the iowa cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in iowa, 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

iowa: 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 iowa under the cottage food law, with no license, inspection or sales cap. the food has to be shelf stable, like bread, cookies, fruit pies or jam, and labeled with the required statement. you can sell in person, by phone or online, and deliver it yourself, through an employee, or by mail. to sell foods that need refrigeration, or to sell through stores, you need a home food processing establishment license: $50 a year, for businesses under $50,000 in sales.

iowa cottage food rules at a glance

iowa cottage food rules at a glance
the law	iowa cottage food law (iowa code section 137f.20 (cottage food))
who runs it	iowa department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (dial), food and consumer safety
registration	no no state registration
kitchen inspection	no
training	no
yearly sales cap	no sales cap
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, and temporary food stands at events if you run the stand yourself
selling online orders	yes
selling delivering it yourself	yesyou, or an agent like an employee
selling shipping within the state	yesthe law allows delivery by mail
selling shipping to other states	uncleariowa’s law allows mail delivery without limiting it to iowa, but federal and other states’ rules may apply
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedonly with a home food processing establishment license

what can you sell from home in iowa?

you can sell

bread, rolls and cookies
cakes and fruit pies without cream fillings
jams and jellies
candy
granola and snack mixes
home-canned pickles, fruits and vegetables with a ph of 4.6 or lower, tested each batch

you can’t sell

foods that need refrigeration, like cheesecake, cream pies or custard
meat and poultry products
milk and dairy products, like cheese
unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juice
low-acid canned vegetables, like green beans

these are examples, not the full list. check the iowa department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (dial), food and consumer safety before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in iowa?

no state registration. iowa 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.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways iowa allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in iowa?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, and temporary food stands at events if you run the stand yourself
online orders	yes
delivering it yourself	yesyou, or an agent like an employee
shipping within the state	yesthe law allows delivery by mail
shipping to other states	uncleariowa’s law allows mail delivery without limiting it to iowa, but federal and other states’ rules may apply
to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedonly with a home food processing establishment license

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 iowa?

“This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”
the statement iowa requires on your label

the label also needs:

your name, plus your address, phone number or email
the common name of the food
ingredients in order of predominance
major allergens, by their common names
the date it was canned, for home-canned pickles, fruits or vegetables

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

when	what
2022	the cottage food law (hf 2431) took effect: no license for shelf-stable foods sold straight to consumers, with phone, online and mail sales allowed. a home food processing establishment license replaced the home bakery license

what else should you know in iowa?

home-canned pickles, fruits and vegetables are allowed only if you test every batch with a ph meter (4.6 or lower) or a water activity meter. keep your records, because the state can ask for them, even at the point of sale.
the home food processing establishment license costs $50 a year, needs at least one person with food safety training, comes with inspections, and is only for businesses under $50,000 in sales a year.
at an event, you can sell cottage foods from a temporary food stand only if you run the stand yourself and everything is packaged and labeled.

questions people ask

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

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

can i sell cottage food online in iowa?

yes. you can take orders and payment online.

can i ship cottage food in iowa?

yes, within iowa: the law allows delivery by mail.

how much can i sell from home in iowa?

there’s no yearly sales cap.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in iowa?

with limits: only with a home food processing establishment license.

what can’t i sell from home in iowa?

the usual no’s: foods that need refrigeration, like cheesecake, cream pies or custard, meat and poultry products, milk and dairy products, like cheese, unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juice, low-acid canned vegetables, like green beans. check with the iowa department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (dial), food and consumer safety before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against iowa’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the iowa department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (dial), food and consumer safety (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