AlabamaCottage Food Laws

Alabama's cottage food rules come from Act 2014-180, expanded by Act 2021-456, which removed the old sales cap and widened where you can sell. There is no state revenue limit today, and you can sell shelf-stable homemade foods directly to customers without a state license.

Yes. Alabama lets you sell shelf-stable cottage foods — baked goods, candies, jams, dry mixes — made in your home kitchen, with no state registration required. Some counties ask for a simple notification, but there is no state license fee. Perishable, temperature-controlled items (meat, dairy, custard-filled pies) stay off the list.

Yes, as long as it stays in Alabama. You can ship by USPS or commercial carrier anywhere within the state, deliver orders yourself, or hire an agent or delivery service to bring them to the customer, and online ordering is allowed in-state. The one hard line is the state border — interstate sales are prohibited.

Every label carries the disclaimer "This food is not inspected by the department or local health department," plus the product's common name, your cottage food operation's name, a home or P.O. Box address, the ingredients in descending order by weight, and the net weight — all printed in at least 10-point type.

Alabama does not require state registration for basic cottage food sales. The cited state sources do not list a revenue cap. Alabama allows online orders, in-state shipping, seller delivery for cottage food sellers.

Not for the basic cottage food path, based on the state sources cited on this page. Alabama may still have label, food-category, local zoning, or other business rules, so check the official source before you sell.

Alabama's cottage food rules mainly cover foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Common no-go categories include tcs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish.