Selling cottage food in Oregon (2026 guide)

If you bake out of your home in Oregon, the rules you live by are set by the state's cottage food law — currently Oregon Revised Statutes §616.723, Food establishments in residential dwellings (as amended by Oregon SB 643, 2023 Regular Session). It's a Good-tier law on the Crosodo scale: workable for most home bakers — moderate restrictions and a reasonable cap. This post is the plain-English version. The full breakdown — every county-specific zoning rule, the registration link, the latest verified statute citation — lives on the Crosodo Oregon state guide and the downloadable Oregon PDF report.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly and call the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

The quick facts

What you can sell

Packaged, non-potentially-hazardous foods made in a residential dwelling are permitted, including baked goods, confectionery items, coffee beans, teas, popcorn, jams, jellies, honey, syrups, fruit butters, nut mixes, repackaged freeze-dried foods, repackaged dried and dehydrated foods, and powdered drink mixes. Cannabis-containing foods are excluded. Direct sales to end users are permitted in any manner — from home, online, through the mail, and at events.

What's specifically excluded

Potentially hazardous foods (requiring temperature control) are prohibited. Cannabis-containing foods are expressly excluded. Residential-dwelling establishments may not sell to institutions (caterers, schools, day care centers, hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, or restaurants). Sales to retailers are permitted under specific conditions.

Where you can sell

Direct-to-consumer is always covered: farmers markets, home pickup, delivery, roadside stands, events. The interesting question is indirect sales — through a coffee shop, a grocery, a third-party retailer, or online with shipping. On indirect sales here: Direct sales to end users are permitted in any manner including online, mail, and at events. Sales to retailers (including coffee shops but not restaurants) are permitted if the retailer agrees to store/display the foods separately and clearly indicate they are homemade and not prepared in an inspected food establishment. Sales to institutions (restaurants, schools, hospitals, caterers, day care centers, nursing homes, correctional facilities) are prohibited. A Domestic Kitchen Bakery License (~$50/year) is required for establishments wishing to sell to retailers under licensed status rather than using the residential-dwelling exemption. The department may provide a unique identification number for use on labels. Annual records must be maintained for 3 years.

Labeling requirements

Each product label must include: the statement 'This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment' (or equivalent), product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, net volume, name and phone number of the establishment, address or unique identification number, applicable allergen warnings, and presence of pets in the dwelling. If nutrient content or health claims are made, nutritional information is also required.

Texas has the most detailed plain-English label walkthrough we've published — the structure translates well to most other states. See how to label cottage food in Texas for a copy-paste template you can adapt for Oregon.

Common questions

Do I need to register before I start?

No — Oregon does not require home bakers to register before selling cottage food. That said, you should still keep clean records, follow the labeling rules, and check whether your county or city imposes its own home-occupation permit or business license. County-level details for Oregon are on the Crosodo Oregon state guide.

Do I need a food handler certification?

Yes. Oregon requires a food handler or food safety certification for cottage food producers. The Oregon Department of Agriculture maintains a list of accepted courses — most cost $10-$15 and take about 90 minutes online. Get this done before your first sale.

Is my home kitchen inspected?

No — Oregon does not require routine home kitchen inspections for cottage food. That's the whole point of the law: your kitchen isn't a regulated facility.

What's the sales cap?

$50,000 per year. Caps are gross sales, not profit. When you start approaching the cap, that's the signal to read cottage food vs commercial kitchen — it walks through the move-up math.

If you're just starting out

1. Read your statute. ORS §616.723 It's shorter than you think.
2. Check your county. State law is the floor; your county can add zoning rules on top. The Crosodo Oregon state guide lists the top counties with their specific requirements.
3. Pick what you'll bake. The top selling sourdough loaves and beyond bread (cookies, buns, scones) posts cover what tends to actually sell at farmers markets.
4. Price it right. The cottage baker pricing post walks through unit economics — most new bakers underprice by 30%.
5. Label it correctly. Adapt the Texas label template to Oregon's required disclaimer language.
6. Set up your back office. The cottage baker software stack post covers what we use day-to-day.

Official sources

• ORS §616.723
• Oregon Department of Agriculture
• State extension service guidance
• Forrager — Oregon
• Crosodo Oregon state guide
• Crosodo Oregon PDF report

If your county is missing from our Oregon directory, tell us and we'll add it next. And if you want one of our sourdough varsity shirts while you proof your starter, the shop is here.