Who the Iowa cottage food law covers
Anyone who makes food at a private residence and sells it directly to the person who will eat it. Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) explains the rules, which came in with House File 2431. Iowa doesn't ask you to register, take a course or tell anyone before you start.
The section's own label list still applies, and the statute adds one warning: meeting the cottage food exemption does not mean you meet federal law.
Which foods you can sell
Iowa doesn't keep a list of approved foods. It works the other way around: any food made at your home qualifies unless it is a "time/temperature control for safety" (TCS) food, one that has to be kept hot or cold to stay safe. Shelf-stable foods like cookies, breads, candy and granola usually fit.
These can't be sold as cottage food:
- Any food that must be kept hot or cold for safety
- Unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juice
- Milk and milk products regulated under Iowa Code chapters 192 and 194
- Meat, meat food products, poultry and poultry food products regulated under chapter 189A
When it isn't obvious whether your food needs temperature control, you must be able to show the regulator documentation that it doesn't.
Home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit
Iowa lets cottage food producers sell home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruits, but only when all four of these conditions are met:
DIAL publishes free examples and templates for a batch record, a pH meter calibration record and a standardized recipe. Using them is the easiest way to have those records ready.
Where and how you can sell
Every sale runs from you to the consumer. How the order reaches you, and how the food reaches them, is up to you.
| Way of selling | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| In person, from home or at a farmers market | Yes, no farmers market license needed |
| Your own stand at an event | Yes, as a temporary food establishment you run yourself |
| Orders by phone, online or other remote means | Yes |
| Delivery by you, by mail or by an agent such as an employee | Yes |
| Grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants or other resellers | No |
DIAL is clear that the only food establishment where cottage food can be sold is a temporary food establishment run by the producer. Keep in mind that the exemption covers Iowa law only. The statute says it does not represent compliance with federal law, and federal law is what governs food shipped across state lines.
Licenses, fees and inspections
None of them apply to cottage food. There is no state license, permit, registration, fee, training requirement or routine inspection. Local zoning and business rules are a separate matter, so check with your city or county.
Selling honey? A home where honey is stored, packed, labeled or shipped is not a food establishment or food processing plant under Iowa law, and DIAL allows honey at farmers markets without a market license.
When you outgrow the Iowa cottage food law
Want shops or cafes to resell your food? Iowa has a licensed home route for that, under Iowa Code chapter 137D:
| Rule | Cottage food | Home food processing establishment |
|---|---|---|
| License | None | DIAL license, $50, renewed every year |
| Sales limit | None | Gross annual sales under $50,000 |
| Selling for resale | No | Yes |
| Inspections | No routine inspections | Periodic DIAL inspections of the food areas |
Past that, you need a regular food processing plant or food establishment license. Selling into other states or through stores usually means the full federal label: net quantity, allergens and in most cases a Nutrition Facts panel.
Nutrition Facts Label Requirements →