the kentucky cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in kentucky, 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

kentucky: register first, a $60,000 sales cap, sell online, no shipping 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 kentucky as a home-based processor. register with the state food safety branch for $50 a year, stay under $60,000 in yearly sales, and make only foods on the state’s approved list, like bread, cakes, cookies, fruit pies, candy and jams. you can take orders online or by phone, but you hand the food over yourself: at home, by delivery, or at markets and events in kentucky. shipping isn’t allowed.

kentucky cottage food rules at a glance

kentucky cottage food rules at a glance
the law	kentucky home-based processor law (kentucky revised statutes 217.136 and 217.015(56))
who runs it	kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch
registration	yes home-based processor registration (form dfs-250) ($50 a year). renewed every year (all registrations expire march 31)
kitchen inspection	limitedsometimes
training	no
yearly sales cap	$60,000 a year
selling from your home	yespickup at your home
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, flea markets, festivals, fairs, craft fairs, charity events and roadside stands
selling online orders	yesyou can take orders and payment online, but you hand the food over in person
selling delivering it yourself	yesyou deliver it in person, within kentucky
selling shipping within the state	nothe state says home-based processors can’t ship
selling shipping to other states	no
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	nono sales to stores or permitted retail markets

what can you sell from home in kentucky?

you can sell

bread, cakes and cookies
fruit pies and pecan pies
candy made without alcohol
jams, jellies, preserves and fruit butters made from high-acid fruit
granola, trail mix and popcorn
dried herbs, spices and nuts
sorghum and maple syrup
dried or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables

you can’t sell

cream-filled pies, custard and meringue pies
cheesecake and cream pastries
pickles, salsa and other acidified or low-acid canned foods
garlic-in-oil products
pureed baby food
any food that isn’t on the state’s approved list

these are examples, not the full list. check the kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in kentucky?

register: a home-based processor registration (form dfs-250) from the kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch. it costs $50 a year. you renew it every year (all registrations expire march 31). start here.
get your kitchen inspected if the agency asks.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways kentucky allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in kentucky?

from your home	yespickup at your home
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, flea markets, festivals, fairs, craft fairs, charity events and roadside stands
online orders	yesyou can take orders and payment online, but you hand the food over in person
delivering it yourself	yesyou deliver it in person, within kentucky
shipping within the state	nothe state says home-based processors can’t ship
shipping to other states	no
to stores, cafes and restaurants	nono sales to stores or permitted retail markets

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 kentucky?

“This product is home-produced and processed”
the statement kentucky requires on your label

the label also needs:

your name and address
the common name of the food
ingredients in order by weight
net weight or volume
the date it was made
allergens, following federal rules

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

when	what
july 15, 2026	home-based processors can also make and sell pork lard or tallow-based cosmetic products under the same registration and label rules
march 2019	hb 468 set today’s rules: a $60,000 sales cap, sales from home, by delivery, at events and online, no need to grow a main ingredient, and state registration starting january 1, 2020

what else should you know in kentucky?

you must be a kentucky resident, and you can only make foods on the state’s approved list. applications that list other foods are rejected.
registration runs april 1 to march 31 and isn’t prorated, so registering in february still costs the full $50.
farmers who grow the main ingredients can sell pickles, salsa and other acidified or canned foods as certified home-based microprocessors, after university of kentucky extension training, at farmers markets, certified roadside stands or on the farm.
keep children under 12 and pets out of the kitchen while you make products to sell, and don’t do other household kitchen jobs at the same time.

questions people ask

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

yes. you need a home-based processor registration (form dfs-250) from the kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch. it costs $50 a year.

can i sell cottage food online in kentucky?

yes. you can take orders and payment online, but you hand the food over in person.

can i ship cottage food in kentucky?

not within kentucky: the state says home-based processors can’t ship. shipping to other states isn’t allowed either.

how much can i sell from home in kentucky?

up to $60,000 a year.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in kentucky?

no. no sales to stores or permitted retail markets.

what can’t i sell from home in kentucky?

the usual no’s: cream-filled pies, custard and meringue pies, cheesecake and cream pastries, pickles, salsa and other acidified or low-acid canned foods, garlic-in-oil products, pureed baby food. check with the kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against kentucky’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the kentucky cabinet for health and family services, department for public health, food safety branch (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