Your Orange 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
Cottage Pro $15 one time · 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.
Cottage Pro, $15 one time: 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.
Cottage Pro, $15 one time: 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 Orange County — and what you do not
Virginia food permit / registration
Not requiredNo Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services permit or cottage-food registration for the home exemption.
As amended by HB 402 (Acts of Assembly 2026 Ch. 605), effective July 1, 2026: exempt foods may be sold at any location, through the internet, or by phone to an individual in Virginia for their own consumption, and delivered in person, by mail, or by delivery service in Virginia. Still no resale, consignment, restaurants, retail food establishments, or out-of-state sales. Local zoning still applies. The VDACS home-food-processor FAQ PDF is stale (still says no online sales); the statute controls. https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB402
Va. Code §3.2-5130 (HB 402 / 2026 c. 605) →Virginia routine kitchen inspection
Not requiredNo routine state inspection for the exemption (complaint inspection may still apply).
VDACS home food processing permit: initial inspection before operation, complaint-based thereafter. Cottage food exemption (§3.2-5130): no routine inspection; VDACS may inspect upon consumer complaint.
Zoning / home occupation
Check locallyConditional — confirm with planning before you sell.
No zoning permit is required for a home occupation in Orange County. The county offers a free voluntary Certification Form (strongly recommended for documentation purposes). Orange County has no business license program. Businesses must register with the Virginia Department of Taxation or IRS as applicable. For the VDACS home food processing permit pathway, written zoning approval documentation is required. The certification form is available from Orange County Planning & Zoning Services.
Planning →Local health / cottage-food registration
Check locallyConditional — VDACS home food processing permit: initial inspection before operation, complaint-based thereafter. Cottage food exemption (§3.2-5130): no routine inspection; VDACS may inspect upon consumer complaint.
VDACS home food processing permit: initial inspection before operation, complaint-based thereafter. Cottage food exemption (§3.2-5130): no routine inspection; VDACS may inspect upon consumer complaint.
Local business license
Not requiredNo local business license is flagged for Orange County — still confirm with the clerk or commissioner of the revenue.
House / porch pickup
Check locallyVirginia cottage food exemption: direct sales only. Home pickup and local delivery permitted for non-TCS shelf-stable items. Online sales allowed. Home occupation rules limit retail sales to a minor part of business; on-site retail must be incidental. Up to 10 vehicle trips per day allowed. VDACS home food processing permit: statewide distribution permitted with zoning documentation.
Virginia cottage food exemption: direct sales only. Home pickup and local delivery permitted for non-TCS shelf-stable items. Online sales allowed. Home occupation rules limit retail sales to a minor part of business; on-site retail must be incidental. Up to 10 vehicle trips per day allowed. VDACS home food processing permit: statewide distribution permitted with zoning documentation.
What Orange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Home Occupation This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | Official source → | 2026-05-06 |
Local health / cottage-food registration This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | — | 2026-05-06 |
What permits do I need in another county?
Cottage Pro · $15 one time
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.
Buy the Report — $15 one timeCrosodo 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 Virginia and Orange County offices before you sell. Rules change.