Kentucky cottage food law
Last updated: · Research verified · Free PDF report
Tier: Okay. Sales caps under $25,000 and/or limited sales channels. Operable for a side business but you'll likely outgrow the rules at scale.
How to start in Kentucky
A practical path from “am I allowed?” to first sale. Not legal advice — confirm every step with Kentucky agencies and your local offices.
Confirm your products are allowed
Kentucky allows 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.. High-risk or refrigerated foods usually need a commercial kitchen — not a cottage exemption.
Choose sales channels you can actually use
Sales cap: $60,000. Indirect / wholesale-style sales: No. Farmers markets and direct-to-consumer pickup are the usual start. Check county and city rules before advertising porch pickup.
Clear local zoning, licenses, and tax IDs
State cottage food rules are the floor. Your city or county may still require a business license, home occupation approval, HOA permission, or sales tax registration. Do this before you print an address on Instagram.
Registration, training, and kitchen rules
State registration: Yes. Food handler / training: No. Kitchen inspection: Upon-complaint. Complete certificates the market or agency will ask for.
Build compliant labels
Use the Kentucky label requirements on this site (and the free template). Match disclaimer language to the statute or agency guide before you print a batch.
Soft-launch, then first paid sales
Keep a simple sales log from day one so you stay under any annual cap. Soft-launch with pre-orders before a full market day.
Verify with official sources
Re-check the state cottage food page and your local health / planning office before you invest in equipment or marketing. Rules change.
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 is home-produced and processed”
This is a planning checklist compiled for home bakers. It is not legal, tax, or zoning advice.
Kentucky vs neighboring cottage food laws
Tier and sales-cap snapshot for Kentucky and nearby states. Click through for full rules, labeling, and county pages.
| State | Tier | Sales cap | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| KentuckyYou are here | Okay | 60000 | This page |
| Illinois | Great | None | Illinois law → |
| Indiana | Great | None | Indiana law → |
| Missouri | Great | None | Missouri law → |
| Ohio | Good | None | Ohio law → |
| Tennessee | Good | None | Tennessee law → |
Need a compliant product label for Kentucky? Open the Kentucky label mockup.
60000
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.
Registration: Yes. Food handler cert: No.
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 →
Kentucky Cottage Food Law — Full PDF report
A comprehensive report covering the Kentucky statute, every county we've researched, and authoritative source URLs.
Download PDFWhere to verify Kentucky's rules
Kentucky Cottage Food Law — Official Guidance Summary
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.
- Kentucky Department for Public Healthhttps://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dphps/fsb/Pages/cottage-foods.aspx
Kentucky's cottage food rules are set by KRS §217.137. The summary below is drawn from Crosodo's verified statute research and official agency guidance. Always confirm current requirements on the state agency website before you sell.
Program basics
- 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)
- 60000
- Yes
- No
- Upon-complaint
Allowed products and sales channels
- 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.)
- Sales limited to direct-to-consumer only within Kentucky — from home (pickup or delivery), markets, roadside stands, community events, and online; shipping outside Kentucky is prohibited, and sales to restaurants or retail stores for resale are not allowed.
Labeling
- 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.
Statute excerpt
- 217.136 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.
Official sources
- State agency cottage food page: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dphps/fsb/Pages/cottage-foods.aspx
- Statute: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=44478
Summarized from official Kentucky cottage food statute research and agency guidance. Agency rules change — verify on the official site before relying on this information.
Kentucky Counties
120 counties tracked. Pick yours for the local zoning + health department links.
View all 120 counties →City zoning rules in Kentucky
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)
A 6-page reference covering all 51 jurisdictions with methodology and tier explainers — same data as this directory, ready to print and tape to your wall.
Download the PDFWas this page helpful?
Kentucky cottage food law — FAQ
Do I need a license or permit to sell homemade food in Kentucky?
Yes — Yes. Food handler certification: No.
What foods can I sell under the Kentucky cottage food law?
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.
Is there a sales cap for cottage food in Kentucky?
60000
How good is Kentucky's cottage food law?
Kentucky is a Okay-tier cottage food state by Crosodo's rating criteria. Sales caps under $25,000 and/or limited sales channels. Operable for a side business but you'll likely outgrow the rules at scale.
Keep exploring Kentucky
Labels, product checks, county zoning, and local discuss — so one state page becomes a full readiness plan.
Market-day tees from the Crosodo collection — for the craft, not the algorithm.
What bakers ask about Kentucky
Seed threads for markets, zoning, and labels — join the channel or ask the directory.
Farmers market process in Kentucky?
Which markets welcome cottage bakers, what they charge, and label checks on day one.
Good label printers in Kentucky?
Local print shops or home setups that handle home-kitchen disclaimers cleanly.
Zoning experience in Kentucky counties?
Home occupation, pickup traffic, signage — what did your planning office actually require?
How I got legal in Kentucky
Registration portal tips, food handler cert, and the county step nobody publishes.
Kentucky label wording that passed review
Share real labels (blur personal info) and any county extras beyond the state minimum.
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Resources for cottage food and home bakers
Supplies, courses, insurance, farmers markets, kitchen rentals, and local services. To advertise here, visit crosodo.com/advertise. Browse all classifieds.
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Baking classes, cottage food business training, workshops, and food safety education. Reach home bakers across the country.
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Product liability, home bakery, market vendor, and small food business insurance. Reach home bakers across the country.
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Reach home bakers in Kentucky. Supply stores, farmers markets, kitchen rentals, co-packer referrals, and bakery services are welcome.
Learn about placementsYour business here
Local cottage food listings, community kitchens, farmers market dates, and non-profit events can be submitted for review.
Submit a community listingAds are paid placements. Crosodo does not endorse listed vendors. Verify all product, service, course, insurance, and legal information independently.
Cottage food laws are amended every year. This is a starting reference, not legal advice. Verify with Kentucky Department for Public Health and your local health department before relying on this data.