Indiana Home-based Vendor Can you legally sell food from home in Indiana?
Cottage Food Law
Indiana has two laws for homemade food processors: one for “homestead vendors” (HB 1424), and this law for “home-based vendors” (HB 1149).
Indiana’s other law (for homestead vendors) is better to use for sales from home, at farmers markets, and online (including in-state shipping) since it allows many more types of foods to be sold.
This law (for home-based vendors) is for those who also want to sell at all public events and at roadside stands. Fortunately, producers can use both laws in tandem.
Under this law, home-based vendors can sell most types of nonperishable foods directly to consumers within the state, including online sales and in-state shipping.
There is no sales limit, license, or inspection needed, and the law prohibits local governments from adding these things and/or prohibiting homemade food sales.
Although almost all types of nonperishable foods are allowed, this law doesn’t allow producers to sell acidified foods (e.g. pickles, salsas, sauces). However, acidified foods (as well as perishable foods) can be sold with Indiana’s homestead vendor law.
Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?
Although this law allows shipping, it is better to use the newer homestead vendor law for shipping, since that law doesn’t impose extra requirements. To ship your products with this law, you have two options:
- Package your products in sealed packaging that allows the customer to determine if the package has been tampered with
- Maintain a record of each customer’s shipping or delivery address for at least one year
Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?
You can sell many more types of foods (including perishable foods) by using the homestead vendor law.
See this guide for more clarification about allowed foods for this law.
You can sell traditional pickles and other fermented produce with this law, if it is not stored in oxygen-sealed containers.
If you want to sell honey, see this document.
You can sell whole chickens or rabbits that you raised, if you meet certain requirements.
Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?
Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?
You must take an approved food safety training course, such as ServSafe’s Food Handler Training course, which costs $15 and can be completed online in 2 hours.
You must give your local health department a copy of your food handler certificate.
Labeling How do you label cottage food products?
Chocolate Chip Cookies
"This product is home produced and processed and the production area has not been inspected by the state department of health. NOT FOR RESALE." (10-point type)
Forrager Cookie Company
123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, IN 73531
Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract (vanilla bean extract, alcohol, sugar), baking soda, salt (salt, calcium silicate)
Produced on 7/3/2026
NET WT 2 lb 4 oz (1.02 kg)
If your products aren’t packaged, you must place the labeling information on a placard at the point of sale.
You must also put the labeling information on your website.
Resources Where can you find more information about this law?
- Telephone
- 317-233-1325
- Address
- 2 North Meridian St
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Indiana Department of Health
Prior to 2022, producers could only sell at farmers markets and roadside stands. In 2022, Indiana passed this law (HB 1149), which greatly improved their law. Then in 2026, they passed HB 1424, which deregulated sales of homemade food from home and at farmers markets.