Can I Sell Food From Home? A 50-State Guide (2026)

Last verified: November 13, 2026 · Written by the UrbanAgLaw.org Editorial Team

Blueberry muffins wrapped one by one in clear plastic on a tray

Quick answer: Yes, in most of the country you can legally sell some food made in your home kitchen, but only some foods, usually only directly to the person who will eat them, and under rules your state sets. We found a cottage food law or a comparable home-food exemption, registration or permit in 49 states; Delaware has no general cottage food law and offers a permit only for farm families. The rules that decide your answer are the kind of food (shelf-stable baked goods, candy and jams are the safest bet; meat and foods that need refrigeration usually need more), where and how you sell (in person, online, to stores), whether your state asks for a license, registration or permit, how much you sell, and what goes on the label. This guide shows the range across all 50 states and links to each state page.

At a glance

Can you sell?: Yes, under a state cottage food law, exemption, registration or permit; Delaware is the exception
Safest foods: Baked goods without cream or custard fillings, candy, jams, granola and other foods that need no refrigeration
Usually restricted: Meat, seafood, foods that need refrigeration and cooked meals; some states allow them with a permit or training
Most variable rules: License or permit, yearly sales limit, online and mail sales, training
Almost always required: A label, and telling the buyer the food was made in a home kitchen
Always check: Local zoning, your HOA or lease, sales tax and any local business license

Five questions that decide your answer

What will you sell?Start with foods that need no refrigeration, such as breads, cookies, candy and jams. Florida’s law covers only foods that do not need refrigeration or other time and temperature control. Texas allows almost any food except a short banned list. Go to step 2.
Where will you sell it?Direct to the buyer at home, a farmers market or a pickup is allowed almost everywhere. Online orders, shipping and sales through stores or restaurants differ a lot by state. Go to step 3.
Does your state require a license, registration or permit?Some states require nothing, some a free or low-cost registration, and some a permit with inspection. See the table below. Go to step 4.
How much will you sell?Many states cap yearly sales, for example $30,000 in Vermont and $250,000 in Florida; others set no cap. Go to step 5.
What goes on the label?Almost every state wants your name, the product name, ingredients and allergens, and many require a statement that the food was made in a home kitchen. Use your state page for the exact wording.

How the rules range across states

The ranges below come from our 50 state guides, which are based on each state’s own law and agency pages. They show the spread, not every state, and they change. Open your state page for the current rule.

Cottage food rules compared across the states
Question	What you may find	Examples from our state guides
License, registration or permit	No state license or permit for the basic route, or a registration or filing, or a permit with inspection.	None: Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee, Wyoming, Alaska. Registration or filing: New York (free), Kentucky ($50 a year), Rhode Island ($65 a year), Vermont (annual exemption filing). Permit or license: California (county registration or permit), Connecticut (DCP license, $50 fee), Massachusetts (local permit), New Jersey ($100 for two years), Washington (WSDA permit).
Yearly sales limit	From about $5,000 to $250,000, or no cap.	High: Florida $250,000, Wyoming $250,000 in revenue, Oklahoma under $250,000 from November 1, 2026, Texas $150,000 (adjusted yearly). Middle: Louisiana and Nevada $100,000, Minnesota $78,000, Kentucky $60,000, Michigan and Maryland $50,000. Low: Mississippi and Washington $35,000, Vermont $30,000, Wisconsin $5,000 for home-canned foods. No cap in the statute: Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota, Alaska.
Online and mail sales	Some states allow shipping; some require a hand-off in person.	Mail or shipping allowed in state: Florida, Oregon, Alabama, Maryland. In person only or no shipping: Washington, New Jersey, South Dakota, Mississippi.
Training	Nothing, a food handler card, or a manager-level certificate.	Not required: Florida, Missouri, Wyoming, Kansas. Food handler card or course: Texas, Oregon, Arizona. Manager certificate: Illinois, New Jersey.
Foods that need refrigeration	Excluded, allowed with registration or training, or allowed with a permit.	Excluded: Florida, Vermont, New Hampshire. With registration, course or permit: Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia. Allowed without a state permit: Wyoming (producer or designated agent sells them).

A bag of homemade cookies tied with a ribbon beside loose cookies on a board — Packaged baked goods with a label are the typical home-kitchen product.

The most searched states

Can you sell food from home in the most searched states?
State	Short answer	Sales limit and online sales
Texas	No permit for most foods; DSHS registration for refrigerated foods and cottage food vendors; food handler course.	$150,000, adjusted yearly; allowed with personal delivery.
Florida	No permit and no training, but only foods that need no refrigeration.	$250,000; mail order allowed.
Michigan	No license; optional MSU Product Center registration for labels.	$50,000, or $75,000 for products priced at $250 or more; online inside Michigan if the customer can talk to you first.
California	County registration (Class A) or permit (Class B); operator course within three months.	2026: $88,878 (Class A) or $177,756 (Class B); online within California.
Louisiana	No health department permit, but a parish sales tax certificate is required.	$100,000 since August 1, 2026; online not addressed in the statute.
Alabama	Review by the county health department, no kitchen inspection; approved food safety course.	No cap; online inside Alabama, including delivery by mail.
New Jersey	Department of Health permit ($100 for two years) and zoning approval; manager certificate.	$50,000; online orders handed over in person, no mailing.
Missouri	No license in the statute.	No cap in the statute; you and the buyer must both be in Missouri.
Oregon	No license or inspection; food handler card.	$51,200 in 2025, adjusted yearly; mail allowed within Oregon.
New York	Free registration with the Department of Agriculture and Markets (Home Processor Exemption).	No cap stated on the state page; sales inside New York only.
Illinois	Local health department registration, fee up to $50; manager certificate.	No cap described in current guidance; in-state shipping allowed.
Ohio	Normally no local license; temporary license for events; ODA Home Bakery license for refrigerated baked goods.	Not mentioned in county guidance; internet sales not settled.

All 50 states are in our state-by-state table, in alphabetical order, with a link to each state page. A printable version is available as a 50-state quick reference (PDF, 4 pages).

Meals, catering and hot food

Cottage food laws are written for packaged, low-risk products, not for restaurant-style food. Selling plated meals, hot food or food you prepare for an event usually needs a different license. Vermont is a clear example: its Health Department says that if you make prepared food or meals for sale direct to customers, or prepare food for cooking later at an event or farmers market, you need a Home Caterer License, and the exemption for cottage foods does not apply. Florida and Vermont, like several states, limit home sales to foods that need no refrigeration, so cooked dishes fall outside the cottage food route. Check your state page before you take a single order for cooked food.

Cinnamon roll dough on a parchment-lined baking tray partly covered by a towel — Baking at home is the starting point; what you may sell depends on the state.

What still applies after the cottage food law

Labels. Even where no license is required, most states expect a label with your name, the product name, ingredients and allergens, and often a home-kitchen statement. Federal law recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Exact wording by state is collected in Cottage Food Label Statements by State (PDF).
Tax and business licenses. Louisiana requires a parish sales tax certificate, South Dakota says items sold are subject to sales tax, and Utah requires a business license even though it has no food license. Ask your state tax agency, city and county.
Zoning and home business rules. A cottage food law does not override your city’s zoning or home occupation rules, your HOA covenants or your lease. See our planning and zoning guide.
Insurance. No cottage food law removes your liability if a customer gets sick. See our guide to liability, risk and insurance.

A simple way to start

Pick your state page.Open it from the table and read the Quick answer and the At a glance box.
Match your product to the allowed list.If it is not on the list, ask the state agency before you sell.
Register, apply or file if your state requires it.Wait for approval before you sell where the state asks for it, as Nevada does.
Print a correct label.Use the wording on your state page.
Check local rules, tax and insurance.Then sell through the channels your state allows.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell food from home without a license?

In many states yes: Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee, Wyoming and others have no state license for the basic route. Others require a registration, filing or permit. Check your state page.

Can I sell food from home in every state?

We found a cottage food law, exemption, registration or permit in 49 states. Delaware has no general cottage food law; it offers an on-farm home processing permit for farm families.

What foods can I sell from home?

Usually baked goods without cream or custard fillings, candy, jams and other foods that need no refrigeration. Some states allow more, such as Texas, which allows almost any food except a short banned list.

Can I sell cooked meals from home?

Usually not under a cottage food law. Vermont, for example, requires a Home Caterer License for meals sold direct to customers.

Can I sell food online or ship it?

It depends on the state. Florida allows mail order, Oregon allows mail within Oregon, and Washington, New Jersey and South Dakota do not allow shipping by mail or carrier.

Can I sell to stores or restaurants?

Often not. Many states limit sales to the consumer. Some allow it, such as Georgia (stores and restaurants) and Oklahoma (through stores and markets). Check your state.

How much can I earn?

Some states cap yearly sales, for example $30,000 in Vermont and $250,000 in Florida, and others set no cap.

Do I need insurance?

The laws do not require it in most states we cover, but your liability remains. Ask an insurer in writing what a policy covers.

Note on conflicting sources

This guide summarizes our 50 state guides as of November 13, 2026, and does not replace them. Each state guide names its sources in its own Official sources block and lists what we could not verify. Laws are changing fast: for example, Colorado adds a yearly registration from January 1, 2027, Louisiana’s cap rose to $100,000 in August 2026, Oklahoma’s cap rises to under $250,000 on November 1, 2026, Nevada moves its program to the Department of Agriculture in July 2027, and Wyoming’s legislature is considering changes. Commercial guides and older articles often show earlier figures; use your state page and the agency it names.

Official sources

The state statutes and agency pages named in the Official sources block of each of our 50 state cottage food guides
Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program: Home-Based Food Licenses and Exemptions
Not checked for this page: any change after November 13, 2026 in the 50 state laws

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the official sources above or contact your state agency before you start selling.