Indiana Cottage Food Law
A complete guide to cottage food regulations in Indiana (IN) — revenue limits, allowed products, labeling, and permitting requirements.
Requirements & Restrictions
Permitting & Registration
- Food Handler Certification
- Required
- Business License
- Not required
- State Registration
- Not required
Where You Can Sell
- direct to consumer (in person)
- farmers markets
- roadside stands
- fairs
- festivals
- town festivals
- online (with label available on webpage/market website)
- mail order / shipped to end consumer within Indiana
Allowed Products
- cookies
- cupcakes
- cake pops
- bread
- muffins
- chocolates
- nougats
- caramels
- chocolate covered nuts
- whole and uncut produce
- tree nuts
- legumes
- honey
- molasses
- sorghum
- maple syrup
- mushrooms grown as a product of agriculture
- traditional jams, jellies, and preserves made from high-acid fruits using full sugar recipes
- poultry (up to 1,000 birds, sold frozen at farmers markets/roadside stands, refrigerated or frozen at farm)
- rabbit processed on the farm
- chicken eggs
Prohibited Products
- pickles made by acidification or fermentation if sold in an oxygen-sealed container
- low acid and acidified foods (e.g., pickled green beans, pickled beets, salsa)
- shell eggs not from domestic chickens (e.g., duck, quail, turkey eggs — require separate permit)
- meat products
- garlic-in-oil mixtures that support pathogen growth
- cut melons, tomatoes, and lettuce
- raw seed sprouts
- food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated (unless otherwise exempted)
- food of plant origin that is heat-treated
Labeling Requirements
The following information must appear on every cottage food product label sold in Indiana:
Required Disclaimer
This product is home produced and processed, and the production area has not been inspected by the state department of health. NOT FOR RESALE.
Additional Notes
Indiana calls this program 'Home-Based Vendor' (HBV), governed by IC 16-42-5.3 (updated by HEA 1149 in 2022). No annual revenue cap is specified in the law. All sales must be direct to consumer; wholesale (e.g., to grocery stores) is prohibited and requires a separate permit. Products must be made in the vendor's primary residence or in an outbuilding on the same property; rented/commercial kitchens are not permitted. Food handler certificate must be from an ANSI-accredited issuer and must be provided upon request to the state or end consumer. HBVs are not subject to regular inspections but may be inspected if a complaint is received. Allergen labeling is explicitly NOT required per the FAQ. For online sales, the product label must be available on the vendor's webpage/market website. Records of shipped/mailed product sales must be maintained for at least one year. The date the food was processed must appear on the label. Quail must be inspected before sale and does not fall under poultry exemptions. Dehydrated/freeze-dried fruits and vegetables require consultation with Purdue Food Science and the local health department. The handbook was last updated Summer 2025 by the Indiana Department of Health in partnership with Purdue University FEMI.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the annual revenue limit for cottage food businesses in Indiana?
- Indiana does not impose a stated annual revenue limit on cottage food producers.
- Do I need a food handler certification to sell cottage food in Indiana?
- Yes. Indiana requires cottage food producers to hold a valid food handler certification.
- Is a business license required for cottage food sales in Indiana?
- No. Indiana does not require a business license to operate a cottage food business.
- Does Indiana require cottage food producers to register with the state?
- No. Indiana does not require cottage food producers to register with a state agency.
- Where can I legally sell cottage food products in Indiana?
- In Indiana, cottage food products may be sold at: direct to consumer (in person), farmers markets, roadside stands, fairs, festivals, town festivals, online (with label available on webpage/market website), mail order / shipped to end consumer within Indiana.
- What allergen labeling standard applies to cottage food in Indiana?
- Indiana follows the FDA Big Nine allergen standard for cottage food labeling.
- What products are allowed under Indiana cottage food law?
- The following product categories are permitted for cottage food production in Indiana: cookies, cupcakes, cake pops, bread, muffins, chocolates, nougats, caramels, chocolate covered nuts, whole and uncut produce, tree nuts, legumes, honey, molasses, sorghum, maple syrup, mushrooms grown as a product of agriculture, traditional jams, jellies, and preserves made from high-acid fruits using full sugar recipes, poultry (up to 1,000 birds, sold frozen at farmers markets/roadside stands, refrigerated or frozen at farm), rabbit processed on the farm, chicken eggs.
- What products are prohibited under Indiana cottage food law?
- The following products may not be sold under Indiana's cottage food exemption: pickles made by acidification or fermentation if sold in an oxygen-sealed container, low acid and acidified foods (e.g., pickled green beans, pickled beets, salsa), shell eggs not from domestic chickens (e.g., duck, quail, turkey eggs — require separate permit), meat products, garlic-in-oil mixtures that support pathogen growth, cut melons, tomatoes, and lettuce, raw seed sprouts, food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated (unless otherwise exempted), food of plant origin that is heat-treated.