Union County cottage food law.
Union County is a county in South Dakota (pop. 16,700). South Dakota has a Good-tier law with a solid baseline (often $50K+ cap). Union County bakers should check both state registration and local health department permitting. County research shows: home kitchen allowed, inspection not required, home occupation permit not required. No county-specific cottage food ordinance found for Union County, SD. Applied South Dakota state baseline (SDCL §34-18-35). Union County is in southeastern SD (seat: Elk Point) near the Iowa/Nebraska border; slightly more populated than other SD rural counties but no county-specific cottage food rules identified. State law preempts local restrictions on homemade food sales. Use the links below to check current requirements before you bake.
Union County cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in South Dakota, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Union County.
County PDFTier: Good
South Dakota 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 Union County
State baseline: SDCL §34-18-35
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- South Dakota SDCL §34-18-35 exempts homemade foods prepared at a residence from licensure. The 2022 amendment (SL 2022, ch 106) expanded beyond prior baked-goods-only scope. Individuals selling certain home-processed canned goods must complete a state-certified online training once every five years. No sales cap. County/municipal ordinances restricting homemade food sales are preempted by state law.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- No specific pet restriction in state cottage food law; standard food hygiene practices apply.
- Water supply
- No specific state cottage food water supply requirement.
- Handwashing
- No specific state cottage food handwashing mandate; standard hygiene practices recommended.
- Food storage
- No specific state cottage food storage requirement; non-temperature-controlled foods must be stored appropriately.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No routine or complaint-triggered inspection authority specified for cottage food operations under state law.
- Home occupation permit
- Varies
- Permit details
- Union County is in southeastern SD near Sioux City metro area and has somewhat more suburban character. No county-specific home occupation permit requirement for cottage food identified. Operators should verify with Union County offices in Elk Point.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct and indirect sales permitted. Online, in-person, delivery, farmers markets, and retail stores all allowed under SDCL §34-18-35.
- Max employees in home
- Not specified in state law.
- Relevant code section
- No county-specific cottage food ordinance identified for Union County.
No county-specific cottage food ordinance found for Union County, SD. Applied South Dakota state baseline (SDCL §34-18-35). Union County is in southeastern SD (seat: Elk Point) near the Iowa/Nebraska border; slightly more populated than other SD rural counties but no county-specific cottage food rules identified. State law preempts local restrictions on homemade food sales.
South Dakota Codified Laws, Title 34 – Public Health and Safety, Chapter 18 – Health Regulation of Lodging and Food Service Establishments and Campgrounds, Section 34-18-35 (Sale of Homemade Foods and Food Products)
Full South Dakota state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt34-18-35. Sale of homemade foods and food products. Except as otherwise provided in §34-18-38, the licensure provisions of this chapter do not apply to a person selling: (1) Non-temperature-controlled food prepared at a residence; (2) Home-processed canned goods; (3) Baked goods prepared at a residence; or (4) Any food product prepared at a residence and authorized under §34-18-36 or 34-18-36.1. Source: SL 2010, ch 172, §2; SL 2022, ch 106, §1. [Adjacent section:] 34-18-36. Canned goods––Requirements. No canned good may be sold unless the pH level is 4.6 or less or the water activity level is .85 or less. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a producer selling canned goods under this section shall, every five years, complete food safety training approved by the department. The training must be available online. The producer shall retain records verifying the timely completion of such training. A producer selling home-processed goods under this section may, in lieu of the requirement for food safety training, maintain verification of each recipe from a third-party processing authority. The third-party processing authority must have knowledge of the thermal processing required of food in hermetically-sealed containers and shall verify the method of processing and that the pH or water activity threshold levels are met. The processing authority shall provide verification in writing to the producer. Source: SL 2010, ch 172, §3; SL 2022, ch 106, §2.
Source: law.justia.com/codes/south-dakota/title-34/chapter-18/section-34-18-35/ →
Union County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Union County, South Dakota?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: South Dakota SDCL §34-18-35 exempts homemade foods prepared at a residence from licensure. The 2022 amendment (SL 2022, ch 106) expanded beyond prior baked-goods-only scope. Individuals selling certain home-processed canned goods must complete a state-certified online training once every five years. No sales cap. County/municipal ordinances restricting homemade food sales are preempted by state law.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Union County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No routine or complaint-triggered inspection authority specified for cottage food operations under state law..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Union County?
Home occupation permit: Varies. Union County is in southeastern SD near Sioux City metro area and has somewhat more suburban character. No county-specific home occupation permit requirement for cottage food identified. Operators should verify with Union County offices in Elk Point.
What is the South Dakota cottage food sales cap?
South Dakota state law caps cottage food sales at None. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Union County rules
Compare neighboring counties
Other South Dakota counties
Union County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Union County This county | Clay County | Lincoln County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | No specific pet restriction in state cottage food law; standard food hygiene practices apply. | No specific pet restriction in South Dakota cottage food law. | No specific state prohibition; good manufacturing practice applies |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct and indirect sales permitted. Online, in-person, delivery, farmers markets, and retail stores all allowed under SDCL §34-18-35. | Direct and indirect sales both permitted. Allowed channels include home pickup, farmers markets, roadside stands, online sales, in-state sh… | Direct and indirect sales allowed; sales at home, farmers markets, fairs, roadside stands permitted. State statute preempts county/municipa… |
| Home occupation permit | Varies | No | Varies |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Restrictions | South Dakota SDCL §34-18-35 exempts homemade foods prepared at a residence from licensure. The 2022 amendment (SL 2022, ch 106) expanded be… | South Dakota cottage food law (SDCL §34-18-35, expanded by SL 2022 ch 106) exempts non-temperature-controlled foods, home-processed baked g… | Non-temperature-controlled foods prepared at a residence are exempt from licensure. Home-processed canned goods require online training eve… |
| Food storage | No specific state cottage food storage requirement; non-temperature-controlled foods must be stored appropriately. | Non-temperature-controlled (shelf-stable) foods only; refrigerated or hot-held foods require standard licensure. | Non-temperature-controlled foods; proper storage required |
| Population | 16,700 | 14,953 | 65,801 |
Cottage food law and municipal zoning interact in non-obvious ways. Before investing in equipment or marketing, talk to South Dakota'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.