Your Lee County permit checklist
The apply checklist — not the statute page.
- Which permit you need — local names like HBB, MHO, CFO Class A
- Fees and where to file
- Filing checklist + saved workspace
Library Pass $15/mo · this county’s PDF + workspace · every other county
See a sample
The statute and county answer — what the law allows.
The apply checklist, forms, fees, and dashboard workspace for this county.
$15/mo Library Pass: this county’s licensed PDF, the dashboard workspace (checklist, official links, screenshots), and other counties — download or request those PDFs when generated, plus updates. Not legal advice; we don’t file for you.
Work the guide saves you — not a page count
- Which permit you need — local names like HBB, MHO, CFO Class A
- Zoning / home occupation: where you file
- Local health Class A/B path when the county runs it
- Fee schedule — published amount only, blank if none
- House pickup vs off-site — what zoning already says
County workspace on your dashboard
After Stripe, sign in at /dashboard. The purchase unlocks official links, screenshots, and a dashboard to save your information for submission to permit authorities. We do not file with the county for you.
$15/mo Library Pass: this county’s licensed PDF, the dashboard workspace (checklist, official links, screenshots), and other counties — download or request those PDFs when generated, plus updates. Independent cities are their own government.
Permit steps with the local name that office uses (HBB, MHO, CFO Class A).
Live .gov URLs and snapshots when we have them. Blank if we do not.
Your county rules. Permit checklists.
See permit information in one place. Get updates and access dashboard features as they advance.
The required disclaimer wording for this state, a sample mockup, and links to the free label pack and official examples.
Whether customers may pick up at the dwelling. Zoning is local. A food exemption does not grant porch pickup.
USDA listings for this place and neighboring counties: name, address, season or hours, and website when the directory has one. A cottage-food exemption is not a booth — you still apply to the market.
The state food list for this place. County zoning does not add a food to the state list.
Orders, payments, in-state shipping, and whether out-of-state sales are published as allowed.
Pets in the kitchen you bake in. A dedicated-kitchen rule is separate from selling pet treats.
Dog biscuits and cat treats are usually commercial feed, not cottage food. Sourced license path when we have it.
Neighboring counties are compared in a table for rules and regulations.
What you need in Lee County — and what you do not
Alabama food permit / registration
RequiredAlabama Department of Public Health registration or a state food permit is required before selling.
Indirect sales to grocery stores, restaurants, or wholesale are not permitted; producers may use an agent for delivery but cannot sell through retailers.
Ala. Code §22-20-5.1 →Alabama routine kitchen inspection
Not requiredNo routine state inspection for the exemption (complaint inspection may still apply).
No routine inspections post-approval. Health department may investigate upon complaint.
Zoning / home occupation
RequiredA local home occupation or home-based-business approval is required in Lee County.
Opelika (Lee County seat) requires a home occupation permit and business license for home-based businesses (Zoning Ordinance Section 8.14). Requirements: permit from Zoning Administrator before operating, no more than 25% of total floor area (max 500 sq ft), must be incidental to residential use, residents only conduct business, no outdoor storage/display, one small sign (max 2 sq ft, on door/window). Maximum one non-resident employee. County/unincorporated Lee County areas have separate zoning rules.
Local health / cottage-food registration
Not requiredNo routine local health inspection is flagged for the cottage-food path in Lee County.
No routine inspections post-approval. Health department may investigate upon complaint.
Local business license
RequiredA local business license (or BPOL) is required in Lee County.
House / porch pickup
Check locallyOn-site pickup is flagged as allowed in Lee County — still confirm hours, parking, and HOA rules.
In-person sales and in-state online/shipping allowed since 2021. Farmers markets and direct sales from home permitted.
What Lee County publishes for the home cottage-food path
Dollar amounts appear only when we have read them on an official page. If a cell is blank, that office has not published a flat price we can quote. Ask them before you pay. A fee that varies with sales is a percent of receipts (privilege tax / BPOL), not a sticker price. Not MEHKO, commissary, or storefront.
| Step / local name | Amount | Period | Official source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
County health cottage-food approval (no statewide $) State law requires an ADPH-approved food-safety course and local county health-department approval. Applications and fees vary by county — we do not invent a county amount. Training (ACES exam ~$25 or Learn2Serve) is a course fee, not a license. | — | — | Official source → | 2026-08-19 |
Home-Based Business This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | — | 2026-05-05 |
Business license / BPOL This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | — | 2026-05-05 |
What permits do I need in another county?
Crosodo Library Pass · $15/mo or $99/yr
Selling in more than one county, or planning to? Every state report, every county Permit Guide, the label packet, and your dashboard permit path — one subscription, updates included.
Get legal to sell from home — $15/moCrosodo compiles publicly available statutes and local rules for home cottage-food bakers. It is not legal, tax, or zoning advice and is provided without warranty. Confirm with Alabama and Lee County offices before you sell. Rules change.