Cottage food laws/Indiana
Very permissive

Indiana cottage food laws

No sales cap, no permit, online and in-state mail delivery allowed.

Indiana expanded its Home Based Vendor (HBV) law in 2022 (HEA 1149). Producers can sell homemade non-TCS food without a license, registration, or sales cap, and now sell online and ship within Indiana via mail or third-party carriers. The 2022 law also added a food handler certificate requirement for all vendors. Indiana law preempts local governments from layering their own homemade food rules on top.

Last verified August 28, 2026•Indiana Home Based Vendor Law (Indiana Code 16-42-5.3)
At a glance

Indiana cottage food, quick facts.

📋
Permit
Not required
💰
Sales cap
None
🌐
Online sales
Allowed (since 2022)
📦
Shipping in-state
Allowed by mail or third-party carrier within Indiana
✈️
Shipping out-of-state
Not protected by state law (federal interstate commerce rules apply)
🎓
Training
Required. ANSI-accredited food handler certificate, copy filed with your county health department
🏠
Inspection
Not required
How it works

How the Indiana cottage food law actually works.

Indiana governs home-based food sales under Indiana Code 16-42-5.3, the Home Based Vendor (HBV) law. The 2022 expansion (House Enrolled Act 1149) was the most important change in years. Before HEA 1149, an Indiana home baker could only sell at farmers markets and roadside stands. After, they can sell online, deliver, ship within the state via mail or third-party carriers, and reach customers anywhere in Indiana.

There is no permit, license, or annual registration required, but every vendor must hold a food handler certificate from an ANSI-accredited program and file a copy with the local health department of the county where they live. There is no state sales cap. Indiana law preempts local governments from imposing their own permits, inspections, or restrictions on Home Based Vendors, although county health departments still respond to complaints and foodborne illness investigations.

Producers must label every product with the required statement, including a 'NOT FOR RESALE' marker. They must also post the same label on their website for any product offered online. The Indiana State Department of Health (now the Indiana Department of Health, IDOH) publishes the canonical reference, and Purdue Extension keeps updated guidance.

Indiana law allows a few specific perishable items under the HBV exemption (such as eggs from your own poultry, certain personally-raised poultry under federal exemptions, rabbit) but those have additional rules. Most home bakers stick to non-TCS shelf-stable products.

What you can sell

Allowed and prohibited foods.

✓Allowed
  • Cookies, brownies, bars, biscotti
  • Cakes, cupcakes, muffins, breads, rolls, pastries
  • Fruit pies and other shelf-stable pies
  • Candies, fudge, caramels, chocolates
  • Jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters
  • Honey
  • Roasted coffee, dry teas, dry mixes
  • Pickles and acidified foods (per recipe rules)
  • Granola, granola bars, popcorn, snack mixes
  • Whole shell eggs from the producer's own poultry (per state and federal rules)
  • Personally raised poultry under the federal 1,000-bird exemption
  • Personally raised rabbit (per state and federal rules)
✕Prohibited
  • Time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods that need refrigeration to stay safe
  • Cream pies, custard pies, cream cheese frostings, cheesecakes
  • Raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw dairy
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Low-acid canned vegetables and salsas
  • Alcoholic beverages

Indiana's HBV law allows a small number of perishable items (own-flock eggs, federal-exemption poultry, rabbit) that most cottage food laws prohibit. Stick to non-TCS shelf-stable products for the simplest path.

Where you can sell

Sales channels for Indiana cottage bakers.

🤝
In-person / pickup
Allowed statewide. Home pickup, delivery, farmers markets, festivals, fairs, pop-ups, roadside stands.
🌐
Online sales
Allowed since 2022. Take orders by website, social, email, or phone.
📦
Shipping in-state
Allowed via USPS, UPS, FedEx, or any carrier within Indiana.
✈️
Shipping out-of-state
Not protected by state law. Out-of-state sales fall under federal interstate commerce rules.
🥕
Farmers markets
Allowed. No special state HBV permit required.
🏪
Retail stores
Not allowed. HBV products may not be sold at wholesale or to retail outlets for resale.
🍽️
Restaurants
Not allowed. Restaurants may not resell HBV products and may not use them as menu ingredients.
  • All sales must be direct to the end consumer.
  • Local governments are preempted from layering their own permits, inspections, or restrictions on Home Based Vendors.
  • If you offer products online, the same label must be posted with each product listing on your website.
Labels

Label every product, exactly like this.

01
Name and address of the producer
The home address is mandatory; no permit-number substitute exists.
02
Common or usual name of the product
e.g. "Persimmon Pudding".
03
Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight
Include sub-ingredients of compound ingredients.
04
Net weight or volume
By standard measure or numerical count.
05
Date the product was processed
The processing date.
06
Required statement in at least 10-point type
Exact wording below, including NOT FOR RESALE. The 10-point rule applies to this statement.
Required disclaimer (copy verbatim)
This product is home produced and processed and the production area has not been inspected by the Indiana Department of Health. NOT FOR RESALE.
  • A sign substitutes for a label on unpackaged food, and the label must also be posted on the vendor's website.
  • An allergen statement is IDOH/Purdue-recommended best practice, not a statutory element.
  • HB 1562 (2025) died in the Senate, so the current wording (P.L.56-2023, "Indiana Department of Health") remains in force.
🏷️ Make a compliant Indiana label free, in 30 seconds →
Our label maker adds the disclaimer, allergens, and required info for Indiana automatically.
Sales cap

How much can you earn under Indiana cottage law?

Indiana imposes no annual sales cap on Home Based Vendors. There is no cliff to plan around. Ordinary sales tax and income tax obligations apply once you scale.

Training

Food safety training in Indiana

Indiana requires every Home Based Vendor to obtain a food handler certificate from a certificate issuer accredited by the American National Standards Institute (IC 16-42-5.3-7, added by the 2022 HEA 1149 expansion). You must provide a copy to the local health department in the county where you live, and show it to the state health department or a customer on request. ServSafe Food Handler is the most common low-cost option, and certificates are typically valid for three years.

Registration

Registration, permits, and inspections in Indiana

There is no state HBV registration, but you must file a copy of your ANSI-accredited food handler certificate with the local health department in your county of residence. Indiana law preempts local governments from imposing their own permits or registration on Home Based Vendors. You may still need a county or city business license or to register for sales tax with the Indiana Department of Revenue.

Step-by-step

How to start a cottage bakery in Indiana.

  1. 01
    Confirm your products are non-TCS
    Stay shelf-stable. The HBV law also allows a small number of personally-raised animal products under federal exemptions, but those add complexity.
    Indiana Code 16-42-5.3 (HBV statute) →
  2. 02
    Get your food handler certificate and file it with your county
    Complete a food handler course from an ANSI-accredited provider such as ServSafe Food Handler, then provide a copy of the certificate to the local health department in the county where you live. Keep it handy; the state or a customer can ask to see it, and certificates are typically valid for three years.
    Indiana Code 16-42-5.3-7 (food handler certificate) →
  3. 03
    Build a label template
    Producer name and address, processing date, product name, net weight, ingredients by weight, allergen statement, and the required NOT FOR RESALE disclaimer in 10-point or larger font.
  4. 04
    Choose your sales channels
    Direct sales, online, in-state mail, farmers markets, and roadside stands are all allowed. Retail stores, restaurants, and out-of-state shipping are not.
  5. 05
    Set up your storefront
    Cakery gives you your own bakery page at cakerybakeries.com/your-bakery, free for your first 30 days. Add menu, prices, lead times, and pickup or delivery zones.
    Start your free 30-day trial →
  6. 06
    Register for state sales tax
    Register with the Indiana Department of Revenue for a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate before you start selling taxable items.
    Indiana Department of Revenue: Sales Tax →
  7. 07
    Post your labels online
    If you offer products online, post the full label content (including the disclaimer) on each product page. Indiana law requires it.
Worth knowing

A few things Indiana bakers should know.

  • The 2022 HEA 1149 expansion was the major change. Older Indiana cottage food guides may still describe a 'farmers market only' regime; that is outdated.
  • Indiana law preempts local governments from imposing their own homemade food permits or restrictions on HBVs.
  • The required label includes 'NOT FOR RESALE' as part of the disclaimer. Cottage products are direct-to-consumer only.
  • Online listings require the same label content posted with each product page.
  • Indiana allows a small number of perishable products (own-flock eggs, federal-exemption poultry, rabbit) under HBV. Most home bakers stay shelf-stable.
Resources

Bookmark these for Indiana baking.

Official agency resources

Indiana Department of Health: Home Based Vendor
Official IDOH guidance on the HBV law, allowed foods, and labeling.
→
Purdue Extension: Indiana Home-Based Vendor Food Product Labeling Overview
Plain-English Extension publication with label examples.
→
Purdue Department of Food Science: Home-Based Vendors
Purdue's HBV resource hub with food safety best practices.
→
Indiana Department of Revenue: Sales Tax
Register for a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate to collect and remit Indiana sales tax.
→

Statute and rules text

Indiana Code 16-42-5.3 (Home Based Food Products)
→
Indiana Code 16-42-5.3-5 (Labeling Requirements)
→
HEA 1149 (2022): Indiana HBV expansion
→

Helpful resources for bakers

Forrager: Indiana guide
Plain-English summary of Indiana HBV rules with updates.
→
Institute for Justice: Selling Homemade Food in Indiana
Advocacy overview of Indiana homemade food rules and the 2022 expansion.
→
Indiana Home Based Vendors (Facebook group)
Active community of Indiana HBVs swapping label, market, and pricing tips.
→
McNeely Law: Indiana Cottage Food Laws explainer
Indiana attorney-written summary of HBV rules and growth strategies.
→
Cakery Pricing Guide for Cottage Bakers
How Cakery handles your storefront, orders, and customer leads.
→
Recent changes

Recent and upcoming changes in Indiana.

  • July 1, 2022HEA 1149 expanded the Home Based Vendor program. Online sales, in-state mail and third-party carrier shipping, and broader sales venues became legal. Local governments were preempted from imposing their own HBV rules.
FAQ

Indiana cottage food FAQ.

Do Indiana home bakers need a permit?
No permit, but training is required. The Home Based Vendor law exempts producers from state licensing, registration, and inspection, but every vendor must hold an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate and file a copy with their county health department. Local governments are preempted from imposing their own HBV permits.
Is there a sales cap?
No. Indiana imposes no annual revenue cap on Home Based Vendors. Ordinary sales tax and income tax obligations still apply.
Can I sell online and ship?
Yes within Indiana. The 2022 HEA 1149 expansion legalized online sales and in-state shipping by mail or third-party carrier. Out-of-state shipping is not protected by state law.
What is the required label disclaimer?
This product is home produced and processed and the production area has not been inspected by the Indiana Department of Health. NOT FOR RESALE. The text must be in 10-point or larger font.
Can I sell to grocery stores or coffee shops?
No. HBV sales must be direct-to-consumer. The 'NOT FOR RESALE' line in the required disclaimer makes that explicit.
Do I need food safety training?
Yes. Indiana Code 16-42-5.3-7 requires every Home Based Vendor to obtain a food handler certificate from an ANSI-accredited provider and give a copy to the local health department in their county of residence. ServSafe Food Handler is the most common low-cost option, and certificates are typically valid for three years.
Can I sell eggs or chicken from my own farm?
Indiana's HBV law allows whole shell eggs from your own poultry and personally-raised poultry under the federal 1,000-bird exemption, plus rabbit. Each has additional rules; most home bakers stick to non-TCS shelf-stable foods.
Do I still need a local business license in Indiana?
Possibly. Even though there is no state HBV registration and local governments cannot add their own HBV permits, you may still need a county or city business license and may need to register for sales tax with the Indiana Department of Revenue.
What foods can I sell under the Indiana cottage food law?
Non-TCS shelf-stable items such as cookies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, breads, fruit pies, candies and fudge, jams and jellies, honey, roasted coffee and dry teas, dry mixes, granola, popcorn, and snack mixes. Indiana also allows a few personally-raised animal products (own-flock eggs, federal-exemption poultry, and rabbit) with extra rules.
What foods are prohibited under the Indiana Home Based Vendor law?
Time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods that need refrigeration to stay safe are not allowed. That includes cream pies, custard pies, cream cheese frostings, cheesecakes, raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw dairy, fish and shellfish, low-acid canned vegetables and salsas, and alcoholic beverages.
Can I sell food made in my home kitchen in Indiana?
Yes. The Home Based Vendor law lets you produce non-TCS foods in your home kitchen, and no state inspection of your kitchen is required. The required label does note that your production area has not been inspected by the Indiana Department of Health.
Can I sell at farmers markets in Indiana?
Yes. Farmers markets are an allowed venue for Home Based Vendors, and no special state HBV permit is required. You can also sell at festivals, fairs, pop-ups, and roadside stands.
Do I have to collect sales tax as an Indiana home baker?
Ordinary sales tax and income tax obligations apply once you scale. Indiana directs sellers to register with the Indiana Department of Revenue for a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate before selling taxable items.
Can I sell cheesecake under the Indiana cottage food law?
No. Cheesecakes are on the prohibited list because they are TCS foods that need refrigeration to stay safe. Cream pies, custard pies, and cream cheese frostings are also not allowed.
Can I sell jam or jelly in Indiana?
Yes. Jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters are listed among the allowed non-TCS shelf-stable products.
Run your Indiana bakery on Cakery

You bake. We handle the tech.

Get your own bakery link, take custom orders without the DM chaos, and get found by customers in Indiana searching for local bakers. Free for your first 30 days.

Start your free 30-day trialSee pricing
Your link will look like cakerybakeries.com/your-bakery
Last verified August 28, 2026. This page is a plain-English summary of Indiana cottage food laws and is not legal advice. Cottage food rules change, and local health departments often add their own requirements. Always confirm the current rules with the Indiana agency listed in the official resources above before you sell, ship, or label a product.