the indiana cottage food and food freedom laws, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in indiana, 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

indiana: no registration, 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 sell homemade food in indiana without a license. as a home based vendor, you get a food handler certificate, label everything, and sell foods that don’t need refrigeration in person, by phone or online, then hand them over, deliver them or ship them within indiana. since july 1, 2026, the homestead vendor law also lets you sell prepared foods, baked goods, candy and meat from animals you raised, from your property or at farmers markets, up to $1,500,000 a year. either way, you sell straight to the person who’ll eat it, never to stores for resale.

indiana cottage food rules at a glance

indiana cottage food rules at a glance
the law	indiana home based vendor law and homestead vendor law (indiana code 16-42-5.3 (home based vendors) and 16-42-5.4 (homestead vendors and small farms))
who runs it	indiana department of health, food protection division
registration	no no state registration
kitchen inspection	no
training	yesa food handler certificate from an ansi-accredited provider (homestead vendors only need it to ship or deliver)
yearly sales cap	no sales cap for home based vendors. homestead vendors: up to $1,500,000 a year
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yeshomestead vendors can sell only at farmers markets, not other events
selling online orders	yes
selling delivering it yourself	yeshome based vendors: in person, by mail or by a third-party carrier. homestead vendors need a food handler certificate
selling shipping within the state	yesin a sealed package that shows tampering. home based vendors keep each buyer’s address for 1 year
selling shipping to other states	no
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	noyou must sell straight to the person who’ll eat it, never for resale

what can you sell from home in indiana?

you can sell

bread, cookies and cakes
fruit pies
candy
jams and jellies
honey and maple syrup
roasted coffee beans and nut butters
prepared foods and meals, as a homestead vendor
meat from animals you raised and had processed under state meat rules, as a homestead vendor

you can’t sell

cheesecake, cream pies and custards, as a home based vendor
pickles, fermented foods and homemade hot sauce, as a home based vendor
pepper jelly and other low-acid jams, as a home based vendor
homemade buttercream, unless you follow a lab-tested recipe exactly
homemade vanilla extract
meat from animals you didn’t raise

these are examples, not the full list. check the indiana department of health, food protection division before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in indiana?

no state registration. indiana doesn’t ask cottage food sellers to register with the state. check your city or county for local rules, like zoning or a business license.
take the training: a food handler certificate from an ansi-accredited provider (homestead vendors only need it to ship or deliver).
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways indiana allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in indiana?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yeshomestead vendors can sell only at farmers markets, not other events
online orders	yes
delivering it yourself	yeshome based vendors: in person, by mail or by a third-party carrier. homestead vendors need a food handler certificate
shipping within the state	yesin a sealed package that shows tampering. home based vendors keep each buyer’s address for 1 year
shipping to other states	no
to stores, cafes and restaurants	noyou must sell straight to the person who’ll eat it, never for resale

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 indiana?

“This product is home produced and processed and the production area has not been inspected by the Indiana Department of Health. NOT FOR RESALE.”
the statement indiana requires on your label

the label also needs:

your name and home address (a po box isn’t enough)
the common name of the food
ingredients in order by weight
net weight or volume
the date it was made
the same label posted on your website

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

when	what
july 1, 2026	the homestead vendor law (hea 1424) took effect: no state or local license or inspection for prepared foods, baked goods, candy, produce and meat you raised, up to $1,500,000 a year
2022	the home based vendor law was rewritten (hea 1149): phone and online sales, delivery and shipping within indiana, and a required food handler certificate

what else should you know in indiana?

give a copy of your food handler certificate to your county health department. as a home based vendor, you have to sell your products yourself: an employee or friend can’t sell them for you at a market.
homestead vendors use a different label: your name, address, ingredients, a description of the food, allergens it may have touched, and this statement in at least 10 point type: “this product was produced by a homestead vendor or the owner of a small farm that is exempt from government licensing and inspection.”
farmers markets can set stricter rules than the state, like asking for your food handler certificate or proof of insurance.
chicken eggs need a permit from the indiana state egg board, even under the homestead vendor law.
pet treats: the state says these laws cover human food only. pet treats are regulated by the office of indiana state chemist.

questions people ask

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

no state registration is needed for cottage food in indiana. check your city or county for local rules, like zoning or a business license.

can i sell cottage food online in indiana?

yes. you can take orders and payment online.

can i ship cottage food in indiana?

yes, within indiana: in a sealed package that shows tampering. home based vendors keep each buyer’s address for 1 year. you can’t ship to other states.

how much can i sell from home in indiana?

there’s no yearly sales cap.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in indiana?

no. you must sell straight to the person who’ll eat it, never for resale.

what can’t i sell from home in indiana?

the usual no’s: cheesecake, cream pies and custards, as a home based vendor, pickles, fermented foods and homemade hot sauce, as a home based vendor, pepper jelly and other low-acid jams, as a home based vendor, homemade buttercream, unless you follow a lab-tested recipe exactly, homemade vanilla extract. check with the indiana department of health, food protection division before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against indiana’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the indiana department of health, food protection division (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