Cottage food laws in Bullitt County, KY
Bullitt County, Kentucky — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
Bullitt County is a county in Kentucky (pop. 82,482). Under Kentucky's Okay-tier cottage food law (sales cap: 60000), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: Yes. Start with Kentucky Department for Public Health (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Bullitt County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Bullitt County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Bullitt County is a suburban Louisville county. Kentucky has a $60,000 annual cap and requires $50/year registration. The allowed foods list is relatively restrictive (no acidified foods, no fermented foods). No county-specific overrides found. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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Bullitt County cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in Kentucky, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Bullitt County.
County PDFTier: Okay
Kentucky has an Okay-tier cottage food law — meaningful sales caps and/or limited channels. Operable for a side business, but you'll likely outgrow the rules if you want to go full-time.
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 Bullitt County
State baseline: KRS §217.137
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Kentucky home-based processor: registration required ($50/year, 902 KAR 45:090), $60,000 annual sales cap. Allowed: non-TCS baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, fruit butters, dried goods, maple and sorghum syrups, granola, snacks. Kitchen restrictions: no more than 2 non-commercial ranges/ovens and no more than 3 refrigerators; no commercial equipment. Acidified foods, pickles, salsas, low-acid canned goods, nut butters, oils, vinegars, pasta, fermented foods, juices, and meat jerkies are prohibited under the standard home-based processor pathway.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- Not specified in state law.
- Water supply
- No specific statutory requirement.
- Handwashing
- No specific statutory requirement for home kitchen infrastructure.
- Food storage
- No more than 3 refrigerators allowed; standard food safety storage practices.
- Inspection required
- Upon-complaint
- Inspection trigger
- No routine inspection. KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services may investigate upon complaint.
- Home occupation permit
- Varies
- Permit details
- Bullitt County is in the Louisville metro area. Bullitt County and municipalities (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, etc.) may have home occupation requirements. No specific Bullitt County cottage food ordinance identified.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct sales only: in-person at home, events, farmers markets. No wholesale, no online shipping under KRS §217.136.
- Max employees in home
- Not specified in state law; commercial equipment and separate commercial kitchen prohibited.
- Relevant code section
- No Bullitt County-specific cottage food code identified. KRS §217.136 and §217.137 govern.
Bullitt County is a suburban Louisville county. Kentucky has a $60,000 annual cap and requires $50/year registration. The allowed foods list is relatively restrictive (no acidified foods, no fermented foods). No county-specific overrides found.
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)
Full Kentucky state report (with PDF download) →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 →
Bullitt County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Bullitt County, Kentucky?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Kentucky home-based processor: registration required ($50/year, 902 KAR 45:090), $60,000 annual sales cap. Allowed: non-TCS baked goods, candies, jams, jellies, fruit butters, dried goods, maple and sorghum syrups, granola, snacks. Kitchen restrictions: no more than 2 non-commercial ranges/ovens and no more than 3 refrigerators; no commercial equipment. Acidified foods, pickles, salsas, low-acid canned goods, nut butters, oils, vinegars, pasta, fermented foods, juices, and meat jerkies are prohibited under the standard home-based processor pathway.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Bullitt County?
Inspection: Upon-complaint. Trigger: No routine inspection. KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services may investigate upon complaint..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Bullitt County?
Home occupation permit: Varies. Bullitt County is in the Louisville metro area. Bullitt County and municipalities (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, etc.) may have home occupation requirements. No specific Bullitt County cottage food ordinance identified.
What is the Kentucky cottage food sales cap?
Kentucky state law caps cottage food sales at 60000. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Bullitt County rules
Bullitt County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Bullitt County This county | Hardin County | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | Not specified in state law. | No specific state restriction; standard food safety sanitation practices apply. | Not specified in state rules; standard sanitation applies |
| Inspection required | Upon-complaint | Upon-complaint | Upon-complaint |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct sales only: in-person at home, events, farmers markets. No wholesale, no online shipping under KRS §217.136. | Kentucky allows direct sales only: from home, farmers markets, events. Online/in-state shipping status unclear. No wholesale, restaurants, … | Direct-to-consumer only (farmers markets, events, home sales). No wholesale to restaurants or stores. No internet/mail order. $60,000 annua… |
| Home occupation permit | Varies | Varies | Conditional |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Yes |
| Restrictions | Kentucky home-based processor: registration required ($50/year, 902 KAR 45:090), $60,000 annual sales cap. Allowed: non-TCS baked goods, ca… | Kentucky allows non-TCS baked goods, candies, jams/jellies, granola, etc. from home kitchen. Registration required with KY Dept. for Public… | Jefferson County is Louisville Metro — a consolidated city-county government. Home-based processor registration ($50/year with KDPH, 902 KA… |
| Food storage | No more than 3 refrigerators allowed; standard food safety storage practices. | Non-TCS shelf-stable products only. Acidified foods (pickles, salsas), fermented foods, nut butters, oils, vinegars, pasta, juices, meat je… | Standard food storage; max 3 refrigerators; no more than 2 non-commercial ranges/ovens |
| Population | 82,482 | 111,005 | 779,232 |
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