warebythe ohio cottage food law, in plain english
what you can sell from your home kitchen in ohio, 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 sell5labels6good to know7questions8sourcesyes, you can sell homemade food in ohio. for shelf-stable foods on the state’s cottage food list, like breads, cookies, jams and candy, you don’t need a license, inspection or training, and there’s no sales cap; just label everything. baked goods that need refrigeration, like cheesecake or cream pies, need a $10 a year home bakery license from the ohio department of agriculture, which includes a kitchen inspection. you can sell from home, at farmers markets and to licensed stores and restaurants, but only inside ohio.
ohio cottage food rules at a glance
| the law | ohio cottage food law and home bakery license (ohio revised code 3715.01, 3715.023 and 3715.025, and ohio administrative code chapter 901:3-20 (cottage food); ohio revised code 911.02 (home bakeries)) |
|---|---|
| who runs it | ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety |
| registration | yes none for cottage food; a home bakery license for baked goods that need refrigeration (free for cottage food; $10 a year for a home bakery license). renewed home bakery license: every year, by september 30 |
| kitchen inspection | limitedsometimes |
| training | no |
| yearly sales cap | no sales cap |
| selling from your home | yes |
| selling at farmers markets and events | limitedfarmers markets, farm markets and festivals run by a local government (up to 7 days) are fine; craft fairs and other events need a local temporary license |
| selling online orders | unclearstate rules don’t address it, and at least one county health department says cottage food can’t be sold online |
| selling delivering it yourself | unclearstate rules don’t address it; ask your county health department |
| selling shipping within the state | unclearstate rules don’t address it; ask your county health department |
| selling shipping to other states | no |
| selling to stores, cafes and restaurants | yeslicensed stores, restaurants and food businesses can sell your labeled products or use them as ingredients |
what can you sell from home in ohio?
you can sell
- breads, cookies, cakes and fruit pies that don’t need refrigeration
- jams, jellies, fruit butters and fruit chutneys
- candy, including freeze-dried candy
- granola, granola bars and snack mixes
- popcorn, kettle corn and caramel corn
- roasted coffee
- dry baking mixes, soup mixes, seasoning blends and tea blends
you can’t sell
- cheesecake and cream, custard, meringue or pumpkin pies, unless you have a home bakery license
- candy-dipped fresh fruit
- salsa, pickles and other acidified foods
- canned vegetables and other low-acid canned foods
- anything not on the state’s approved cottage food list
these are examples, not the full list. check the ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety before you sell something new.
how do you start a cottage food business in ohio?
- register if your sales or foods call for it: a none for cottage food; a home bakery license for baked goods that need refrigeration from the ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety. it’s free for cottage food; $10 a year for a home bakery license. you renew it home bakery license: every year, by september 30.
- get your kitchen inspected if the agency asks.
- label everything the way the law asks (below).
- start selling in the ways ohio allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.
where and how can you sell in ohio?
| from your home | yes |
|---|---|
| at farmers markets and events | limitedfarmers markets, farm markets and festivals run by a local government (up to 7 days) are fine; craft fairs and other events need a local temporary license |
| online orders | unclearstate rules don’t address it, and at least one county health department says cottage food can’t be sold online |
| delivering it yourself | unclearstate rules don’t address it; ask your county health department |
| shipping within the state | unclearstate rules don’t address it; ask your county health department |
| shipping to other states | no |
| to stores, cafes and restaurants | yeslicensed stores, restaurants and food businesses can sell your labeled products or use them as ingredients |
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 ohio?
“This product is home produced.”
the statement ohio requires on your label
the label also needs:
- your business name and address
- the product name
- ingredients in order by weight, including sub-ingredients
- net weight or volume
- allergens, in a “contains” statement
- nutrition facts, only if you make a claim like low fat
what else should you know in ohio?
- your kitchen must be in your own primary home, with one stove or oven (a double oven is ok) and no commercial equipment.
- package and label cottage foods before they leave your home, and don’t vacuum-seal them.
- selling at a craft fair, church festival or similar event takes a temporary or mobile license from your local health department, and so does selling home bakery items anywhere outside your home.
- print the required statement in ten-point type.
questions people ask
do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in ohio?
it depends on what and how much you sell. ohio’s rules call for a none for cottage food; a home bakery license for baked goods that need refrigeration in some cases: check with the ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety.
can i sell cottage food online in ohio?
the rules don’t say clearly. state rules don’t address it, and at least one county health department says cottage food can’t be sold online.
can i ship cottage food in ohio?
the rules aren’t clear on shipping within ohio: state rules don’t address it; ask your county health department. you can’t ship to other states.
how much can i sell from home in ohio?
there’s no yearly sales cap.
can i sell to stores or coffee shops in ohio?
yes. licensed stores, restaurants and food businesses can sell your labeled products or use them as ingredients.
what can’t i sell from home in ohio?
the usual no’s: cheesecake and cream, custard, meringue or pumpkin pies, unless you have a home bakery license, candy-dipped fresh fruit, salsa, pickles and other acidified foods, canned vegetables and other low-acid canned foods, anything not on the state’s approved cottage food list. check with the ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety before you sell something new.
sources
- ohio administrative code chapter 901:3-20: cottage food
- ohio administrative code 901:3-20-04: cottage food products allowed
- ohio administrative code 901:3-20-05: prohibitions
- ohio revised code 3715.01: definitions
- ohio revised code 3715.023: labeling
- ohio revised code 3715.025: restrictions on cottage food production operations
- ohio revised code 3717.22: exemptions from retail food licensing
- ohio revised code 911.02: bakery registration and home bakery fee
- hamilton county public health: cottage food operation pamphlet
- ohio state university extension, farm office: ohio cottage foods posts
- forrager: ohio
- forrager: ohio hb 134
this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against ohio’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the ohio department of agriculture, division of food safety (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