Cottage food law & license in El Paso County, CO
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El Paso County Permits 101 for El Paso County, Colorado (74 pages). After you pay, you get lifetime access to premium dashboard features. Unlock the permit planning workspace on your dashboard.
Colorado cottage food — common first products
County zoning cannot expand a state ban. Check the product, then the local rules on this page.
What's in the El Paso County permit report
How to start in El Paso County
Permit, label, and local steps for selling under Colorado cottage food rules in El Paso County. Not legal advice.
Confirm your menu under state law
Colorado cottage food rules control what you may make at home (Allowed non-refrigerated nonpotentially hazardous foods include baked goods (including candies, tortillas, empanadas), pickled fruits and vegetables (pH 4.6 or below), jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butter, spices, teas, dehydrated produce, nuts, seeds, honey, flour, and fermented foods. Whole eggs may be sold under a 250-dozen-per-month limit.). El Paso County cannot expand a food the state bans.
Map channels and local sales rules
State sales cap: Tiered (see notes). On-site / porch pickup in El Paso County: Yes. Prefer markets or off-site pickup if residential customer traffic is restricted.
Local permits, tax, and home occupation
Home occupation permit: Conditional. Many places still need a general business license or tax certificate even when the state has no cottage food “permit.” Check planning, the clerk, and any HOA or lease before advertising your address.
Training, registration, inspection
State registration: Yes. Local inspection in El Paso County: Upon-complaint. Finish food handler training early — markets often ask for a copy.
Labels that match the state
Print labels with Colorado disclaimer and allergen rules before market day. Use the free Colorado label page for the one-pager checklist and mockup.
Insurance and first sales
Farmers markets often require a certificate of insurance. Soft-launch with pre-orders, keep a sales log, and re-verify rules if you change products or venues.
What usually goes on the package
- Product name (common or usual name of the food)
- Business or producer name
- Producer address (or address alternative your state allows)
- Ingredients in descending order by weight
- Major allergen disclosures (e.g. wheat, milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame)
- Net weight or quantity
- Home-kitchen disclaimer: “This product was produced in a home kitchen that is not subject to state licensure or inspection and that may also process common food allergens such as tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, soy, wheat, milk, fish, and crustacean shellfish. This product is not intended for resale.”
Planning checklist only. Confirm with state and local agencies before you sell.
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 reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
El Paso County cottage food reports
Home cottage-food permit stack — zoning, health, license, and what the state does not require.
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for El Paso County.
Download county report
Full Colorado License & Permit Guide (188 pages). Statute, all counties, and official source links.
Tier: 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.
Colorado cottage food 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 License & Permit Guide →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 Permit Guide $26
This page stays free — the El Paso County statute, zoning notes, and official links. Permit Guide 101 is the paid packet (74 pages): the home cottage-food permit stack (zoning, health, and business license), the checklist, and the dashboard workspace. That packet is not on this free page.
El Paso County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in El Paso County, Colorado?
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. State cottage food registration may also apply — check the Colorado guide at https://crosodo.com/states/colorado.
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.. Non-TCS baked goods are often exempt from kitchen inspection under state cottage food law, but local rules can differ.
What foods can I sell under Colorado cottage food law in El Paso County?
Allowed non-refrigerated nonpotentially hazardous foods include baked goods (including candies, tortillas, empanadas), pickled fruits and vegetables (pH 4.6 or below), jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butter, spices, teas, dehydrated produce, nuts, seeds, honey, flour, and fermented foods. Whole eggs may be sold under a 250-dozen-per-month limit. County zoning does not expand the state product list — if a food is banned by Colorado, it stays banned. Verify with the state agency before selling.
What is the sales cap for cottage food in Colorado?
Colorado state law lists cottage food sales at Tiered (see notes). There is typically no separate county sales cap, but local permits or zoning can still limit operations.
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.
The free county page is the short version. This is the full Colorado License & Permit Guide (188 pages) — statute, every county we have researched, and official source URLs. Stripe checkout. Cover letter, paid receipt, and the guide (PDF) licensed to your address.
Unlimited Pass. Your journey to getting permitted for cottage food sales. Premium dashboard tools, unlimited state and county reports, and the 50-state label report. Lifetime access. Includes the full Colorado License & Permit Guide (188 pages).
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 |
El Paso County baker discussion
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