Cottage food laws in Hood County, TX
Hood County is a county in Texas (pop. 62,459). Under Texas's Great-tier cottage food law (sales cap: 150000), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: No. Start with Texas Department of State Health Services (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Hood County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Hood County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Hood County is a growing exurban county in the DFW metro area. Texas state law preempts local restrictions. No county-specific overrides found. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Hood County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Hood County.
Download county PDF
Tier: Great
Texas's cottage food law is permissive (Great tier) — high or no sales cap, broad product list, and multiple sales channels allowed. The state baseline is workable for full-time operations; the county still controls zoning and inspection.
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 Hood County
State baseline: Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq. (as amended by SB 541, 2025)
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Cottage food must be produced in the home kitchen of operator's primary domestic residence. Local health departments have NO authority to inspect or require permits. Food handler certification required. Annual sales cap $150,000.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- No specific statutory prohibition
- Water supply
- Potable water required
- Handwashing
- Standard handwashing per food handler training
- Food storage
- Non-TCS foods primarily; proper storage required
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- Health departments have no regulatory authority to inspect cottage food operations
- Home occupation permit
- No
- Permit details
- Texas law expressly prohibits municipal zoning ordinances from banning cottage food in homes. Hood County is a growing exurban county southwest of Fort Worth near Granbury. No local permit required for cottage food.
- Local business license
- No
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Yes
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct sales and wholesale to registered cottage food vendors allowed. No restrictions on delivery, farmers markets, or retail.
- Max employees in home
- No specific limit
- Relevant code section
- Texas law preempts local zoning restrictions on cottage food
Hood County is a growing exurban county in the DFW metro area. Texas state law preempts local restrictions. No county-specific overrides found.
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 437 – Regulation of Certain Foods, Subchapter A – Cottage Food Production Operations
Full Texas state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt(2-b) "Cottage food production operation" means an individual, operating out of the individual's home, or a nonprofit organization that: (A) produces at the individual's home or the home of an individual who is a director or officer of the nonprofit organization, as applicable, any food other than: (i) meat, meat products, poultry, or poultry products; (ii) seafood, including seafood products, fish, fish products, shellfish, and shellfish products; (iii) ice or ice products, including shaved ice, ice cream, frozen custard, popsicles, and gelato; (iv) low-acid canned goods; (v) products containing cannabidiol or tetrahydrocannabinol; or (vi) raw milk and raw milk products; (B) has an annual gross income of $150,000 or less from the sale of food described by Paragraph (A), as the department annually adjusts for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U); (C) sells the foods produced under Paragraph (A) directly to consumers or to a cottage food vendor; and (D) delivers products to the consumer or cottage food vendor at the point of sale or another location designated by the consumer or cottage food vendor.
Source: capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB00541F.htm →
Hood County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Hood County, Texas?
Home occupation permit: No. Texas law expressly prohibits municipal zoning ordinances from banning cottage food in homes. Hood County is a growing exurban county southwest of Fort Worth near Granbury. No local permit required for cottage food. State cottage food registration may also apply — check the Texas guide at https://crosodo.com/states/texas.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Hood County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: Health departments have no regulatory authority to inspect cottage food operations. 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 Texas cottage food law in Hood County?
Almost all non-TCS (non-temperature-controlled) foods are allowed, including baked goods, candy, jams and jellies, pickles, dried herbs and spices, roasted coffee, granola, vinegar, acidified foods, fermented vegetable products, dried meats, and any food that is not a time-and-temperature control for safety food. Nonprofits may also operate under the cottage food framework as of SB 541 (2025). County zoning does not expand the state product list — if a food is banned by Texas, it stays banned. Verify with the state agency before selling.
What is the sales cap for cottage food in Texas?
Texas state law lists cottage food sales at 150000. 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 Hood County?
Home occupation permit: No. Texas law expressly prohibits municipal zoning ordinances from banning cottage food in homes. Hood County is a growing exurban county southwest of Fort Worth near Granbury. No local permit required for cottage food.
Where to verify Hood County rules
Hood County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Hood County This county | Parker County | Johnson County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | No specific statutory prohibition | No specific state restriction on pets in home for cottage food operations. | No explicit state restriction; good manufacturing practices apply. |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Yes | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct sales and wholesale to registered cottage food vendors allowed. No restrictions on delivery, farmers markets, or retail. | Sales allowed direct-to-consumer, at farmers markets, online (statewide), fairs, roadside stands. SB 541 (2025) also allows sales through n… | Online sales, in-state delivery, and direct sales from home, farmers markets, and roadside stands permitted. No interstate sales. |
| Home occupation permit | No | Varies | Conditional |
| Local business license | No | Varies | Varies |
| Restrictions | Cottage food must be produced in the home kitchen of operator's primary domestic residence. Local health departments have NO authority to i… | Texas allows cottage food from residential home kitchens. No registration, permit, or inspection required. Annual gross income cap of $150,… | Non-TCS foods only. Annual sales cap $150,000 (raised by SB 541, 2025). No registration or inspection required. No wholesale. Health depart… |
| Food storage | Non-TCS foods primarily; proper storage required | All products must be shelf-stable, non-TCS. Proper storage to prevent contamination required. | Shelf-stable storage for permitted non-TCS foods. |
| Population | 62,459 | 151,188 | 182,690 |
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