the illinois cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in illinois, who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.

by tommy + omarchecked october 14, 2026

illinois: register first, no sales cap, sell online, ship within the state. tap any state to see its rules.

on this page

1at a glance 2what you can sell 3how to start 4where you can sell 5labels 6what’s changed 7good to know 8questions 9sources

the short answer

yes, you can run a home bakery in illinois as a cottage food operation. register every year with your local health department (up to $50), get a certified food protection manager certificate, and label everything. you can sell from home, at farmers markets and events, online, by delivery, and by shipping within illinois, with no sales cap. foods like meat, cheesecake, custard pies and kombucha aren’t allowed.

illinois cottage food rules at a glance

illinois cottage food rules at a glance
the law	illinois cottage food law (home-to-market act) (410 ilcs 625/4 (food handling regulation enforcement act, section 4))
who runs it	illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department
registration	yes cottage food operation registration with your local health department (up to $50 a year, set by your local health department). renewed every year
kitchen inspection	no
training	yesa certified food protection manager (cfpm) certificate for anyone who makes or packages your products
yearly sales cap	no sales cap
selling from your home	yeshome pickup has to follow local rules that apply to all cottage food operations
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, mobile farmers markets, fairs, festivals and public events
selling online orders	yesshow the home kitchen notice on your online shop at checkout
selling delivering it yourself	yesyou, a family member or an employee can deliver
selling shipping within the state	yesonly foods that don’t need refrigeration, sealed so tampering shows
selling shipping to other states	no
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	nono sales to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale or as an ingredient

what can you sell from home in illinois?

you can sell

bread, cookies and cakes
cakes and cupcakes with buttercream frosting
fruit pies
jams, jellies and fruit butters
pickles, sauerkraut and hot sauce, with a tested recipe or a food safety plan
candy and caramels
roasted coffee, dried herbs and spice mixes
dry noodles and trail mix

you can’t sell

meat, poultry, fish and shellfish
cheesecake, pumpkin pie, custard and cream pies
low-acid canned foods, like canned green beans
cut or pureed fresh tomatoes or melon
sprouts and wild-foraged mushrooms
kombucha and alcoholic drinks

these are examples, not the full list. check the illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in illinois?

register: a cottage food operation registration with your local health department from the illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department. it costs up to $50 a year, set by your local health department. you renew it every year. start here.
take the training: a certified food protection manager (cfpm) certificate for anyone who makes or packages your products.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways illinois allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in illinois?

from your home	yeshome pickup has to follow local rules that apply to all cottage food operations
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, mobile farmers markets, fairs, festivals and public events
online orders	yesshow the home kitchen notice on your online shop at checkout
delivering it yourself	yesyou, a family member or an employee can deliver
shipping within the state	yesonly foods that don’t need refrigeration, sealed so tampering shows
shipping to other states	no
to stores, cafes and restaurants	nono sales to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale or as an ingredient

on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.

what goes on a cottage food label in illinois?

“This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.”
the statement illinois requires on your label

the label also needs:

the name of your business and the town or county where it’s located
your registration number and the town or county where you registered
the common name of the food
all ingredients in order by weight
allergens, following federal rules
net weight
the date it was made

what’s changed in illinois, and what’s coming?

when	what
january 1, 2025	counties without a health department must partner with a neighboring one so you can register. mobile farmers markets were added as a place to sell, and alcohol is allowed in extracts and baked goods
january 1, 2022	the home-to-market act allowed online sales, delivery, home pickup and shipping within illinois, and let you make most foods except those on a prohibited list

what else should you know in illinois?

you register with the health department where you live, and once you’re registered you can sell anywhere in illinois. anyone who helps make or sell your products should be listed on your registration.
wherever you sell, post this notice: “this product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens.” at a table it goes on a placard. online it goes on your shop page at checkout.
to sell pickles, fermented foods or salsa, you need a tested recipe or a food safety plan with a ph test. canned tomato products need a tested recipe or a yearly lab test.
in chicago, home pickup has to follow the city’s rules for home-based businesses.

questions people ask

do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in illinois?

yes. you need a cottage food operation registration with your local health department from the illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department. it costs up to $50 a year, set by your local health department.

can i sell cottage food online in illinois?

yes. show the home kitchen notice on your online shop at checkout.

can i ship cottage food in illinois?

yes, within illinois: only foods that don’t need refrigeration, sealed so tampering shows. you can’t ship to other states.

how much can i sell from home in illinois?

there’s no yearly sales cap.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in illinois?

no. no sales to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale or as an ingredient.

what can’t i sell from home in illinois?

the usual no’s: meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, custard and cream pies, low-acid canned foods, like canned green beans, cut or pureed fresh tomatoes or melon, sprouts and wild-foraged mushrooms. check with the illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against illinois’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the illinois department of public health, with registration through your local health department (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.

written by tommy + omar

we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story