Illinois Cottage Food Law
Tier: Great. No or very high sales cap, broad product list, multiple sales channels including retail and online. Most home bakers can run a meaningful operation here.
None
Illinois uses a 'prohibited list' approach — everything not prohibited is allowed, including baked goods, candies, condiments (honey, ketchup, mustards, nut butters, oils, pickles, salsas, sauces, syrups, vinegars), dry goods, pastries, preserves (including acidified foods and fermented foods with extra requirements), snacks, carbonated drinks, extracts, frozen produce, hardboiled eggs, and juices. Many perishable foods are allowed for direct in-state sales but may not be shipped.
Registration: Yes. Food handler cert: Yes (specific course).
Illinois Compiled Statutes 410 ILCS 625/4, Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act, Section 4 (Cottage food operation); as amended by Public Act 102-0633 (SB 2007, eff. January 2022) and Public Act 103-0903 (SB 2617, eff. January 2025)
Verbatim excerpt(410 ILCS 625/4) Sec. 4. Cottage food operation. (a) For the purpose of this Section: 'Cottage food operation' means an operation conducted by a person who produces or packages food or drink, other than foods and drinks listed as prohibited in paragraph (1.5) of subsection (b) of this Section, in a kitchen located in that person's primary domestic residence or another appropriately designed and equipped kitchen on a farm residential or commercial-style kitchen on that property for direct sale by the owner, a family member, or employee. (b) A cottage food operation may produce homemade food and drink provided that all of the following conditions are met: (1.3) A cottage food operation must register with the local health department for the unit of local government in which it is located, but may sell products outside of the unit of local government where the cottage food operation is located. (1.5) A cottage food operation shall not sell or offer to sell the following food items: (A) meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or shellfish; (B) dairy, except as an ingredient in a non-potentially hazardous baked good or candy; (C) eggs, except as an ingredient in a non-potentially hazardous food; (D) pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, cheesecakes, custard pies, creme pies, and pastries with potentially hazardous fillings or toppings; (E) garlic in oil or oil infused with garlic, except if acidified; (F) low-acid canned foods; (G) sprouts; (H) cut leafy greens, except dehydrated, acidified, or blanched and frozen; (M) alcoholic beverages; or (N) kombucha.
Source: ilga.gov/Documents/Legislation/PublicActs/102/PDF/102-0633.pdf →
Illinois Cottage Food Law — Full PDF report
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2024 Cottage Food Guide
Official agency guidance changes without notice. The text below is reproduced for reference only — always confirm current rules on the agency website before relying on it.
- Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/2024-10/cottage_food_guide.pdf
This guide was developed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in partnership with cottage food advocacy groups, local health departments, University of Illinois Extension, cottage food producers, and economic development organizations. The purpose is to support cottage food businesses, grow a thriving cottage food industry in Illinois, and ensure that cottage food products are safe, healthy, and enjoyable for all.
What Is a Cottage Food Operation?
- A Cottage Food Operation means an operation conducted by a person who produces or packages food or drink, other than foods and drinks listed as prohibited in the law, in a kitchen located in that person's primary domestic residence or another appropriately designed and equipped kitchen on a farm for direct sale by the owner, a family member, or employee.
- All sales must be direct-to-customer by the owner, a family member, or an employee listed on the Cottage Food Operator Registration Form. Cottage food products may not be repacked, sold, or distributed by a third party.
- Cottage food operations must be registered as a Cottage Food Operator with their local health department in the county or municipality in which they reside.
- No.
- If you are a farmer, yes. If you are not a farmer, then no. The law is written this way in order to prevent persons from turning outbuildings into storefronts.
Registration
- The fee to register is capped at $50 by law. Your local health department may charge between $0 and $50.
- You must register annually.
- No. Unlike restaurants and retailers, your home kitchen will not be inspected by a local health department upon registration. However, a local health department may inspect your home kitchen if there is cause to believe your products are not safe or not in compliance with the law.
- Registration does not involve an inspection and generally refers to a simpler process. Licensure comes with inspections and a formal process with related costs. A commercial kitchen is a licensed operation.
Prohibited Products
- As of January 1, 2018, all food and drink are permitted, except for what is specifically prohibited in the law:
- Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or shellfish.
- Dairy, except as an ingredient in a non-potentially hazardous baked good or candy, or as an ingredient in a baked good frosting such as buttercream.
- Eggs, except as an ingredient in a non-potentially hazardous food or as an ingredient in a baked good frosting such as buttercream, if the eggs are not raw.
- Pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, cheesecakes, custard pies, creme pies, and pastries with potentially hazardous fillings or toppings.
- Garlic in oil or oil infused with garlic, except if the garlic oil is acidified.
- Low-acid canned foods; sprouts; cut leafy greens (except dehydrated, acidified or blanched and frozen); cut or puréed fresh tomato or melon; dehydrated tomato or melon; frozen cut melon; wild-harvested non-cultivated mushrooms; alcoholic beverages; kombucha.
FAQ: Allowed Foods
- Yes, as long as you do not sell your product as a medicine or advertise any health claims.
- No. Kombucha is directly prohibited in the law.
- Yes. Honey is a product regulated under the USDA and not considered a cottage food product.
- Yes, as long as no prohibited ingredients (such as meat, dairy, etc.) are included. For safety, aim for a water activity of 0.85 or less.
FAQ: Sales Avenues
- No. In previous versions of the bill there had been limits, but those no longer apply.
- The Illinois Cottage Food Law only regulates sales within state lines. Products crossing state lines are considered interstate commerce and subject to Federal rules and regulations.
- No. Cottage food laws specifically state "Food and drink produced by a Cottage Food Operation shall be sold directly to consumers for their own consumption and not for resale."
- No. The use of an ingredient in an item that will be sold is considered resale.
- Yes, however, sales may only happen within the state of Illinois. You are not allowed to ship or deliver out of state. You must provide clear signage on your Etsy page that your product was made in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department.
Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)
- All cottage food operators, and any person helping to prepare or package food products as part of the cottage food operation, must have completed the Certified Food Protection Manager certification course and passed the exam before the cottage food registration can be approved.
- Look for a course that is ANSI accredited, at least eight hours long, with a proctored exam. The cost of the training varies, but the range is usually between $100 and $300, and is valid for five years.
- NOTE: The food handler training is NOT valid for cottage food operators.
Reproduced from the official IDPH / University of Illinois Extension 2024 Cottage Food Guide. Verify current rules with your local health department.
Illinois Counties
102 counties tracked. Pick yours for the local zoning + health department links.
View all 102 counties →City zoning rules in Illinois
City zoning rules apply on top of the state cottage food law — home occupation, customer pickup, signage, and employees.
The Cottage Baker's Field Guide (PDF)
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Illinois cottage food law — FAQ
Do I need a license or permit to sell homemade food in Illinois?
Yes — Yes. Food handler certification: Yes (specific course).
What foods can I sell under the Illinois cottage food law?
Illinois uses a 'prohibited list' approach — everything not prohibited is allowed, including baked goods, candies, condiments (honey, ketchup, mustards, nut butters, oils, pickles, salsas, sauces, syrups, vinegars), dry goods, pastries, preserves (including acidified foods and fermented foods with extra requirements), snacks, carbonated drinks, extracts, frozen produce, hardboiled eggs, and juices. Many perishable foods are allowed for direct in-state sales but may not be shipped.
Is there a sales cap for cottage food in Illinois?
None
How good is Illinois's cottage food law?
Illinois is a Great-tier cottage food state by Crosodo's rating criteria. No or very high sales cap, broad product list, multiple sales channels including retail and online. Most home bakers can run a meaningful operation here.
Cottage food laws are amended every year. This is a starting reference, not legal advice. Verify with Illinois Department of Public Health and your local health department before relying on this data.