Florida cottage food law for home bakers

The short version

Florida is the most open of the ten: no permit, no inspection unless there is a complaint, sales up to $250,000 a year, and orders taken on a website and delivered in person, to an event, or by post.

The one hard line is wholesale: she sells to the person who eats it, never to a shop.

Registering

The rule is administered by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the guide reads Florida Statutes 500.80.

There is nothing to file. The Department inspects only on a complaint, which means the label and the kitchen are her own responsibility from the first sale.

Where you can sell, and whether online counts

The statute names it: she may sell over the Internet or by mail order and deliver in person, to a specific event venue, or by the United States Postal Service or a commercial carrier. Selling across the state line is federal territory, not the cottage rule.

What goes on the label

The statement below goes on every package in at least 10-point type, in a colour that contrasts with the background, beside her name and address.

"Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations"

• The name and address of the operation
• The product name
• Ingredients in descending order by weight
• Net weight or net volume
• The allergens, as federal law requires
• Nutrition facts only if she makes a nutrition claim

What you can bake and sell

Breads, rolls, biscuits, cakes, pastries and cookies are on the Department's list. A filling that needs the fridge takes the product off it.

• Allowed: Loaf breads, rolls, biscuits, cakes, pastries and cookies
• Not allowed: Anything that needs refrigeration: cream, custard or meat fillings, cheesecake

The sales cap

Florida caps cottage food sales at $250,000 a year, counted as annual gross sales of cottage food products.

Work out how much room you have left this year with the cottage food sales cap checker.

Questions people ask

Do I need to register to sell cottage food in Florida?

No, Florida does not require registration. No permit, no registration, no inspection unless someone complains. Fee: None.

Has the cottage food sales cap in Florida changed over time?

$250,000 a year from July 1, 2021, counted as annual gross sales of cottage food products.

Can I take orders online in Florida?

Yes, you can take orders online. You can hand an order over in person or send it anywhere inside the state.

Can I deliver or ship cottage food in Florida?

Delivery is allowed. Shipping inside the state is allowed.

What does my Florida cottage food label need to say?

The label must say: Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations

Sources

• Florida Statutes 500.80flsenate.gov
• FDACS: Cottage Foodsfdacs.gov