Why this matters
What Idaho actually allows — and what it doesn't.
Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.02.19.110 (adopted 2016, codifying longstanding practice)
Key Features:
Unlimited revenue cap - no annual sales limit
No registration, permit, license, or inspection required
Annual revenue cap
Idaho sets no cap on cottage food revenue.
Annual gross cap
Unlimited
Required label language
Every package carries a statutory disclaimer.
The disclaimer below must appear on every package, in the exact casing the statute specifies:
Required on every label
This food was prepared in a home kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the regulatory authority and may contain allergens.
— Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.02.19.110 (2016)
Sales channels
Where you can sell in Idaho — and where you can't.
Online ordering
YesYesShipping
YesYesSeller delivery
YesYesThird-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
ConditionalConditionalInterstate sales
NoNoWholesale to retail stores
NoNoRegistration & permits
Idaho does not require state registration.
- Registration
Not required
- Labeling standard
Standard
- Inspection
None
- Food safety certification
Not required
- Address privacy
Not available
Food categories
What usually sits outside this cottage food lane.
- Tcs
- Meat
- Poultry
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Canned Vegetables
- Acidified Foods
- Fermented Foods
- Cut Produce
- Beverages
- Pumpkin Pie
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in Idaho.
Confirm your products qualify
Compare your menu against Idaho's cottage food lane. Temperature-controlled, meat, seafood, and low-acid canned items often require a different path; check the state-specific food categories above.
Label every product correctly
Every label must include your name (or registered ID), product name, ingredients, allergens, and the statute-required disclaimer verbatim.
Start taking orders
Idaho allows online orders, in-state shipping, seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels.
Frequently asked
Idaho cottage food — your questions answered.
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Idaho?
No. Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.02.19.110 (codified in 2016) requires no registration, no permit, no license, and no inspection. Food safety training is optional but recommended. Idaho is one of the most permissive non-TCS cottage food states in the country.
Is there a revenue cap?
No. Idaho imposes no cap on annual cottage food sales.
Can I sell online and ship?
Yes to online sales and yes to in-state shipping via USPS, FedEx, or UPS. You can take orders through your own website, social media, or platforms like Etsy. Interstate shipping is prohibited — Idaho cottage food is in-state only. Direct delivery by the seller is also permitted.
What can I sell and what can't I?
Allowed: non-TCS baked goods, fruit jams and jellies, honey, fruit pies, candies and confections, dried fruits (pH <4.6), dry herbs and spices, cereals/granola/trail mix, nuts, vinegars, popcorn, and tinctures (no medicinal claims). Prohibited: all TCS foods (dairy, cheesecake, meat, poultry, seafood), canned vegetables and soups, low-acid or acidified canned goods (pickles), dehydrated vegetables, pumpkin pies, beverages, fruit butters, applesauce, chutney, pepper jams, and reduced-sugar jams.
What do my labels need to say?
Your name and contact info for your operation, plus the disclaimer in exact statutory wording. Idaho allows the information to be on the label OR on a placard at the point of sale — a flexibility most states don't offer.
Idaho cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Idaho does not require state registration for the cottage food lane. There is no state revenue cap in the current data. Idaho allows online orders, in-state shipping, seller delivery for cottage food sellers in the current data.
Do I need a cottage food license in Idaho?
Not for the cottage food lane in the current data. Idaho may still have label, food-category, local zoning, or other business rules, so check the official source before you sell.
What foods can I sell from home in Idaho?
Idaho's cottage food lane is mainly for foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Common no-go categories include tcs, meat, poultry, dairy, eggs.