Every permit you need to open, in the right order.

Plain-English guides to the permits, licenses, fees and forms for small food businesses, for your state and city. Every rule links to its official source and shows the date we last checked it.

Cottage Food Laws by State

Selling baked goods, candy or jam from your home kitchen? What you can sell, sales caps, labels and permits.

48 state guides so far

Pick your state

Food Truck Permits by State

Every permit a food truck needs, in order: health permit, commissary, fire inspection, city vending rules and fees.

48 state guides so far

Pick your state

How it works

Pick your state, and your city if it has its own guide.
Follow the steps in order. Each guide lists every permit and license, who issues it, what it costs and which form to file.
Check the source. Every fee and rule links to the official page it comes from, so you can confirm it before you apply.

Cottage food guides by state

Food truck guides by state

City guides

Why trust these guides?

Official sources. Every fee and rule links to the statute, agency page or form it comes from.
Checked by a person. No guide goes live until someone has checked every fact against its source.
Dated and watched. Each guide shows when it was last verified, and we track law changes in our law changes log.

Read how we verify