Do You Need a License to Sell Food From Home? (2026, by State)
In most states there is no traditional license, but many want a registration or permit first. Seventeen require nothing at all.
In most states you do not need a traditional business license to sell food from home, but you may need to register or get a permit first. Cottage food laws set up a lighter path than a full food business. Seventeen US jurisdictions ask for nothing before you start, most of the rest want a free or low-cost registration or permit and a handful run a fuller process with a course or a kitchen inspection. Which one applies is set by your state, so the honest answer to "do I need a license" is that it depends on your state. Here is how to tell.
License, registration or permit: the word your state uses matters
Searchers ask for a "cottage food license," but many states do not use that word. Some issue an actual license or permit. Many use a registration, which is often free or under $100. Seventeen require no state filing at all. The thing you are looking for might be called a registration or a permit in your state, so do not assume you are exempt just because your state never says "license." Your state page names the exact requirement and the office behind it.
The 17 states with no state registration
These jurisdictions let you start selling most homemade shelf-stable foods with no state registration, permit or license. You still follow the labeling and allowed-foods rules. Local zoning or a general business license can still apply, so check your city or county too.
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
The states that require a registration or permit
Most states ask you to register or get a permit before your first sale. It is usually a short online or mail filing, sometimes with a small fee and sometimes free. These states require it up front:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington.
The states where it depends on your food or your channel
In these states the answer turns on what you make or how you sell it. Many home producers need no filing, while certain foods, often refrigerated or canned items, or certain channels like shipping or wholesale, trigger a registration or permit:
Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.
Find your state's exact requirement
Open your state page for the precise rule, the office that handles it and the official source. Or use the free can-I-sell-this checker to see the requirement for a specific food. The cost-by-state guide shows what any fee runs.
Get the whole path in one place
From the team behind this library
The Cottage Food Launch Kit
Want the whole path in one place? The Cottage Food Launch Kit turns the rules for your state into one ordered walkthrough: your requirement sheet, a fill-in label template with the exact required wording, the allowed-foods checker, the ordered checklist and your first-market plan.
This guide is educational information, not legal advice. Whether you need a license, a registration or a permit is set by your state and sometimes your county. Confirm the current rule with your state before you sell.
License and permit FAQ
Do I need a license to sell food from home?
It depends on your state. Seventeen US jurisdictions require no state registration, permit or license to sell most homemade foods. The rest ask for a registration or a permit before your first sale. A few add a food-safety course or a kitchen inspection on top. Your state page names the exact requirement and links the office that handles it.
Do I need a permit to sell food from home?
In many states, yes. What some states call a permit, others call a registration or a license; the words vary but the idea is the same, a filing you complete before you sell. Seventeen jurisdictions require none at all. Check your state page for whether a permit applies to you and what it costs.
Can you sell food from home without a license?
Yes. In seventeen US jurisdictions you can sell most homemade shelf-stable foods with no state license, permit or registration at all, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho among them. Everywhere else you complete a registration or permit first. Local zoning or a general business license can still apply even where the state asks for nothing.
Do I need a cottage food license?
Maybe, though your state may not call it a license. Some states issue a cottage food license or permit, many use a free or low-cost registration and seventeen require nothing. If your search for a "cottage food license" turns up a "registration" instead, that registration is your requirement. Your state page names it.