Cottage food laws in El Paso County, CO
El Paso County, Colorado — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
El Paso County is a top-100 county by population in Colorado (pop. 730,323). Under Colorado's Great-tier cottage food law (sales cap: Tiered (see notes)), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: Yes. Start with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm El Paso County health and planning requirements via the health department and planning / zoning links on this page. Local notes for El Paso County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. El Paso County follows Colorado state baseline for cottage food. The $10,000 per-product (not total) cap is a distinctive Colorado feature. Colorado Springs is the dominant municipality and Colorado's second-largest city. Pending HB 26-1033 (Tamale Act) would expand permitted foods and remove the per-product cap effective January 1, 2027. Free CDPHE registration required. No El Paso County-specific cottage food ordinance found. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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El Paso County cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in Colorado, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for El Paso County.
County PDFTier: Great
Colorado's cottage food law is permissive (Great tier) — high or no sales cap, broad product list, and multiple sales channels allowed. The state baseline is workable for full-time operations; the county still controls zoning and inspection.
View state law →Health department
Many states delegate cottage food registration and inspection to the county health department. Contact theirs for the local process.
Home occupation rules
The county or city zoning code governs whether you can run a home-based food business — customer visits, signage, employees, floor area.
Home kitchen, inspection, and zoning rules for El Paso County
State baseline: C.R.S. §25-4-1614 (Colorado Cottage Foods Act); per-product cap $10,000/year; CDPHE registration required
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- State baseline applies. Free CDPHE registration required. $10,000 annual cap per product (not total revenue). Food handler certification required (CSU Extension, online course, or local health dept). Complaint-based inspection only.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- Not specified; standard sanitation applies
- Water supply
- Potable water; state baseline
- Handwashing
- Food handler certification from an approved course required (CSU Extension ~$50, or online ~$10-15)
- Food storage
- Standard food storage; non-PHF only
- Inspection required
- Upon-complaint
- Inspection trigger
- CDPHE or El Paso County Public Health may inspect upon complaint. No routine inspections.
- Home occupation permit
- Conditional
- Permit details
- City of Colorado Springs has home occupation permit requirements. Contact Colorado Springs Planning Division or Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. El Paso County Community Services applies to unincorporated areas. State cottage food law does not preempt local zoning for home occupations.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct sales only: in-person, online with in-state delivery, farmers markets, events. No wholesale. $10,000 per-product annual cap (no total revenue cap across all products). Whole eggs separately allowed up to 250 dozen/month.
- Max employees in home
- unknown
- Relevant code section
- C.R.S. §25-4-1614; Colorado Springs City Code for home occupations
El Paso County follows Colorado state baseline for cottage food. The $10,000 per-product (not total) cap is a distinctive Colorado feature. Colorado Springs is the dominant municipality and Colorado's second-largest city. Pending HB 26-1033 (Tamale Act) would expand permitted foods and remove the per-product cap effective January 1, 2027. Free CDPHE registration required. No El Paso County-specific cottage food ordinance found.
Colorado Cottage Foods Act
Full Colorado state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt25-4-1614. Home kitchens - exemption - food inspection - short title - definitions - rules. (2)(b)(I) A producer is permitted under this section to sell only a limited range of foods that have been produced, processed, or packaged that are nonpotentially hazardous and do not require refrigeration. These foods include pickled fruits and vegetables, spices, teas, dehydrated produce, nuts, seeds, honey, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butter, flour, and baked goods, including candies, fruit empanadas, and tortillas and other nonpotentially hazardous foods. (2)(c) A producer must take a food safety course that includes basic food handling training and is comparable to, or is, a course given by the Colorado state university extension service or a state, county, or district public health agency and must maintain a status of good standing in accordance with the course requirements. (2)(e) This section applies only to producers who earn net revenues of ten thousand dollars or less per calendar year from the sale of each eligible food product produced in the producer's home kitchen. (3)(a) A food product sold under this section must have an affixed label that includes at least: the name of the food product; the producer's name, the address at which the food was prepared, and the producer's current telephone number or electronic mail address; and a statement that reads: "This product was produced in a home kitchen that is not subject to state licensure or inspection. This product is not intended for resale."
Source: leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40283/download →
El Paso County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in El Paso County, Colorado?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: State baseline applies. Free CDPHE registration required. $10,000 annual cap per product (not total revenue). Food handler certification required (CSU Extension, online course, or local health dept). Complaint-based inspection only.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in El Paso County?
Inspection: Upon-complaint. Trigger: CDPHE or El Paso County Public Health may inspect upon complaint. No routine inspections..
Do I need a home occupation permit in El Paso County?
Home occupation permit: Conditional. City of Colorado Springs has home occupation permit requirements. Contact Colorado Springs Planning Division or Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. El Paso County Community Services applies to unincorporated areas. State cottage food law does not preempt local zoning for home occupations.
What is the Colorado cottage food sales cap?
Colorado state law caps cottage food sales at Tiered (see notes). County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify El Paso County rules
El Paso County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | El Paso County This county | Douglas County | Pueblo County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Conditional | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | Not specified; standard sanitation applies | No specific state restriction in cottage food law. | No explicit state restriction; food handler training addresses safety practices. |
| Inspection required | Upon-complaint | Upon-complaint | Upon-complaint |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Conditional |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct sales only: in-person, online with in-state delivery, farmers markets, events. No wholesale. $10,000 per-product annual cap (no tota… | Direct sales only (Colorado cottage food law is direct-to-consumer only). Internet sales permitted. In-state delivery permitted. No wholesa… | Direct sales from home (limited per zoning), farmers markets, and online within Colorado. |
| Home occupation permit | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Yes |
| Restrictions | State baseline applies. Free CDPHE registration required. $10,000 annual cap per product (not total revenue). Food handler certification re… | Colorado Cottage Food Act (C.R.S. §25-4-1614) allows non-refrigerated, non-PHF foods with no licensing or inspection required. Annual sales… | Free CDPHE registration required. Food handler course required (CSU Extension, online, or local health dept course). Annual cap $10,000 per… |
| Food storage | Standard food storage; non-PHF only | Non-refrigerated, non-PHF finished products only. | Non-refrigerated products stored in sanitary conditions. |
| Population | 730,323 | 360,206 | 168,135 |
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