the pennsylvania cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in pennsylvania, 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

pennsylvania: a permit, 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 6good to know 7questions 8sources

the short answer

yes, you can run a food business from your home kitchen in pennsylvania, but you have to register it with the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda) as a limited food establishment. it costs $35 a year, and pda reviews your plans and inspects your kitchen before you can sell. there’s no sales cap, and you can sell foods that don’t need refrigeration, like breads, cookies, fruit pies, candy and jams, from home, at markets and events, and online. plan ahead: pda wants your application at least 60 days before you start.

pennsylvania cottage food rules at a glance

pennsylvania cottage food rules at a glance
the law	pennsylvania limited food establishment registration (pennsylvania food safety act, 3 pa.c.s. sections 5721 to 5737 (registration and $35 fee: section 5734))
who runs it	pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services
registration	yes limited food establishment registration ($35 a year). renewed every year
kitchen inspection	yes
training	no
yearly sales cap	no sales cap
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, community events and roadside stands. some markets and events also need a retail food facility license.
selling online orders	yespda says your registration covers internet sales.
selling delivering it yourself	yespda’s guidance doesn’t limit who delivers. your business plan has to say how you’ll deliver.
selling shipping within the state	yesinternet sales are allowed. put a full label on anything you ship.
selling shipping to other states	limitedallowed, but federal rules kick in: you may need fda registration, plus nutrition labeling or an fda small business exemption.
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	unclearpda says this registration is for direct sales and wholesale needs a different license, but also that some stores may carry your labeled products. ask pda first.

what can you sell from home in pennsylvania?

you can sell

breads, rolls and bagels
cookies, brownies and cakes without cream fillings
fruit pies
fudge, chocolates and hard candy
jams and jellies
pickles, salsa and other acidified foods, after lab testing
dry mixes, spices, nuts and granola

you can’t sell

cheesecake and pumpkin pie
cream, custard or meringue pies and pastries
baked goods with meat or cheese
low-acid canned foods, like green beans or soup
garlic in oil
cut fresh fruit and vegetables
freshly brewed coffee and tea

these are examples, not the full list. check the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in pennsylvania?

get your permit: a limited food establishment registration from the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services. it costs $35 a year. you renew it every year. start here.
get your kitchen inspected.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways pennsylvania allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in pennsylvania?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, community events and roadside stands. some markets and events also need a retail food facility license.
online orders	yespda says your registration covers internet sales.
delivering it yourself	yespda’s guidance doesn’t limit who delivers. your business plan has to say how you’ll deliver.
shipping within the state	yesinternet sales are allowed. put a full label on anything you ship.
shipping to other states	limitedallowed, but federal rules kick in: you may need fda registration, plus nutrition labeling or an fda small business exemption.
to stores, cafes and restaurants	unclearpda says this registration is for direct sales and wholesale needs a different license, but also that some stores may carry your labeled products. ask pda first.

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 pennsylvania?

the label also needs:

product name
ingredients, in order by weight, including sub-ingredients
allergens
your business name and address
net weight or count, in the bottom third of the front panel, at least 8-point type

what else should you know in pennsylvania?

you can’t register a home kitchen as a limited food establishment in philadelphia county.
pda’s pet rule is strict: no pets in the home if you use your own kitchen, unless the work area is fully closed off from pets and has its own outside entrance.
if your county has its own health department, get its license before pda’s, and check local zoning. on a private well, test your water for coliform and nitrate/nitrite before you apply, then for coliform every year.
baked goods you sell yourself, straight to a pennsylvania customer at home or at your own market stand, don’t need a label, but you must share the ingredients if asked.

questions people ask

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

yes. pennsylvania requires a limited food establishment registration from the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services, with a kitchen inspection.

can i sell cottage food online in pennsylvania?

yes. pda says your registration covers internet sales.

can i ship cottage food in pennsylvania?

yes, within pennsylvania: internet sales are allowed. put a full label on anything you ship. shipping to other states is limited. allowed, but federal rules kick in: you may need fda registration, plus nutrition labeling or an fda small business exemption.

how much can i sell from home in pennsylvania?

there’s no yearly sales cap.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in pennsylvania?

the rules don’t say clearly. pda says this registration is for direct sales and wholesale needs a different license, but also that some stores may carry your labeled products. ask pda first.

what can’t i sell from home in pennsylvania?

the usual no’s: cheesecake and pumpkin pie, cream, custard or meringue pies and pastries, baked goods with meat or cheese, low-acid canned foods, like green beans or soup, garlic in oil. check with the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against pennsylvania’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the pennsylvania department of agriculture (pda), bureau of food safety and laboratory services (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