2026 reference
Iowa Cottage Food Law
Iowa's cottage food law sets no statewide revenue cap and no state permit or registration is required. Cottage food must be sold and delivered by the producer directly to the consumer, or delivered by mail or by an agent of the producer such as an employee; the producer may sell in person, remotely, by telephone, by internet, or through an agent (Iowa Code § 137F.20(1)). DIAL lists cottage foods among the items that may be sold at a farmers market without a farmers market license. The only food establishment where cottage food may be sold is a temporary food establishment operated by the producer, with the food packaged and labeled (Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—30.13(1)(j)), so sales to stores, restaurants, or other businesses for resale are not covered. The statute does not limit mail delivery to Iowa addresses but does not address shipping to other states; compliance with the exemption "does not represent compliance with federal law" (§ 137F.20(3)).
Watch for: Cottage food must go from you directly to the consumer (in person, or ordered online or by phone and delivered by you, your agent, or mail) and cannot be sold in a store, restaurant, or other food establishment except a temporary food establishment you operate. Home-canned pickles, vegetables, and fruits need a pH or water activity reading on every batch and the canning date on every container. Foods that must be kept hot or cold need a Home Food Processing Establishment license, which is limited to gross annual sales under $50,000.
Key facts
Where you can sell
Cottage food must be sold and delivered by the producer directly to the consumer, or delivered by mail or by an agent of the producer such as an employee; the producer may sell in person, remotely, by telephone, by internet, or through an agent (Iowa Code § 137F.20(1)). DIAL lists cottage foods among the items that may be sold at a farmers market without a farmers market license. The only food establishment where cottage food may be sold is a temporary food establishment operated by the producer, with the food packaged and labeled (Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—30.13(1)(j)), so sales to stores, restaurants, or other businesses for resale are not covered. The statute does not limit mail delivery to Iowa addresses but does not address shipping to other states; compliance with the exemption "does not represent compliance with federal law" (§ 137F.20(3)).
- Direct (in-person)
- Farmers markets
- Online (in-state)
- In-state mail
- Online order, in-person pickup
What's required before your first sale
No license, permit, registration, inspection, fee, or sales cap for cottage food (Iowa Code § 137F.20(1)). The food must not require time/temperature control for safety, and when that is not obvious the producer must give the regulatory authority documentation on request (Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—30.13(1)(a)). Home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits qualify only if every batch is measured with a pH meter or water activity meter and reaches a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less, and batch testing records must be provided to the regulatory authority on request, including at the point of sale (§ 137F.1(3); r. 481—30.13(1)(h)-(i)). Foods that need time/temperature control, or sales through other businesses, require a Home Food Processing Establishment license instead: $50 a year, gross annual sales under $50,000, a department-approved food safety training course for the person in charge, and periodic inspection (Iowa Code §§ 137D.1(3), 137D.2; r. 481—34.4(2)).
Allowed and excluded foods
Examples of permitted foods
Any food is allowed except those listed under “Excluded” →
- foods made in a private residence that do not require time/temperature control for safety (the producer must document this on request when it is not obvious)
- home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less, with every batch measured by a pH meter or water activity meter
Illustrative examples, not a complete list.
Excluded from cottage food
- foods that must be kept hot or cold for safety (time/temperature control for safety foods)
- milk or milk products regulated under Iowa Code chapters 192 and 194
- meat, meat food products, poultry, or poultry food products regulated under Iowa Code chapter 189A
- unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juice (Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—30.13(1)(d))
Label requirements
- Information to identify the name and address, phone number, or email address of the person preparing the food (Iowa Code § 137F.20(2)(a))
- Common name of the food
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance
- Verbatim disclosure required by Iowa Code § 137F.20(2)(d): "This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection."
- If the food contains one or more major food allergens, an additional allergen statement identifying each major allergen by its common name (§ 137F.20(2)(d)); DIAL lists milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, and sesame
- For home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits: the date the food was processed and canned (§ 137F.20(2)(e))
- Home Food Processing Establishment license holders use a different label (Iowa Code § 137D.2(7)): the name of the establishment, the common name, ingredients in descending order of predominance, the net quantity of contents, an expiration date based on food safety for refrigerated time/temperature control for safety foods, the major-allergen statement, and the verbatim statement "This product was produced at a home food processing establishment." Packaged items containing raw meat or poultry also need safe handling instructions (Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—34.7(3))
Generate your Iowa disclosure label in one click
Ardent Seller assembles a print-ready cottage food label for Iowa 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 Iowa requires that's missing before you print. Included on every plan.
Adjacent programs
Home Food Processing Establishment (HFPE) License
$50/yearA DIAL license under Iowa Code chapter 137D for a business in a residence with gross annual sales under $50,000. It covers homemade food items cottage food cannot, including made-to-order food and refrigerated foods that need time/temperature control (§§ 137D.1(4), 137D.2(7)(e)), and DIAL says these businesses can sell directly to consumers or through other businesses. The license costs $50 and expires one year after issue (§ 137D.2(1)); the person in charge must complete a department-approved food safety training course before licensing (r. 481—34.4(2)), and the department provides for periodic inspection (§ 137D.2(5)). Low-acid canning, acidification to make shelf-stable acidified foods, curing, and smoking for preservation are not allowed, and fermentation needs an approved HACCP plan (r. 481—34.6(6)(g)-(h)). Labels carry a different statement, net quantity, and, for refrigerated time/temperature control for safety foods, an expiration date (§ 137D.2(7)).
Sources
- Iowa DIAL — Cottage Food Law
- Iowa DIAL — Home Food Processing Establishments
- Forrager — cottage food law database
- Iowa Code § 137F.20 (Cottage food — requirements)
- Iowa Code § 137F.1(3) — "Cottage food" definition
- Iowa Administrative Code r. 481—30.13 (Cottage food), in chapter 30
- Iowa Code chapter 137D — Home food processing establishments
- Iowa Administrative Code 481—chapter 34 (Home Food Processing Establishments)
Reference content only — not legal advice. State laws change frequently. Verify against the official source before launching.
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