Cottage food laws
What you can legally sell from your home kitchen — state by state.
Every U.S. state lets you sell certain homemade foods without a commercial kitchen — but the rules differ everywhere. Pick your state for a plain-English breakdown of what's allowed, sales limits, online selling, and labeling.
AlabamaAL
No license to startCap: No statewide sales cap
AlaskaAK
No license to startCap: No statewide cap specified
ArizonaAZ
Registration requiredCap: No statewide sales cap
ArkansasAR
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap specified
CaliforniaCA
Registration requiredCap: $150,000 (gross)
ColoradoCO
Registration requiredCap: No statewide sales cap (revenue limit removed by a 2022 law update)
ConnecticutCT
Registration requiredCap: Not specified
DelawareDE
Registration requiredCap: Not specified
District of ColumbiaDC
Registration requiredCap: No cap (revenue cap removed by DC Law 23-61)
FloridaFL
No license to startCap: $250,000 (gross annual sales)
GeorgiaGA
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap specified
HawaiiHI
Registration requiredCap: Varies by permit type; check with the Hawaii Department of Health for the current threshold
IdahoID
No license to startCap: No statewide cap specified
IllinoisIL
Registration requiredCap: Up to $36,000/year under the basic Cottage Food Law; higher or no cap under a Local Food Entrepreneur license
IndianaIN
No license to startCap: No statewide cap specified
IowaIA
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap specified; requirements scale up in tiers by food type and sales volume
KansasKS
No license to startCap: $50,000 gross annual sales without a license (license required above that)
KentuckyKY
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap specified
LouisianaLA
Registration requiredCap: Varies — check with the Louisiana Department of Health for the current gross sales limit
MaineME
No license to startCap: No statewide cap specified
MarylandMD
Registration requiredCap: $50,000 (gross annual sales)
MassachusettsMA
Registration requiredCap: Not specified
MichiganMI
No license to startCap: $25,000 (gross annual sales)
MinnesotaMN
Registration requiredCap: Varies — check current threshold with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (the cap has been raised more than once)
MississippiMS
No license to startCap: $35,000 (gross annual sales)
MissouriMO
No license to startCap: $50,000 (gross annual sales)
MontanaMT
No license to startCap: No statewide cap specified
NebraskaNE
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
NevadaNV
Registration requiredCap: $35,000 (gross annual, current law; rising to $100,000 when AB352 takes effect July 2027)
New HampshireNH
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
New JerseyNJ
Registration requiredCap: $50,000 (gross annual)
New MexicoNM
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
New YorkNY
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
North CarolinaNC
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
North DakotaND
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
OhioOH
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
OklahomaOK
No license to startCap: $75,000 (gross annual)
OregonOR
Registration requiredCap: $51,200 (2025 exemption cap, adjusted annually); no cap under the licensed Domestic Kitchen path
PennsylvaniaPA
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
Rhode IslandRI
Registration requiredCap: $50,000 (gross annual)
South CarolinaSC
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
South DakotaSD
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
TennesseeTN
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
TexasTX
No license to startCap: $50,000 (gross)
UtahUT
Registration requiredCap: No statewide cap
VermontVT
Registration requiredCap: $30,000 (gross annual, Cottage Food Operator tier); $10,000 for TCS/manufactured baked goods tier
VirginiaVA
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
WashingtonWA
Registration requiredCap: $35,000 (gross annual, per residence, CPI-adjusted every 4 years)
West VirginiaWV
No license to startCap: No statewide cap
WisconsinWI
No license to startCap: No cap currently for baked goods; $5,000/year for high-acid canned goods (a separate legal category). Reform bills pending in the legislature (as of mid-2026) would add a $20,000-$40,000 cap and registration requirement for baked goods too - this could change soon.
WyomingWY
No license to startCap: $250,000 (gross annual, direct sales)
Nibbles & Bits provides informational guidance and done-for-you setup help for home food businesses. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Cottage-food rules change and vary by state and locality — always confirm current requirements with your state or local health authority before selling.
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