Cottage Foods

Cottage Foods / Food Establishment Inspections / Business Services / Home - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Florida law allows individuals to use their unlicensed home kitchens to produce for sale certain foods that present a low risk of foodborne illness. Cottage food operators can produce and sell these products directly to consumers without obtaining a food permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Gross sales for a cottage food operation must not exceed $50,000 annually.

Cottage Food Law Basics

• Cottage food operators can sell cottage foods only within the state of Florida and not across state lines. 
• Cottage food operators may sell cottage food products on their website, but the products are prohibited to be delivered by mail order.
• Cottage food products must be delivered directly to the consumer or to the consumer’s private event such as a wedding or birthday party.
• Cottage food products cannot be sold wholesale. 
• Cottage foods must be properly packaged and labeled. Cottage food operators can serve free samples for tasting, but the samples must be prepackaged. 
• A cottage food operation must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances regulating the preparation, processing, storage and sale of cottage food products.

Program Resources

• Cottage Food Guidance [  929.25 KB ]
• Cottage Food Presentation (not available on mobile devices)

Contact Us

(850) 245-5520

Laws and Regulations

Florida Statutes
Section: 500.80

Federal Regulations
2009 Food Code