2026 reference
Florida Cottage Food Law
Florida's cottage food law sets an annual revenue cap of $250,000 and no state permit or registration is required. In person (home, farmers markets, roadside stands, events), online, and by mail order — all permitted. Fla. Stat. §500.80(2) allows delivery in person, to a specific event venue, or by USPS or a commercial carrier, with no in-state limit; UF/IFAS Extension says products may be shipped across state lines. Once a package leaves Florida it is subject to federal food law and the destination state's rules. Wholesale and consignment to retailers, restaurants, and grocery stores are NOT permitted.
Watch for: Florida has the highest cap in the country AND one of the lowest startup burdens. The trade-offs: no wholesale or consignment at all, a food list that excludes sauces, mustard, syrups, and vegetable butters and jellies (pumpkin butter included), and a disclosure that must be at least 10-point type in a clearly contrasting color. Florida does not restrict shipping out of state, but federal food law and the destination state still apply to those packages.
Key facts
Federal food law and the destination state's rules still apply to packages that leave Florida.
Read the full Florida cottage food law guide
Editorial guide with statute citations, special-program details, label requirements, and complete FAQ coverage.
Where you can sell
In person (home, farmers markets, roadside stands, events), online, and by mail order — all permitted. Fla. Stat. §500.80(2) allows delivery in person, to a specific event venue, or by USPS or a commercial carrier, with no in-state limit; UF/IFAS Extension says products may be shipped across state lines. Once a package leaves Florida it is subject to federal food law and the destination state's rules. Wholesale and consignment to retailers, restaurants, and grocery stores are NOT permitted.
- Direct (in-person)
- Farmers markets
- Online (in-state)
- In-state mail
- Interstate shipping
What's required before your first sale
No state license, permit, registration, routine kitchen inspection, or food handler course required (Fla. Stat. §500.80, as amended by HB 663 in 2021). FDACS may investigate and inspect only on a complaint, and may request written documentation of annual gross sales. State law preempts local cottage food regulation, but operations must meet the home-based business conditions in Fla. Stat. §559.955, which does not override HOA or condominium covenants.
Allowed and excluded foods
Permitted under cottage food
- loaf breads, rolls, and biscuits
- cakes, pastries, and cookies
- fruit pies
- candies and confections
- honey
- fruit jams, jellies, and preserves
- dried fruits
- dry herbs, seasonings, and mixtures
- homemade pasta
- cereals, trail mixes, and granola
- coated or uncoated nuts
- nut butters
- popcorn and popcorn balls
- vinegar and flavored vinegars
- roasted coffee beans
Excluded from cottage food
- baked goods requiring refrigeration
- canned fruits and vegetables
- canned pickled products
- salsa, BBQ sauce, ketchup, and mustard
- syrups
- vegetable butters and jellies (including pumpkin butter)
- meat and fish
- eggs and dairy products
- cut fresh fruits and vegetables
- CBD or hemp items
Label requirements
- Name and address of the cottage food operation (UF/IFAS Extension describes this as the physical address; confirm with FDACS before using a P.O. box)
- Name of the cottage food product
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight
- Net weight or net volume
- Allergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements
- Nutrition information only if a nutritional claim is made, as specified by federal labeling requirements
- Verbatim disclosure: "Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations." (at least 10-point type, in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label)
Generate your Florida disclosure label in one click
Ardent Seller assembles a print-ready cottage food label for Florida from data you already track — the state's required disclosure statement rendered verbatim (and sized to meet the state's minimum type size where one applies), your operator info, ingredients in descending order by weight, the federal "Contains:" allergen line, net weight, and lot code. A validation checklist flags anything Florida requires that's missing before you print. Included on every plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I make under Florida cottage food law?
The Florida cottage food annual gross-sales cap is $250,000, raised from $50,000 by HB 663 effective July 1, 2021 and codified in Florida Statutes §500.80. This is the highest cottage food cap in the country. The cap counts gross sales of cottage food products at every location — not net profit — and is not adjusted for inflation under current statute. FDACS can request written documentation of your annual gross sales.
Do I need a permit or license to sell cottage food in Florida?
No. Florida has no permit, license, or registration requirement for cottage food operators. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) does not issue cottage food production permits, and there is no fee to begin operating. You also are not required to complete a food handler training course at the state level. FDACS may investigate and inspect your premises only when it receives a complaint.
Can I sell hot sauce, pickles, or fermented foods under Florida cottage food law?
No. Florida cottage food law excludes hot sauce, salsa, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, canned pickled products such as relish and pickles, syrups, and vegetable butters and jellies, including pumpkin butter. The sweet, shelf-stable exceptions are fruit jams, jellies, and preserves, plus honey.
Can I ship Florida cottage food across state lines?
Florida law does not stop you. Section 500.80 lets a cottage food operation sell online or by mail order and deliver by USPS or a commercial carrier with no in-state limit, and UF/IFAS Extension says products may be shipped across state lines. Florida's exemption does not follow the package, though: food shipped to another state is subject to federal food labeling and safety law, and the destination state may regulate home-made food coming in.
Can I sell cottage food to restaurants or grocery stores in Florida?
No. Florida cottage food law prohibits selling, offering, or delivering cottage food products at wholesale, and UF/IFAS Extension notes a permitted food establishment cannot sell food from an unapproved source such as a home kitchen. Producers may sell from their home, at farmers markets, at roadside stands, online, by mail order, and at events.
What goes on a Florida cottage food label?
Florida Statutes §500.80 requires the name and address of the cottage food operation, the name of the product, the ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight, the net weight or net volume, allergen information as federal labeling requirements specify, nutrition information only if you make a nutritional claim, and the verbatim statement: "Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations." That statement must be printed in at least 10-point type in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label. UF/IFAS Extension describes the address as the physical address of the operation, so confirm with FDACS before using a P.O. box.
Sources
- FDACS — Cottage Foods
- UF/IFAS Extension — Cottage Food in Florida (FSHN20-55)
- Forrager — cottage food law database
- Florida Statutes §500.80 (Cottage Food Operations)
- HB 663 (2021)
- Florida Statutes §559.955 (Home-based businesses)
Reference content only — not legal advice. State laws change frequently. Verify against the official source before launching.
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Ardent Seller tracks ingredients, batches, labels, and revenue against your state's cap — built for cottage food producers.