warebythe nebraska cottage food law, in plain english
what you can sell from your home kitchen in nebraska, 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.
on this page
1at a glance2what you can sell3how to start4where you can sell5labels6what’s changed7good to know8questions9sourcesyes, you can sell food from your home kitchen in nebraska. take a food safety course and register for free with the nebraska department of agriculture before your first sale. since 2024 you can sell most foods, including ones that need refrigeration like cheesecake, but not meat, fermented foods or home-canned low-acid foods. sell directly to customers at home, at events or online, deliver in person, and mail shelf-stable foods; there’s no sales cap.
nebraska cottage food rules at a glance
| the law | nebraska cottage food law (nebraska revised statutes, section 81-2,280 (with 81-2,245.01)) |
|---|---|
| who runs it | nebraska department of agriculture (nda) |
| registration | yes cottage food producer registration (free) |
| kitchen inspection | no |
| training | yesa food safety course before you register, like servsafe, statefoodsafety or unl’s cottage food course |
| yearly sales cap | no sales cap |
| selling from your home | yespickup at your home |
| selling at farmers markets and events | yesfarmers markets, fairs, festivals and craft shows |
| selling online orders | yespost the required kitchen notice on your website |
| selling delivering it yourself | yesfoods that need refrigeration: only you, in person, within two hours |
| selling shipping within the state | yesshelf-stable foods only, by mail or a parcel service |
| selling shipping to other states | unclearthe law doesn’t say; unl extension says mail only within nebraska |
| selling to stores, cafes and restaurants | nono selling through coffee shops, stores or restaurants |
what can you sell from home in nebraska?
you can sell
- breads, cookies, cakes and pies
- cheesecake, pudding and ice cream made with store-bought dairy
- cakes with whipped cream from store-bought cream
- jams and jellies made with pectin
- candy and chocolate-covered strawberries
you can’t sell
- meat, lard, tallow or bone broth
- fluid milk, cream, sour cream or yogurt
- foods with raw eggs
- unpasteurized juice
- infused oils or infused honey
- home-canned low-acid or sealed acidified foods, like bbq sauce
- kimchi, kombucha, tofu, tempeh and sprouts
these are examples, not the full list. check the nebraska department of agriculture (nda) before you sell something new.
how do you start a cottage food business in nebraska?
- register: a cottage food producer registration from the nebraska department of agriculture (nda). it’s free. start here.
- take the training: a food safety course before you register, like servsafe, statefoodsafety or unl’s cottage food course.
- label everything the way the law asks (below).
- start selling in the ways nebraska allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.
where and how can you sell in nebraska?
| from your home | yespickup at your home |
|---|---|
| at farmers markets and events | yesfarmers markets, fairs, festivals and craft shows |
| online orders | yespost the required kitchen notice on your website |
| delivering it yourself | yesfoods that need refrigeration: only you, in person, within two hours |
| shipping within the state | yesshelf-stable foods only, by mail or a parcel service |
| shipping to other states | unclearthe law doesn’t say; unl extension says mail only within nebraska |
| to stores, cafes and restaurants | nono selling through coffee shops, stores or restaurants |
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 nebraska?
the label also needs:
- your name and a mailing address where you can be reached
- ingredients, in order by weight, for foods that need refrigeration
what’s changed in nebraska, and what’s coming?
| when | what |
|---|---|
| july 19, 2024 | lb 262 allowed many foods that need refrigeration, like cheesecake, with in-person delivery and ingredient labels, and requires all food to be made in your home |
| 2019 | lb 304 created nebraska’s cottage food registration, allowing sales at events, pickup, delivery and mail |
what else should you know in nebraska?
- post a notice at your stand, at home, on your website and in your ads saying “this food was prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the regulatory authority and may contain allergens.”
- if you only sell shelf-stable foods at farmers markets, you don’t need the course or the registration, but you still need the notice and labels.
- foods that need refrigeration must stay at 41 degrees or colder, use dairy from a store or other licensed source, and can’t be in transit for more than two hours.
- if you use private well water, have it tested for nitrates and bacteria before you register.
questions people ask
do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in nebraska?
yes. you need a cottage food producer registration from the nebraska department of agriculture (nda). it’s free.
can i sell cottage food online in nebraska?
yes. post the required kitchen notice on your website.
can i ship cottage food in nebraska?
yes, within nebraska: shelf-stable foods only, by mail or a parcel service.
how much can i sell from home in nebraska?
there’s no yearly sales cap.
can i sell to stores or coffee shops in nebraska?
no. no selling through coffee shops, stores or restaurants.
what can’t i sell from home in nebraska?
the usual no’s: meat, lard, tallow or bone broth, fluid milk, cream, sour cream or yogurt, foods with raw eggs, unpasteurized juice, infused oils or infused honey. check with the nebraska department of agriculture (nda) before you sell something new.
sources
- nebraska department of agriculture: nebraska cottage food registration
- nebraska legislature: statute 81-2,280
- nebraska legislature: statute 81-2,245.01
- nebraska legislature: lb 304 (2019) slip law
- unl extension: cottage food law faq
- unl extension: lb262 takes effect july 19, 2024
this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against nebraska’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the nebraska department of agriculture (nda) (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.
we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story