Business8 min read·Vol. 0

Selling cottage food in Washington (2026 guide)

A plain-English walkthrough of Washington's cottage food rules — who needs to register, what you can sell, the labeling requirements, and how the sales cap actually works. Includes the official statute, the state department links, and a county-level companion guide.

If you bake out of your home in Washington, the rules you live by are set by the state's cottage food law — currently Revised Code of Washington, Title 69 Food, Drugs, Cosmetics, and Poisons, Chapter 69.22 Cottage Food Operations. 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 Washington state guide and the downloadable Washington 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 Washington State Department of Agriculture.

The quick facts

Cottage food tier: Good
Annual sales cap: No annual sales cap.
Registration required: Yes
Kitchen inspection: Yes
Food handler certification: Yes
Indirect sales (retail/online): No — direct-to-consumer only.
Statute: RCW §69.22.010–.040

What you can sell

Nonpotentially-hazardous baked goods; baked candies and stovetop candies; jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters (as defined in 21 C.F.R. §150); and other nonpotentially hazardous foods identified by the director by rule. No THC ingredients (0.3% or greater) permitted. No dollar sales cap is specified in the statute.

What's specifically excluded

Potentially hazardous (TCS) foods are prohibited. Products cannot be sold via internet, mail order, or for retail sale outside the state. No one other than the permittee or persons under their direct supervision may handle cottage food products or be in the kitchen during processing.

Where you can sell

Washington is a direct-to-consumer state under cottage food. That means farmers markets, home pickup, delivery you do yourself, roadside stands, and similar in-person channels. Selling through a grocery store, restaurant, or third-party retailer is not covered by the cottage food law — that's a commercial license question. See cottage food vs commercial kitchen for the move-up decision.

Labeling requirements

Every package must display: (1) business name and permit number; (2) product name; (3) ingredients in descending weight order; (4) net weight or volume; (5) allergen labeling per director's rules; (6) nutritional claim labeling if applicable; and (7) the statement 'Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.' in at least 11-point font in a contrasting color. Products must be stored only in the primary domestic residence.

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 Washington.

Common questions

Do I need to register before I start?

Yes. Registration goes through the official portal.

Do I need a food handler certification?

Yes. Washington requires a food handler or food safety certification for cottage food producers. The Washington State 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?

Yes — your home kitchen is subject to inspection. Confirm with your state department for the specifics on what triggers an inspection and what they look for.

What's the sales cap?

No annual sales cap.. No cap means scale is governed by your zoning and your time, not the cottage food law.

If you're just starting out

Read your statute. RCW §69.22.010–.040 It's shorter than you think.
Check your county. State law is the floor; your county can add zoning rules on top. The Crosodo Washington state guide lists the top counties with their specific requirements.
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.
Price it right. The cottage baker pricing post walks through unit economics — most new bakers underprice by 30%.
Label it correctly. Adapt the Texas label template to Washington's required disclaimer language.
Set up your back office. The cottage baker software stack post covers what we use day-to-day.

Official sources

If your county is missing from our Washington 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.

Crosodo Blog entries are recipe and craft notes from working cottage bakers. Recipes assume working with an active starter and basic equipment. Cottage food sales are governed by your state's law — see our state directory for legal details.