Iowa

Cottage Food Law

Iowa has two different laws for home cooks, depending on what they want to make. Producers that sell only non-potentially hazardous food products do not need any license or permit from the health department, but they can only sell at home or at farmers markets. There are no sales limitations, and the labeling requirements are very basic.

Producers who want to sell perishable baked goods, or want to sell baked goods at other venues, need to become a Home Food Establishment.

Table of Contents

Selling Allowed Foods Limitations Business Labeling Resources

Selling

Events Online Restaurants Retail stores Roadside stands

Prohibited Services

Catering Mail order

You can sell baked goods at more venues by becoming a Home Food Establishment.

Allowed Foods

Prohibited Foods

Perishable baked goods Pickles Sauces Salsas Fermented foods Meat jerkies

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

Perishable baked goods can be sold by becoming a Home Food Establishment.

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

Direct sales only

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

There is no sales limit

Business

Although no license from the health department is required, there may be other local requirements, like a business license. Certain types of products are exempt from sales tax.

Labeling

Label Requirements

Business address Business name Product name

Sample Label

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Forrager Cookie Company

123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, IA 73531

Resources

Iowa Code Chapter 137F (137F.1.7.e & 137F.1.7.f)

481 IAC 30 (Food Establishment definition, subsection 6)

Basic Requirements for a Home-Based Food Operation

Farmers Market Requirements

Starting a Home-Based Food Business in Iowa

Contacts

Food Safety Inspection Programs

Department: Department of Inspections and Appeals
Telephone: 515-281-6538

Law Dates

July 1988: SF 356
January 1999: HF 2166
August 2000: ARC 9996A
July 2001: SF 62
May 2002: HF 2620

Comments

deb Hospodka

I want to sell Jolly Rancher suckers at craft fairs. Do in need a license in Iowa?

12:32 pm - June 8, 2020

Nightengale

Are wedding mints, commonly known as cream cheese mints, allowed to be sold at the Farmers Market? They do not require refrigeration. Under the cottage food law in Minnesota I know that they are. But I do not know if they are or are not in Iowa. Please let me know. Sincerely Debra Nightingale

3:59 am - March 3, 2019

Celeste Neff

Hi, can I make and sell Hot Pepper Jelly here in Iowa? I am interested in making it from my home, but the information stated that low acid/sugar jellies may not be permitted.
Thank you!

5:47 pm - January 9, 2019

Daniel Koehn

What are the requirements for selling home boiled maple syrup out of my home ?? Can I legally sell it without any license ?

9:23 am - April 3, 2018

Georgeanne Wilson

Why are roadside market is not allowable under the cottage.? The farmers market’s will be finished but I will have wonderful produce well after the season to be sold and now I have no venue to sell it… Are there alternatives?

8:06 am - September 4, 2017

Nicholas

I want to sell federally inspected beef that I raise by the frozen package, out of my home how can I find out what the minimum requirements are for the facility to get inspected? Want to start with just freezer space basically, no processing of raw will be done.