Cottage food laws in Kerr County, TX
Kerr County is a county in Texas (pop. 52,810). 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 Kerr County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Kerr County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Kerr County is in the Texas Hill Country (Kerrville), a popular destination for retirees and tourists. Active farmers market and arts community. No county-specific cottage food rules found. State TX baseline applies. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Kerr County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Kerr 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 Kerr County
State baseline: Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq. (amended by SB 541, 2025; cap $150,000)
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual cap $150,000. No inspection or registration required. Health departments have no regulatory authority except to prevent immediate public health threat.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- No specific TX or Kerr County restriction.
- Water supply
- No formal requirement.
- Handwashing
- No formal requirement.
- Food storage
- Non-TCS products. Prohibited: meat, poultry, seafood, ice/frozen treats, low-acid canned goods, CBD/THC, raw milk.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- Only to prevent immediate and serious public health threat.
- Home occupation permit
- Varies
- Permit details
- Kerr County (Kerrville, Hill Country Texas) is a popular retirement and tourism destination. Texas state law preempts local health regulation. Contact Kerr County government or City of Kerrville for home occupation/business license requirements.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct and some indirect sales. Online orders permitted. 2025 SB 541 created 'cottage food vendor' intermediary.
- Max employees in home
- TX statute does not specify a cap.
- Relevant code section
- Tex. Health & Safety Code §437.001 et seq.; no Kerr County-specific ordinance identified
Kerr County is in the Texas Hill Country (Kerrville), a popular destination for retirees and tourists. Active farmers market and arts community. No county-specific cottage food rules found. State TX baseline applies.
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 →
Kerr County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Kerr County, Texas?
Home occupation permit: Varies. Kerr County (Kerrville, Hill Country Texas) is a popular retirement and tourism destination. Texas state law preempts local health regulation. Contact Kerr County government or City of Kerrville for home occupation/business license requirements. 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 Kerr County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: Only to prevent immediate and serious public health threat.. 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 Kerr 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 Kerr County?
Home occupation permit: Varies. Kerr County (Kerrville, Hill Country Texas) is a popular retirement and tourism destination. Texas state law preempts local health regulation. Contact Kerr County government or City of Kerrville for home occupation/business license requirements.
Where to verify Kerr County rules
Kerr County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Kerr County This county | Bandera County | Edwards County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | — | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | — | No |
| Pets allowed | No specific TX or Kerr County restriction. | — | No specific pet restriction in state cottage food law. |
| Inspection required | No | — | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | — | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | — | Yes |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct and some indirect sales. Online orders permitted. 2025 SB 541 created 'cottage food vendor' intermediary. | — | All channels permitted including direct to consumer, indirect sales, farmers markets, online, delivery, and through a registered cottage fo… |
| Home occupation permit | Varies | — | Varies |
| Local business license | Varies | — | Varies |
| Restrictions | All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual cap $150,000. No inspection or registration required. Health departments have no regulatory authority exc… | — | Texas cottage food law (SB 541, 2025) is highly permissive. No registration required for most operators (registration optional for address … |
| Food storage | Non-TCS products. Prohibited: meat, poultry, seafood, ice/frozen treats, low-acid canned goods, CBD/THC, raw milk. | — | Non-TCS foods or TCS foods held at proper temperatures required. No refrigeration mandate for shelf-stable products. |
| Population | 52,810 | 21,182 | 1,380 |
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