Cottage food laws in Real County, TX
How to start in Real County
Permit, label, and local steps for selling under Texas cottage food rules in Real County. Not legal advice.
Confirm your menu under state law
Texas cottage food rules control what you may make at home (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).). Real County cannot expand a food the state bans.
Map channels and local sales rules
State sales cap: $150,000. On-site / porch pickup in Real County: Yes. Prefer markets or off-site pickup if residential customer traffic is restricted.
Local permits, tax, and home occupation
Home occupation permit: No. Many places still need a general business license or tax certificate even when the state has no cottage food “permit.” Check planning, the clerk, and any HOA or lease before advertising your address.
Training, registration, inspection
State registration: No. Local inspection in Real County: No. Finish food handler training early — markets often ask for a copy.
Labels that match the state
Print labels with Texas disclaimer and allergen rules before market day. Use the free Texas label page for the one-pager checklist and mockup.
Insurance and first sales
Farmers markets often require a certificate of insurance. Soft-launch with pre-orders, keep a sales log, and re-verify rules if you change products or venues.
What usually goes on the package
- Product name (common or usual name of the food)
- Business or producer name
- Producer address (or address alternative your state allows)
- Ingredients in descending order by weight
- Major allergen disclosures (e.g. wheat, milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame)
- Net weight or quantity
- Home-kitchen disclaimer: “THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.”
Planning checklist only. Confirm with state and local agencies before you sell.
Real County is a county in Texas (pop. 2,830). 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 Real County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Real County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Very small rural Hill Country county. State baseline governs. Texas has strong preemption of local health rules for cottage food. No Real County-specific cottage food code identified. Texas SB 541 (2025) raised cap to $150,000. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Real County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Real 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.
Texas cottage food 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 Real County
State baseline: Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Texas allows cottage food from residential home kitchens. No registration, permit, or inspection required. Annual gross income cap of $150,000 (raised by SB 541, 2025). Health departments have no authority to inspect cottage food operations. Strong state preemption — local governments cannot add licensing or inspection requirements.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- No specific state restriction on pets in home for cottage food operations.
- Water supply
- No specific requirement under Texas cottage food law.
- Handwashing
- Good manufacturing practices apply; adequate handwashing expected.
- Food storage
- All products must be shelf-stable, non-TCS. Proper storage to prevent contamination required.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- DSHS or local health authority may only act to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health.
- Home occupation permit
- No
- Permit details
- Real County is a very small rural county in the Texas Hill Country. No county-level zoning ordinance identified. Texas cottage food law preempts local health regulations. No home occupation permit required at county level.
- Local business license
- No
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Sales allowed direct-to-consumer, at farmers markets, online (statewide), fairs, roadside stands. SB 541 (2025) also allows sales through nonprofit organizations. No wholesale to retailers.
- Max employees in home
- Not restricted by state cottage food law; local zoning may apply.
- Relevant code section
- Tex. Health & Safety Code §437.001 et seq.
Very small rural Hill Country county. State baseline governs. Texas has strong preemption of local health rules for cottage food. No Real County-specific cottage food code identified. Texas SB 541 (2025) raised cap to $150,000.
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 →
Real County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Real County, Texas?
Home occupation permit: No. Real County is a very small rural county in the Texas Hill Country. No county-level zoning ordinance identified. Texas cottage food law preempts local health regulations. No home occupation permit required at county level. 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 Real County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: DSHS or local health authority may only act to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health.. 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 Real 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 Real County?
Home occupation permit: No. Real County is a very small rural county in the Texas Hill Country. No county-level zoning ordinance identified. Texas cottage food law preempts local health regulations. No home occupation permit required at county level.
Where to verify Real County rules
Real County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Real County This county | Bandera County | Edwards County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | — | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | — | No |
| Pets allowed | No specific state restriction on pets in home for cottage food operations. | — | 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 | Sales allowed direct-to-consumer, at farmers markets, online (statewide), fairs, roadside stands. SB 541 (2025) also allows sales through n… | — | All channels permitted including direct to consumer, indirect sales, farmers markets, online, delivery, and through a registered cottage fo… |
| Home occupation permit | No | — | Varies |
| Local business license | No | — | Varies |
| Restrictions | Texas allows cottage food from residential home kitchens. No registration, permit, or inspection required. Annual gross income cap of $150,… | — | Texas cottage food law (SB 541, 2025) is highly permissive. No registration required for most operators (registration optional for address … |
| Food storage | All products must be shelf-stable, non-TCS. Proper storage to prevent contamination required. | — | Non-TCS foods or TCS foods held at proper temperatures required. No refrigeration mandate for shelf-stable products. |
| Population | 3,400 | 21,182 | 1,380 |
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