Out-of-state sales or shipping: Alabama's cottage food law applies only to sales within the state. Shipping to customers in other states is not permitted under the cottage food exemption.
- Retail or grocery store sales: Consignment, wholesale, and retail-shelf placement are not allowed. All sales must be direct-to-consumer.
- Restaurant and institutional sales: You may not sell to restaurants, cafes, caterers, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or similar institutions.
⚠ Watch out
Selling wholesale to retail stores or restaurants takes you outside the cottage food exemption regardless of the product or quantity. All transactions must be direct-to-consumer.
Permit, Registration, and Training Requirements
Alabama enforces a mandatory pre-clearance workflow managed at the county level. You cannot legally sell until all three steps below are complete.
Step 1 — Complete a Food Safety Course
Before registering, the person operating the cottage food business must attend and pass an ADPH-approved food safety course. Your certification must be maintained and kept current while you are operating.
Approved course options include:
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) — offers a dedicated cottage food certification course
- Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) — offers locally administered training
- Any ANSI-accredited food safety program — nationally recognized programs meeting ADPH standards
Contact ADPH or your county health department for the current list of approved providers. Keep your completion certificate — you will need it for your county registration.
Step 2 — Register with Your County Health Department
Once trained, register your cottage food operation with the health department in the county where you will be operating. Registration is administered by each county's environmentalist office — there is no statewide portal.
What you will typically need to submit:
- Proof of food safety course completion
- A description of the products you plan to sell
- Your proposed product labels (reviewed at this stage — see Step 3)
- Any required pH or water activity test results (for acidified foods)
- Applicable registration fee
Contact your specific county health department for their exact application process and current fees. Requirements vary — Jefferson County, Mobile County, and Montgomery County all operate independently.
Step 3 — Obtain Label Approval
Alabama requires that your product labels be approved by the county health department before you begin selling. This pre-approval step is one of the more distinctive requirements in the country.
Submit your proposed labels as part of the registration process. The health department reviews them against the statutory labeling requirements and returns them approved or with feedback. Do not print final labels or begin selling until you have written confirmation of approval.
Kitchen Inspection
The county health department does not inspect your home kitchen as part of the registration process. Their review is limited to your food safety certificate, lab test results (if applicable), and product labels. They do reserve the right to investigate if a foodborne illness complaint is reported.
Label Requirements for Alabama Cottage Food
Every Alabama cottage food product must carry a label with the required elements, printed in a minimum of 10-point type for the disclaimer. Labels must be county-approved before you sell — a single product sold with an unapproved label is a violation.
Required label elements:
- Product name — the common name of the food
- Business name and address — your name and home address; a P.O. box is acceptable in place of the street address
- Ingredient list in descending order by weight — all ingredients and sub-ingredients listed from most to least by weight
- Allergen declaration — declare major allergens when present (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame)
- Required disclaimer — verbatim, in at least 10-point type:
This product may contain allergens. This food is not inspected by the Health Department.
Do not paraphrase the disclaimer. Use the exact two-sentence statutory language — any variation risks label rejection during county review. Source: Jefferson County Health Dept label checklist (3/2024) and ADPH Cottage Food Law FAQs (4/2026).
REQUIRED vs. RECOMMENDED
| Element | Required by Alabama Law | Recommended Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Product name | ✅ Required | Use the common name customers recognize |
| Business name and address | ✅ Required | P.O. box acceptable in lieu of street address |
| Ingredient list (descending by weight) | ✅ Required | Include sub-ingredients for all compound items |
| Required disclaimer (10-pt minimum) | ✅ Required | Copy verbatim — do not paraphrase |
| Allergen declaration | ✅ Required when applicable | Use a clear "Contains:" statement near the ingredient list |
| Net weight or volume | Not explicitly required by AL code | ✅ Highly recommended — standard best practice for packaged food |
| Production or bake date | Not required | ✅ Recommended — aids traceability and customer trust |
| Best-by or use-by date | Not required | ✅ Recommended for short shelf-life items |
| Storage instructions | Not required | ✅ Recommended for humidity-sensitive items |
| QR code linking to storefront | Not required | ✅ Drives repeat orders |
| Nutrition facts panel | Not required | Omit unless making a nutrient claim |
Common labeling mistakes Alabama bakers make:
- Printing labels before county health department approval — even one product sold with an unapproved label is a violation
- Using a font smaller than 10-point for the required disclaimer
- Paraphrasing the disclaimer instead of using the exact statutory wording
- Forgetting sesame — it became a federally recognized major allergen in January 2023 and must be declared when present
- Listing "chocolate chips" without unpacking the sub-ingredients from the package
- Omitting an ingredient because it seems minor — all ingredients must be listed in descending order
For broader labeling guidance, formatting examples, and allergen phrasing, use the cottage food labeling requirements guide alongside your county health department's feedback on your approved labels.
Now That You Know the Rules — Here's How to Start Selling
Alabama's cottage food law is low-friction once you clear the registration hurdle, but the upfront administrative steps are mandatory and sequential. Here is the practical order of operations:
- Get certified. Register for the ACES cottage food course or an ANSI-accredited food safety program and secure your certificate. Contact ADPH or your county health department for the current approved provider list.
- Draft your product labels. Every label needs your product name, business name and address (P.O. box acceptable), ingredient list in descending order, allergen declarations, and the exact required disclaimer in 10-point type minimum. MyPorch can generate printable Alabama labels from your product and bakery data, but you still need to submit labels for county review before selling.
- Register with your county health department. Bring your food safety course certificate, product list, proposed labels, and any required pH testing results (for acidified foods). Pay the applicable county fee. Timeline varies by county.
- Wait for label approval before selling. Do not take orders or sell products until you have written confirmation from the county that your labels are approved.
- Set up your ordering system before your first batch. Because Alabama allows online sales and in-state shipping, a dedicated pre-order system becomes critical as you grow. Taking orders through Instagram DMs and texts works for the first few dozen orders — after that, tracking becomes a problem. A system that collects payment upfront, locks your order count before bake day, and stores customer records is dramatically more sustainable. Read the home bakery pre-order guide, then start your free MyPorch storefront to take orders online, generate a master bake list automatically when your weekly cutoff hits, and print Alabama labels from the same product data you already use to manage orders.
✓ Tip
MyPorch can turn your product name, bakery address, ingredients, allergens, and net weight into printable Alabama labels with the required disclaimer. Because Alabama requires county label approval, use the generated label as the version you submit for review before your first sale.
- Keep records of your sales. Alabama has no explicit statutory record-keeping requirement for cottage food, but maintaining a log of sales dates, products, quantities, and revenue is best practice and may be requested by your county health department.
Summary
Key Takeaways — Alabama Cottage Food Law
- Alabama has no annual sales cap — the previous $20,000 limit was removed by SB 160, effective August 2021, so you can grow your home bakery without a revenue ceiling.
- Before selling, you must complete an Alabama Department of Public Health–approved food safety course, register with your county health department, and obtain county approval for your labels.
- All sales must be direct-to-consumer and within Alabama — no wholesale, no restaurant or retail sales, and no interstate shipping. Online, phone, and in-state delivery orders are permitted.
- Every Alabama cottage food label must include the exact required disclaimer in at least 10-point type: "This product may contain allergens. This food is not inspected by the Health Department."
- Alabama does not inspect home kitchens for cottage food operations — once you are registered and your labels are approved, no routine kitchen inspection is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Alabama?
How do I register my cottage food business in Alabama?
What food safety training courses are approved in Alabama?
How long does it take to get registered?
How much does it cost to register my cottage food business?
Do I need a business license in Alabama?
Do I need to collect sales tax on cottage food sales?
What happens if I move to a different county?
What information is required on a cottage food label in Alabama?
Does my Alabama cottage food label need to be approved?
What size font is required for the disclaimer?
Do I need to list allergens on my cottage food label?
Is it mandatory to include the production date on the label?
Can I use a P.O. box for my address on the label?
Can I use MyPorch for Alabama labels?
Where can I sell cottage food products in Alabama?
Can I sell cottage food online in Alabama?
Can I ship my cottage food products outside of Alabama?
Do I need a permit to sell at events or farmers markets?
What types of food can I sell under the Alabama Cottage Food Law?
Can I sell jams and jellies?
Can I sell baked goods with cream fillings?
Can I sell acidified foods like pickles or salsa?
What is considered a non-potentially-hazardous food?
Will the health department inspect my home kitchen?
Can I hire employees or helpers?
Do I need insurance for my cottage food business?
Can I make custom cakes or wedding cakes?
Can I sell at multiple farmers markets?
Can I sell my products to restaurants or grocery stores?
Can I sell pet treats under the Alabama Cottage Food Law?
Are there any kitchen requirements I need to meet?
How often do I need to renew my food safety certification?
Recent Law Changes
2026 — Senate Bill 197 (Mobile Food Vendor Inspections)
SB 197 creates a single statewide inspection system for mobile food vendors, replacing the previous patchwork of county-level permits. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with the full inspection system rolling out in 2027. This primarily affects commercially licensed food trucks and mobile operations, not home-based cottage food businesses.
2024 — Act 2024-252 (Cultivated Food Ban)
Alabama prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated (lab-grown) food products, making a violation a Class C misdemeanor, effective 2024. This does not affect traditional home-baked cottage food operations.
August 2021 — SB 160 (Major Expansion)
Alabama's most significant cottage food revision came in August 2021 with SB 160:
- Removed the annual gross sales cap. The previous $20,000 limit was eliminated — Alabama cottage food producers can now earn without a statutory ceiling.
- Expanded permitted sales channels. Online orders, phone orders, and in-state delivery (by mail, through an agent, or directly to the consumer) were explicitly authorized.
2013 — Original Cottage Food Law
Alabama's cottage food law was originally enacted in 2013, creating the framework for home-based food sales including the food safety training, county health department registration, and label approval requirements that remain in place today.
_This guide was last reviewed May 21, 2026. Alabama cottage food law should be verified against the official sources listed above before making compliance decisions. Laws change — confirm current requirements with the Alabama Department of Public Health or your county health department before your first sale._
How Alabama Compares
Alabama vs. Similar States
Key metrics across states with similar baker populations.
| State | Annual Cap | Wholesale | Online Sales | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaThis guide | $20K | No | Yes | No |
| California | $75K / $150K | Yes | Yes | No |
| Florida | $250K | No | Yes | No |
| Georgia | Varies | No | Yes | No |
| Idaho | None | No | Yes | No |