HawaiiCottage Food Laws

Hawaii charges no state cottage food fee and requires no permit or registration, though food safety training is mandatory — either an ANSI-accredited food handler course or a free Hawaii Department of Health workshop, valid for three years. There is no revenue cap.

Act 195 (effective August 24, 2025) widened Hawaii's list to include pickled, fermented, or acidified plant foods that test to pH 4.2 or lower or water activity 0.88 or lower, and hand-pounded poi is explicitly protected. The everyday staples — breads and other baked goods, candies, jams, and dry mixes — remain allowed. Off the list: all TCS foods, meat and poultry, standalone dairy and eggs, seafood, dried meats, low-acid canned goods, garlic in oil, and juices.

Hawaii does not allow online sales or shipping, and interstate sales are off the table. You can take an order by phone or email, but the transaction itself has to happen face-to-face at pickup — think farmers markets, roadside and farm stands, home pickup, and community events. As of August 2025, third-party delivery is allowed for non-TCS products.

Hawaii requires the exact statement "Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health" on your label, plus your contact information (address, email, or phone all work), the ingredients, net quantity, and allergens. One Hawaii-specific detail: the state follows the Big 9 allergens, with sesame added as the ninth on January 1, 2023.

Hawaii does not require state registration for basic cottage food sales. The cited state sources do not list a revenue cap. Hawaii allows seller delivery for cottage food sellers.

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

Hawaii'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, dairy, eggs.