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Cottage food laws · KY
Selling homemade food in Kentucky
Kentucky requires an annual $50 registration with the state Food Safety Branch before selling homemade shelf-stable foods, capped at $60,000 in gross annual sales. Growers who use their own homegrown main ingredient can go further by certifying as a Home-Based Microprocessor to can or acidify foods like pickles and salsas. Sales are direct to the customer, in person or online with in-state delivery only.
Program
Kentucky Home-Based Processing Law
Registration
Annual registration (DFS-250 application + $50 fee) with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Food Safety Branch as a Home-Based Processor; a separate Home-Based Microprocessor (HBM) certification — a UK Extension workshop, per-recipe approval, and a $50 annual fee — is required to can or acidify foods made from a homegrown main ingredient
Annual sales cap
$60,000 gross annual sales (applies to both the Home-Based Processor and Home-Based Microprocessor programs)
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods without cream/custard fillings
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy & chocolate
- Dry mixes & granola
- Popcorn
- Acidified/canned foods (pickles, salsas, low-sugar jams) under Home-Based Microprocessor certification, using a homegrown main ingredient only
You can't sell
- Potentially hazardous/perishable foods
- Meat & poultry products
- Dairy-based products
- Low-acid canned vegetables without Home-Based Microprocessor certification and recipe approval
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
- "This product is home produced and processed" statement (10-point type minimum)
- Ingredient list
- Allergen declaration
- Net weight