Iowa cottage food laws
Rules change, so always confirm with the official Iowa source.
The law: Iowa Cottage Food Law; Iowa Code Chapter 137F
What you can sell
Foods prepared in a private residence that do not require temperature control for safety may qualify, including shelf-stable baked goods.
What you can't sell
Foods requiring hot or cold holding, regulated milk products and regulated meat or poultry products are not cottage foods.
Do you need a license or permit?
No cottage-food licensing or routine inspection is required. The separate home food processing establishment license costs $50 annually and requires food safety training.
Sales limits
The cottage-food page states no dollar cap; a statutory no-cap finding was not separately confirmed. The distinct licensed home food processing establishment program has a $50,000 annual gross-sales cap.
Where you can sell
Cottage foods must go directly from producer to consumer, not through resale businesses. Producer-operated temporary establishments may sell properly packaged cottage foods; online/shipping/interstate details were not confirmed.
Label requirements
Include preparer name and address, phone or email; food name; ingredients in descending order; and major allergens. State: “This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”
Good to know
Do not confuse the license-free cottage-food route with the licensed home food processing route, which permits sales through businesses. Some details on this page could not be fully confirmed from official sources, so check with the state agency before you sell.
Pricing your products
Knowing your real cost per item matters as much as following the law.
Try Oven Elf free →Source: https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/food-establishments-hotels/cottage-food-law
General summary, not legal advice.
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