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Cottage food laws · OH
Selling homemade food in Ohio
Ohio requires nothing at all to start - no license, no fee, no cap - as long as you stick to shelf-stable foods like baked goods, jams, and candy. If you want to sell things like cream-filled pastries that need refrigeration, an optional Home Bakery License (inspection required, low annual fee) opens that door. Either way, sales stay in-state - no shipping across state lines.
Program
Ohio Cottage Food Production Operation
Registration
No license, registration, fee, or inspection required for non-hazardous Cottage Food Production Operations (ORC 3715.023). An optional Home Bakery License - sources disagree on the exact fee (commonly cited as $10/year, though some 2026 guides list $25-50/year; confirm current fee with ODA) - adds a kitchen inspection and covers TCS/perishable baked goods.
Annual sales cap
No statewide cap
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods (shelf-stable)
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy
- Dried herbs & spice blends
- Popcorn and snack foods
- Granola, dried fruits/vegetables, nuts
- Roasted coffee
You can't sell
- Potentially hazardous/TCS foods needing refrigeration (unless Home Bakery Licensed)
- Meat, poultry, and seafood
- Dairy products, cream-filled pastries
- Acidified and low-acid canned goods, brined/vinegar-preserved vegetables, salsas
- Fermented foods
- Garlic-in-oil products
Where you can sell
- Direct to consumer
- Farmers markets
- Online with in-state delivery/pickup/seller delivery
Selling online
Online sales are allowed for both the basic Cottage Food path and Home Bakery License holders, but only for in-state orders - no interstate shipping under either program.
What your labels must include
- Producer name & address
- "This product is home produced" statement, verbatim and unaltered, in 10-point type or larger
- Ingredient list by weight
- Allergen disclosure
- Net weight (dual-unit)