Kentucky Cottage Food Law Report
Complete reference for Kentucky's cottage food law — statute citation, sales cap, allowed products, registration requirements, and a county-by-county directory with health department, planning department, and zoning code links.
Kentucky Revised Statutes §217.136 — Home-Based Food Processors; Exemption from Permit Requirement and Fair Packaging and Labeling Laws (§217.137 addresses home-based microprocessors)
Verbatim Excerpt217.136 Home-based food processors -- Exemption from permit requirement and fair packaging and labeling laws -- Production, labeling, and sales of home-processed food products -- Inspections -- Registration system. (1) A home-based processor shall be exempt from KRS 217.035 and 217.037 if the following conditions are met: (a) All finished product containers are clean, sanitary, and properly labeled pursuant to subsection (3) of this section; (b) All home-processed foods produced under this exemption are neither adulterated nor misbranded pursuant to subsection (4) of this section; and (c) All glass containers for jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butter, and similar products are provided with suitable rigid metal covers. (2) A home-based processor shall not produce or process for sale acid foods, acidified food products, formulated acid food products, or low-acid canned foods. (3) A home-based processor shall label each of its food products and include the following information: (a) The name and address of the home-based processing operation; (b) The common or usual name of the food product; (c) The ingredients of the food product, in descending order of predominance by weight; (d) The net weight and volume of the food product by standard measure, or numerical count; (e) The following statement in ten (10) point type: "This product is home-produced and processed"; and (f) The date the product was processed. (5) Food products [...] may only be offered for sale directly to consumers within this state, including from the home-based processor's home, whether by pick-up or delivery, at a market, roadside stand, community event, or online. (12) Beginning January 1, 2020, a home-based processor shall be registered with the cabinet.
Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48558 →
Home-based processors may sell non-TCS baked goods (breads, cakes, cookies, pies, pastries), candies, jams and jellies, fruit butters, dried goods, syrups (maple and sorghum only), granola, snacks, and similar shelf-stable items. Whole eggs (separate exemption, up to 60 dozen/week) and honey (up to 150 gallons/year) are also allowed under separate provisions.
Acid foods, acidified food products, formulated acid food products, and low-acid canned foods are explicitly prohibited for home-based processors. Perishable items, pickles, salsas, sauces, ketchup, mustards, nut butters, oils, vinegars, pasta, fermented foods, juices, extracts, and meat jerkies are also prohibited under §217.136. (Acidified/low-acid canned foods may be sold through the separate home-based microprocessor pathway under §217.137.)
Labels must include: name and address of home-based processing operation, common/usual name of food product, ingredients in descending order by weight, net weight/volume or count, date processed, allergen information, and the statement 'This product is home-produced and processed' in 10-point type.
60000
Okay (IJ Grade D)
120
Kentucky Counties (120)
Cottage food registration usually happens at the county level. Click any county for local zoning, health department, and planning department links.
Where to verify Kentucky's rules
Data compiled from primary sources. Cottage food laws change — verify with your state agency before relying on this information.
Cottage food laws are amended every year. This is a starting reference, not legal advice. Verify with Kentucky Department for Public Healthand your local health department before relying on this data.