Cottage food laws in Deschutes County, OR
Deschutes County is a county in Oregon (pop. 199,352). Under Oregon's Good-tier cottage food law (sales cap: 50000), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: Depends. Start with Oregon Department of Agriculture (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Deschutes County health and planning requirements via the health department and planning / zoning links on this page. Local notes for Deschutes County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. .org and deschutescounty.gov sources with detailed Type I-IV requirements. County Code Section 18.116.280 confirmed as the operative provision. Type I (no permit, no clients, no sales on premises) applies to many cottage food operations in residential zones. EFU and F1/F2 zones have restrictions. The county applies to unincorporated areas only; Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have separate rules. Oregon SB 643 (2023) expanded state cottage food law. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Deschutes County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Deschutes County.
Download county PDF
Full statute, all counties in Oregon, and official source links.
Download state PDFTier: Good
Oregon has a Good-tier cottage food law — solid baseline with moderate restrictions, typically a high sales cap (often $50K+) and standard direct-to-consumer rules. Workable for most home bakers with reasonable scale plans.
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 Deschutes County
State baseline: ORS §616.723
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Oregon state law (ORS §616.723, as amended by SB 643 in 2023) permits cottage food from a residential dwelling. Annual sales cap: $50,000 (CPI-adjusted). Food handler certification required (ORS §624.570). Pets may not be in food preparation area. Products may not be sold to restaurants, schools, hospitals, or other institutions. Deschutes County (Bend area) has a detailed 4-type home occupation permit system (Code Section 18.116.280). Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have their own urban growth boundary zoning.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- Pets not permitted in the food preparation area during production. Pets elsewhere in the dwelling are not an automatic disqualification since SB 643 (2023).
- Water supply
- No specific private water testing requirement documented for Oregon cottage food operations.
- Handwashing
- Food handler certification (ORS §624.570) required, covering handwashing and hygiene.
- Food storage
- Non-PHF (non-potentially hazardous) packaged foods only. Standard GMP storage.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No routine inspection for Oregon cottage food (no registration pathway). ODA may investigate upon complaint. Optional Domestic Kitchen Bakery License (~$50/year) available for retailers.
- Home occupation permit
- Conditional
- Permit details
- Deschutes County (unincorporated, outside Bend/Redmond/Sisters UGB) has four types of home occupations per Code Section 18.116.280: Type I (no permit required if no on-site clients, resident-only operation, under 25% floor area, no signage/sales on premises); Type II (permit required, minimum 1/2 acre, up to 2 employees, limited on-site sales); Type III (conditional use permit, minimum 1/2 acre); Type IV (10+ acres, event facility). Most cottage food operations that do not have on-site customer visits would qualify as Type I (no permit required) in most zones except EFU/Forest zones. Type I in EFU zones requires a conditional use permit. Not allowed in F1/F2 Forest zones. Building/Environmental Health permits also required for Type II/III. Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have separate urban zoning rules.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Conditional
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Oregon cottage food law allows online, mail-order, event, and home sales (SB 643, 2023). Deschutes County Type II+ home occupations allow limited on-site sales. Type I allows no on-site sales. Verify zone type for on-site customer pickup.
- Max employees in home
- Deschutes County: Type I: resident-only operation (no employees other than residents of the dwelling). Type II: up to 2 non-resident employees. Oregon cottage food statute: no explicit cap.
- Relevant code section
- ORS §616.723; Deschutes County Code Section 18.116.280 (Home Occupations); Bend/Redmond/Sisters municipal zoning
.org and deschutescounty.gov sources with detailed Type I-IV requirements. County Code Section 18.116.280 confirmed as the operative provision. Type I (no permit, no clients, no sales on premises) applies to many cottage food operations in residential zones. EFU and F1/F2 zones have restrictions. The county applies to unincorporated areas only; Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have separate rules. Oregon SB 643 (2023) expanded state cottage food law.
Oregon Revised Statutes §616.723, Food establishments in residential dwellings (as amended by Oregon SB 643, 2023 Regular Session)
Full Oregon state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt616.723. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Food" and "food establishment" have the meanings given those terms in ORS 616.695. "Food" does not include any article containing cannabis. (b) "Potentially hazardous" means requiring temperature control due to the capacity to support the rapid and progressive growth of infectious microorganisms or the growth of toxic microorganisms. (c) "Retailer" means a person who engages in the business of selling consumer goods to retail buyers. "Retailer" includes coffee shops and excludes restaurants. (2) ORS 616.695 to 616.755 do not apply to a food establishment if: (a) The food establishment is located in a residential dwelling; (b) The foods prepared at the food establishment for public distribution are packaged and not potentially hazardous, including but not limited to baked goods, confectionary items, coffee beans, teas, popcorn, jams, jellies, honey, syrups, fruit butters, nut mixes, repackaged freeze-dried foods, repackaged dried and dehydrated foods and powdered drink mixes; (c) The food bears on its label a statement and product information as described in subsection (6) of this section informing consumers that the product is not prepared in an inspected food establishment; (d) The annual gross sales of foods prepared at the food establishment do not exceed $50,000, adjusted annually for inflation pursuant to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items); and (e) Each individual involved in the preparation of food at the food establishment for public distribution has successfully completed a food handler training program and holds a certificate issued under ORS 624.570.
Source: olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB643 →
Deschutes County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Deschutes County, Oregon?
Home occupation permit: Conditional. Deschutes County (unincorporated, outside Bend/Redmond/Sisters UGB) has four types of home occupations per Code Section 18.116.280: Type I (no permit required if no on-site clients, resident-only operation, under 25% floor area, no signage/sales on premises); Type II (permit required, minimum 1/2 acre, up to 2 employees, limited on-site sales); Type III (conditional use permit, minimum 1/2 acre); Type IV (10+ acres, event facility). Most cottage food operations that do not have on-site customer visits would qualify as Type I (no permit required) in most zones except EFU/Forest zones. Type I in EFU zones requires a conditional use permit. Not allowed in F1/F2 Forest zones. Building/Environmental Health permits also required for Type II/III. Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have separate urban zoning rules. State cottage food registration may also apply — check the Oregon guide at https://crosodo.com/states/oregon.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Deschutes County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No routine inspection for Oregon cottage food (no registration pathway). ODA may investigate upon complaint. Optional Domestic Kitchen Bakery License (~$50/year) available for retailers.. 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 Oregon cottage food law in Deschutes County?
Packaged, non-potentially-hazardous foods made in a residential dwelling are permitted, including baked goods, confectionery items, coffee beans, teas, popcorn, jams, jellies, honey, syrups, fruit butters, nut mixes, repackaged freeze-dried foods, repackaged dried and dehydrated foods, and powdered drink mixes. Cannabis-containing foods are excluded. Direct sales to end users are permitted in any manner — from home, online, through the mail, and at events. County zoning does not expand the state product list — if a food is banned by Oregon, it stays banned. Verify with the state agency before selling.
What is the sales cap for cottage food in Oregon?
Oregon state law lists cottage food sales at 50000. 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 Deschutes County?
Home occupation permit: Conditional. Deschutes County (unincorporated, outside Bend/Redmond/Sisters UGB) has four types of home occupations per Code Section 18.116.280: Type I (no permit required if no on-site clients, resident-only operation, under 25% floor area, no signage/sales on premises); Type II (permit required, minimum 1/2 acre, up to 2 employees, limited on-site sales); Type III (conditional use permit, minimum 1/2 acre); Type IV (10+ acres, event facility). Most cottage food operations that do not have on-site customer visits would qualify as Type I (no permit required) in most zones except EFU/Forest zones. Type I in EFU zones requires a conditional use permit. Not allowed in F1/F2 Forest zones. Building/Environmental Health permits also required for Type II/III. Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have separate urban zoning rules.
Where to verify Deschutes County rules
Deschutes County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Deschutes County This county | Lane County | Linn County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Conditional | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | Pets not permitted in the food preparation area during production. Pets elsewhere in the dwelling are not an automatic disqualification sin… | Pets prohibited from food preparation area during production. | Pets may not be in the food preparation area; their presence elsewhere in the dwelling is no longer grounds for automatic disqualification … |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Conditional | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Oregon cottage food law allows online, mail-order, event, and home sales (SB 643, 2023). Deschutes County Type II+ home occupations allow l… | Direct sales from home, online, mail, events. May also sell to retailers (Domestic Kitchen Bakery License ~$50/year pathway). Cannot sell t… | Direct-to-consumer sales at any venue — home, online, mail, events. Sales to retailers permitted under specific conditions. No sales to ins… |
| Home occupation permit | Conditional | Conditional | Varies |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Restrictions | Oregon state law (ORS §616.723, as amended by SB 643 in 2023) permits cottage food from a residential dwelling. Annual sales cap: $50,000 (… | Oregon cottage food law (ORS §616.723, amended by SB 643, 2023) allows packaged non-TCS foods from residential dwellings. Annual sales cap … | Annual sales capped at $50,000 (CPI-adjusted, per SB 643, 2023). Food handler certification under ORS 624.570 required. Products must be pa… |
| Food storage | Non-PHF (non-potentially hazardous) packaged foods only. Standard GMP storage. | Non-TCS shelf-stable foods only. | Non-potentially hazardous packaged foods. Stored in food-safe containers. No refrigeration required for finished products. |
| Population | 199,352 | 382,218 | 128,598 |
Compare neighboring counties
Deschutes County baker discussion
10 starter threads — welcome, zoning, top sellers, sourdough, cookies, jams, farmers markets, and more. Read what others are talking about or sign in to post.
Other Oregon counties
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.
Advertise here
Packaging, labels, baking tools, bulk ingredients, and equipment for cottage food operators. Reach home bakers across the country.
crosodo.com/advertiseAdvertise here
Baking classes, cottage food business training, workshops, and food safety education. Reach home bakers across the country.
crosodo.com/advertiseAdvertise here
Product liability, home bakery, market vendor, and small food business insurance. Reach home bakers across the country.
crosodo.com/advertiseAdvertise in Deschutes County, Oregon
Reach home bakers in Deschutes County, Oregon. 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.
Post in the local discussionAds are paid placements. Crosodo does not endorse listed vendors. Verify all product, service, course, insurance, and legal information independently.
Cottage food law and municipal zoning interact in non-obvious ways. Before investing in equipment or marketing, talk to Oregon's department of agriculture, your local health department, and your county or city's planning office. Crosodo is a clothing brand for cottage bakers, not a law firm.
Local bakers discuss zoning, permits, top sellers, sourdough, farmers markets, and more in the Crosodo forum.