Cottage Food Laws in Ohio
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes. In Ohio you can make and sell foods that don't need refrigeration, like cookies, breads, jams and candy, from your home kitchen without a license or inspection. You must put a full label on every item, including the words "This Product is Home Produced." You can only sell in Ohio, and only in certain places, such as from your home, at farmers markets, and through licensed stores and restaurants.[1]
At a glance
| Permit needed | No. No state license or inspection.[1] |
|---|---|
| Fee | None for cottage food. A Home Bakery license, needed only for refrigerated baked goods, is $10 a year.[1][3] |
| Where you make it | Your own home: the primary residence of the owner, with one ordinary home stove or oven (a double oven is OK).[1] |
| Label statement | "This Product is Home Produced." in 10-point type, plus name, net weight, ingredients and your name and address.[1] |
| Where you can sell | In Ohio only: from your home, farmers markets, registered farm markets, licensed grocery stores and restaurants, and festivals run by a local government (7 days or less).[1] |
| Online and shipping | Unclear. The state says sales must stay in Ohio. Clermont County Public Health says you can't sell over the internet. Ask the Ohio Department of Agriculture before you sell online.[1][2] |
| Agency | Ohio Department of Agriculture, Division of Food Safety, 614-728-6250[1] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Check that your food is on Ohio's allowed list
Cottage food in Ohio is a fixed list of foods that don't need refrigeration, like cookies, breads, fruit pies, candy, jams, granola and dry mixes. If your food isn't on the list, or it needs to stay cold, you can't sell it as cottage food.[1]
Make sure your kitchen counts as a "home"
You must cook in your primary residence, in an ordinary kitchen with one home-style stove or oven. A double oven is fine. A second, commercial-style oven is not.[1]
Make a label for every product
Each package needs: the food's name; the net weight in both US units (like ounces) and metric (grams); an ingredient list from heaviest to lightest; your business name and full street address; and the words "This Product is Home Produced." in 10-point type. You must also declare major food allergens, either in the ingredient list or in a "Contains:" line right after it. If you make a health or nutrition claim, like "low fat", you also need a Nutrition Facts panel.[1]
Sell only in Ohio, and only in the allowed places
You can sell from your home, at farmers markets and registered farm markets, through licensed grocery stores, and to licensed restaurants. You can also sell at a festival or celebration, but only if a city, county, village or other local government organizes it and it lasts seven days or less. A private craft show doesn't count.[1][2]
Want to sell baked goods that need refrigeration? Get a Home Bakery license
Cheesecakes, cream pies, custard pies and pumpkin pies are not cottage foods. To sell them from home you need a Home Bakery license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The department inspects your kitchen and gives you the application at the inspection. The license costs $10 a year and runs through September 30. You can't have pets in the home or carpet in the kitchen.[2][3]
What you can and can't sell[1]
Allowed
- Baked goods that don't need refrigeration: cookies, breads, brownies, cakes, fruit pies
- Candy, including no-bake cookies and chocolate-covered pretzels
- Jams, jellies and fruit butters
- Granola and granola bars (including bars dipped in candy)
- Popcorn: flavored popcorn, kettle corn, popcorn balls, caramel corn
- Unfilled baked donuts, waffle cones and pizzelles
- Dry cereal and nut snack mixes with seasonings
- Roasted coffee, whole bean or ground
- Dry baking mixes, dry soup mixes, dry herbs, dry seasoning blends and dry tea blends
- Fruit chutney
- Flavored honey and maple sugar, but only if made by an exempt beekeeper or tree-syrup maker
Not allowed
- Anything that needs refrigeration, like cheesecake, cream pies, custard pies and pumpkin pies
- Raw or cooked meat and other animal products, and cooked vegetables
- Garlic in oil
- Pickled or acidified foods, like pickles and canned beans
- Low-acid canned foods
- Freeze-dried foods
- Un-popped popping corn
- Any food that isn't on the allowed list, even if it's shelf-stable
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Make sure your kitchen counts as a "home" | Free |
| Want to sell baked goods that need refrigeration? Get a Home Bakery license | $10 |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $10 |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license or permit to sell cookies from home in Ohio?
No. Ohio exempts cottage food makers from state licensing and inspection. But the Ohio Department of Agriculture can still take samples of your products to check they are safe and correctly labeled, so your labels have to be right.[1]
What exactly does my label have to say?
It must include the words "This Product is Home Produced." in 10-point type. It also needs the food's name, net weight in US and metric units, the ingredients from heaviest to lightest, any major allergens, and your business name and street address. A phone number or website is optional and can't replace the address.[1]
Can I sell cheesecake or pumpkin pie as cottage food?
No. Those need refrigeration, so they aren't cottage food. You can sell them from home only with a Home Bakery license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which includes a kitchen inspection and costs $10 a year.[2][3]
Can I sell online or ship my cottage food?
Not out of state: Ohio cottage food may only be sold in Ohio. Selling online inside Ohio is less clear. Clermont County Public Health says you can't sell over the internet at all. Ask the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Food Safety (614-728-6250) before you set up online orders.[1][2]
Can I sell at a craft fair or festival?
Only if a local government, like a city, county or village, organizes the event and it lasts seven days or less. A craft show run by a private group doesn't qualify.[2]
Can I sell to a coffee shop or grocery store?
Yes. Licensed grocery stores can sell your labeled products, and licensed restaurants can sell them or use them in the food they make.[1]
Can I sell freeze-dried candy as cottage food?
No. The Ohio Department of Agriculture says freeze-drying is not allowed for cottage food.[1]
I rent my home. Can I still be a cottage food maker?
Possibly not. The state's definition of "home" says the primary residence occupied by the residence's owner. Ask the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Food Safety (614-728-6250) how this applies to you.[1]
Sources
- Fact Sheet: Cottage Food Production Operation (updated February 2023), Ohio Department of Agriculture (copy hosted by Portage County Health District). Checked October 24, 2026.
- Cottage Foods, Clermont County Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Home Bakery License Information, Gallia County Health Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
Related
- Food Truck Permits in Ohio
- Cottage Food Laws in Indiana
- Cottage Food Laws in Kentucky
- Cottage Food Laws in Pennsylvania
- Cottage Food Laws in West Virginia
- Cottage Food Laws by State
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Ohio Department of Agriculture, Division of Food Safety or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.