Indiana Can you legally sell food from home in Indiana?

Cottage Food Law

In 2022, Indiana passed a greatly improved cottage food law (HB 1149). Prior to 2022, producers could only sell at farmers markets and roadside stands.

Under the current 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).

Table of Contents

Selling Allowed Foods Limitations Business Labeling Resources Forum

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

Allowed Venues

Events Farmers markets Home Online Roadside stands

Allowed Services

Delivery Home Pickup Mail order

Prohibited Venues

Restaurants Retail stores

Prohibited Services

Catering Wholesale

If you ship your products, 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?

Bread

Bagels Breads Brownies Cake pops Cakes Cookies Cupcakes Donuts Macarons Muffins & Biscuits Pizzelles Rolls Scones Sweet breads Tortillas Wedding cakes

Candy

Brittles Buttercream frosting Candies Chocolate Cotton candy Fudge Lollipops Truffles

Condiments

Honey Nut butters Oils Syrups Vinegars

Dry goods

Cereals Coffee beans Dried fruit Dried vegetables Herbs Mixes Pasta noodles Spices & Seasonings Tea leaves

Other

Fermented foods Whole eggs

Pastries

Churros Cones Danish Empanadas & Tamales Other Pastries Pies

Preserves

Fruit butters Jams & jellies Marmalades Other Preserves

Snacks

Candied apples Caramel corn Chocolate-covered fruit Chocolate-covered items Crackers & Pretzels Fruit leathers Granola Kettle corn Marshmallows Nuts & seeds Popcorn Vegetable chips

Prohibited Foods

Perishable baked goods Acidified foods Low-acid canned foods Salsas Sauces Juices Ketchup Meat jerkies Hardboiled whole eggs

There are probably more prohibited foods, but the ones above have been confirmed

See this guide for more clarification about allowed foods.

You can sell traditional pickles and other fermented produce 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.

Only "non-potentially hazardous" foods are allowed, but certain non-PHFs may not be allowed. Most foods that don't need to be refrigerated (foods without meat, cheese, etc.) are considered non-potentially hazardous. Learn more

Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?

Limitations

Direct sales only Interstate sales prohibited Primary residence

There may be more limitations, but the ones above have been confirmed

There is no sales limit

Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?

Food Safety Training

You must take an approved food safety training course, such as Learn2Serve’s Food Handler Training course, which costs $8 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?

Label Requirements

Business address Business name Date produced Ingredients Net amount Product name Statement

Sample Label

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 12/6/2023

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.

If you ship your products, 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