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Cottage food laws · IA
Selling homemade food in Iowa
Iowa uses a tiered system: the more perishable or complex your food, the more registration and training you need with the state. Basic shelf-stable goods like baked items and jams have the lightest requirements, while some frozen or refrigerated foods can be sold under a higher tier.
Program
Iowa Home Food Establishment Law
Registration
Tiered registration/license with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing based on the type of food and sales volume
Annual sales cap
No statewide cap specified; requirements scale up in tiers by food type and sales volume
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods without cream/custard fillings
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy & chocolate
- Dry mixes & granola
- Popcorn
- Some frozen/refrigerated foods under higher registration tiers
You can't sell
- Raw dairy products
- Most meat processing beyond permitted tiers
- Home-canned low-acid vegetables without additional testing
Where you can sell
- Direct in-person sales from home
- Farmers markets
- Roadside stands
Selling online
Online ordering allowed with in-state delivery/pickup; no shipping across state lines
What your labels must include
- Business name & address
- Ingredient list
- Allergen declaration
- Net weight
- "Made in a home kitchen not subject to state inspection" statement