Cottage food laws in Medina County, TX
Medina County, Texas — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
Medina County is a county in Texas (pop. 51,432). 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 Medina County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Medina County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Texas has a highly permissive cottage food law with no license or inspection required. 2025 SB 541 raised the cap to $150,000 and added nonprofits and cottage food vendor intermediary. No Medina County-specific restrictions found. County is largely rural with Hondo as county seat. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Need a product label for Texas? Open the Texas label mockup · Food safety quiz
Medina County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Medina County.
County PDFTier: 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 Medina County
State baseline: Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Must produce in home kitchen. All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (as of SB 541, 2025). No meat/poultry/seafood, ice/ice cream, low-acid canned goods, CBD/THC products, or raw milk products.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- Not specified in state cottage food law.
- Water supply
- Not specified in state cottage food law.
- Handwashing
- Standard food safety practices; not specifically required by state cottage food law.
- Food storage
- Products must be non-TCS; proper storage implied.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No license, inspection, or registration required. DSHS or local health authority may only act to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health.
- Home occupation permit
- Conditional
- Permit details
- No specific Medina County cottage food ordinances found. Unincorporated Medina County follows county rules; City of Hondo has its own zoning. Home occupation permits may be required by local zoning. Recommend verifying with Medina County and City of Hondo planning departments.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Sales allowed directly to consumers in Texas, online, at farmers markets, through cottage food vendors (third-party intermediaries per SB 541, 2025), and by mail/delivery. No wholesale to distributors or restaurants without separate licensing.
- Max employees in home
- Not specified in state cottage food law.
- Relevant code section
- Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.; SB 541 (2025)
Texas has a highly permissive cottage food law with no license or inspection required. 2025 SB 541 raised the cap to $150,000 and added nonprofits and cottage food vendor intermediary. No Medina County-specific restrictions found. County is largely rural with Hondo as county seat.
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 →
Medina County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Medina County, Texas?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Must produce in home kitchen. All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (as of SB 541, 2025). No meat/poultry/seafood, ice/ice cream, low-acid canned goods, CBD/THC products, or raw milk products.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Medina County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No license, inspection, or registration required. DSHS or local health authority may only act to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Medina County?
Home occupation permit: Conditional. No specific Medina County cottage food ordinances found. Unincorporated Medina County follows county rules; City of Hondo has its own zoning. Home occupation permits may be required by local zoning. Recommend verifying with Medina County and City of Hondo planning departments.
What is the Texas cottage food sales cap?
Texas state law caps cottage food sales at 150000. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Medina County rules
Medina County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Medina County This county | Atascosa County | Bexar County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | Not specified in state cottage food law. | Not specified in state cottage food law. | State baseline applies |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Yes |
| Delivery / pickup | Sales allowed directly to consumers in Texas, online, at farmers markets, through cottage food vendors (third-party intermediaries per SB 5… | Sales allowed directly to consumers in Texas, online, at farmers markets, through cottage food vendor intermediaries (SB 541, 2025), and by… | State law allows direct and indirect sales, online sales with in-person/household delivery. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025)… |
| Home occupation permit | Conditional | Conditional | Varies by city |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Varies by city |
| Restrictions | Must produce in home kitchen. All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (as of SB 541, 2025). No meat/poultry/seafood, ic… | Must produce in home kitchen. All non-TCS foods allowed. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025). No meat/poultry/seafood, ice/ice … | Bexar County follows state cottage food law. No county-level health inspection authority for cottage food operations. The City of San Anton… |
| Food storage | Products must be non-TCS; proper storage implied. | Products must be non-TCS. | State baseline applies |
| Population | 51,432 | 49,403 | 2,014,059 |
Compare neighboring counties
Medina 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 Texas 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 Medina County, Texas
Reach home bakers in Medina County, Texas. 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 Texas'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.