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Iowa cottage food law

Selling home-baked goods in Iowa

How home bakers in Iowa can sell what they make: the sales limit, permits, training, where you can sell and the statement your labels must carry. Iowa has 2 ways to operate; each is shown below.

At a glance: Cottage food

Sales limit
The state sets no yearly sales limit.
License or permit
No state permit or registration is required.
Food safety training
No food safety training is required by the state.
Online orders
Allowed: 'A producer may sell food to the consumer in person, remotely, by telephone, by internet, or by an agent of the producer.'.
Label statement
“This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”

Iowa also has 1 other way to sell, shown below.

About this information. Iowa’s rules are summarized from the latest publicly available state laws, regulations and agency guidance, last checked November 3, 2026. Laws change, and county and city health departments may have their own requirements. This is not legal advice. Before you sell, confirm the rules with your state or local health department.

Cottage food

Iowa Code 137F.1(3) (definition), 137F.1(9)(f), 137F.20; 481 IAC 30.13 · HF 2431 (2022 Iowa Acts, ch 1129, sec. 8-10); rule 481 IAC 30.13 readopted by ARC 0058D (IAB 2026-02-04, effective 2026-03-11)

Yearly sales limit
No state limit
No sales limit in Iowa Code 137F.20 or 481 IAC 30.13. (The $50,000 limit is for home food processing establishments.)
Permit or registration
Not required by the state
Food safety training
No
Not required. ISU Extension offers an optional online course, Home-based Food Operators ($35).
Where you make it
A private residence (Iowa Code 137F.1(3); 481 IAC 30.13(1)(e)). No kitchen standards, pet rules, or inspection apply.
Selling in person
Allowed: directly from the producer to the consumer (Iowa Code 137F.20(1)), including at a temporary food establishment the producer operates, packaged and labeled (481 IAC 30.13(1)(j)). DIAL fact sheet lists cottage foods as allowed at farmers markets.
Phone and online orders
Allowed: 'A producer may sell food to the consumer in person, remotely, by telephone, by internet, or by an agent of the producer.' (Iowa Code 137F.20(1))
Delivery and shipping
Allowed: delivered by the producer directly to the consumer, or by an agent of the producer such as an employee (Iowa Code 137F.20(1))
Selling out of state
Not addressed by Iowa law; Iowa compliance is not compliance with federal law (Iowa Code 137F.20(3)). Home and Hearth Baker supports Iowa sales only.
Stores and wholesale
Not allowed: no sales in a food establishment (stores, restaurants, coffee shops) except a temporary food establishment run by the producer (481 IAC 30.13(1)(j))

Examples you can sell

Food made in a private residence that does not require time/temperature control for safety (Iowa Code 137F.1(3); 481 IAC 30.13(1)). If it is not clear, the producer must give documentation to the regulator on request.

  • Baked goods, candies, jams and jellies that can be kept without refrigeration (ISU Extension via KCRG; not an official list)
  • Home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with a finished equilibrium pH of 4.60 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less (Iowa Code 137F.1(3))

Not allowed

  • Foods that require time/temperature control for safety (kept hot or cold)
  • 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 (481 IAC 30.13(1)(d))

The statement your labels must carry

This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.

Home food processing establishment (licensed)

Iowa Code 137D.1, 137D.2, 137D.3-137D.8; 481 IAC chapter 34 · Iowa Code chapter 137D (1988 Acts ch 1220, as home bakeries); amended 2016 Acts ch 1086, 2018 Acts ch 1144, 2022 Acts ch 1129 (HF 2431), 2023 Acts ch 82; 481 IAC chapter 34 rescinded and readopted by ARC 7810C (IAB 2024-04-17)

Yearly sales limit
$50,000
Gross annual sales must be less than $50,000 (Iowa Code 137D.1(3)); DIAL says 'cannot exceed $50,000'. Keep records of annual gross sales and show them on request (481 IAC 34.2(7)).
Permit or registration
Yes
License
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Food and Consumer Safety Bureau (or its contracted local agency)
Fee: $50
Official page
Food safety training
Yes
The person in charge must attend a food safety training course approved by DIAL and show proof before the license is issued (481 IAC 34.4(2)). DIAL lists ANSI-accredited food protection manager courses, ANSI-accredited food handler courses, and ISU's Home-Based Food Operations course.
Neither 481 IAC 34.4 nor DIAL's food training page sets a renewal period for this training (see open questions).
Where you make it
A business on the premises of a residence (Iowa Code 137D.1(3)). Pets and other animals kept out of food preparation areas while food is processed or packaged; handwashing sink with hot and cold water in each food processing area; safe water, and a well tested at least yearly for nitrates and coliforms if not on a public water system; no production during a water advisory; equipment to wash, rinse, and sanitize; pest control; dedicated refrigeration may be required (481 IAC 34.3).
Selling in person
Allowed: directly to consumers (DIAL); also from a mobile food unit, farmers market food establishment, or temporary food establishment operated by the same owner (481 IAC 34.5)
Phone and online orders
Not addressed by Iowa Code 137D, 481 IAC 34, or DIAL pages
Delivery and shipping
Implied allowed: rule 34.5 covers 'shipping and transportation to an end consumer'; labels must be on before delivery to the consumer (481 IAC 34.7(2))
Selling out of state
Not addressed
Stores and wholesale
Allowed: through other businesses for resale (DIAL; 481 IAC 34.5); keep distribution records (481 IAC 34.9)

Examples you can sell

Homemade food items listed on the license application (Iowa Code 137D.1(4); 481 IAC 34.2(2)), including foods that are not time/temperature controlled and, with refrigeration, many that are. Foods not listed may not be sold until added.

  • Shelf-stable baked goods and candies
  • Jams and jellies meeting 21 CFR Part 150, or nonstandardized jellies at 65 percent soluble solids (481 IAC 34.6)
  • High-acid foods such as barbecue sauce and dressings at pH below 4.60, recorded on a batch record (481 IAC 34.6)
  • Dried foods at water activity 0.85 or less (481 IAC 34.6)
  • Refrigerated items are also allowed (outside this app's scope)

Not allowed

  • Unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juice, raw sprout seeds
  • Foods containing game animals, fish or shellfish
  • Alcoholic beverages, bottled water, packaged ice, consumable hemp products
  • Milk or milk products under Iowa Code chapter 192 or 194; raw milk (137D.2A)
  • Meat and poultry products under chapter 189A, except certain inspected-source meat and poultry sold directly to the end consumer
  • Food that will be further processed by a food processing plant
  • Low-acid canning, low-acid fermentation, acidification, curing, and smoking for preservation (Iowa Code 137D.1(5); 481 IAC 34.6)
  • Time/temperature control foods in reduced oxygen packaging

The statement your labels must carry

This product was produced at a home food processing establishment.

Common questions about Iowa’s cottage food law

Can I sell baked goods from home in Iowa?

Yes. Iowa lets home bakers sell food made in their own kitchen in 2 ways: Cottage food; Home food processing establishment (licensed). Most baked goods that don’t need refrigeration qualify; see the examples on this page.

Do I need a license or permit to sell baked goods in Iowa?

Cottage food: No state permit or registration is required. Home food processing establishment (licensed): Yes: License (fee: $50).

How much can I sell from home in Iowa?

Cottage food: The state sets no yearly sales limit. Home food processing establishment (licensed): Up to $50,000 a year in sales.

Do I need food safety training in Iowa?

Cottage food: No food safety training is required by the state. Home food processing establishment (licensed): Yes: The person in charge must attend a food safety training course approved by DIAL and show proof before the license is issued.

Can I sell online or ship my baked goods in Iowa?

Cottage food: Online and phone orders: Allowed: 'A producer may sell food to the consumer in person, remotely, by telephone, by internet, or by an agent of the producer.'. Delivery and shipping: Allowed: delivered by the producer directly to the consumer, or by an agent of the producer such as an employee. Home food processing establishment (licensed): Online and phone orders: Not addressed by Iowa Code 137D, 481 IAC 34, or DIAL pages. Delivery and shipping: Implied allowed: rule 34.5 covers 'shipping and transportation to an end consumer'; labels must be on before delivery to the consumer.

What must a cottage food label say in Iowa?

Labels must carry this statement: “This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”. Most states also require the product name, ingredients in order of weight, allergens, net weight, and your name and address.

Home and Hearth Baker knows Iowa’s rules

The program puts Iowa’s required wording on every label for you, tracks your sales against any yearly limit, and updates for free when the rules change.

Try it free for 30 daysSee what it does

Official sources

  1. Iowa Code 137F.20 Cottage food - requirements (2026 Code)
  2. Iowa Code chapter 137F (2026 Code), incl. 137F.1 definitions
  3. 2022 Iowa Acts ch 1129 (HF 2431), approved 2022-06-14
  4. Iowa Code 3.7 Effective date of Acts (2024 Code)
  5. Iowa Code 137D.1 Definitions (2026 Code)
  6. Iowa Code 137D.2 Licenses and inspections (2024 Code)
  7. Iowa Code 137D.2 (2025 Code, Justia)
  8. Iowa Code chapter 137D (current, HTML)
  9. Iowa Code 137D.9 (2026 Code, repealed)
  10. 481 IAC chapter 30 Food and Consumer Safety (IAC 9/30/26), rule 30.13 Cottage food
  11. 481 IAC 30.13 Cottage food (rule text, IAC 2/4/26, ARC 0058D)
  12. 481 IAC analysis (table of contents), IAC 10/14/26: chapters 30 and 34 unchanged

Nearby states

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