Why this matters
Selling from home in Texas
SB 541 expanded Texas cottage food sales, but the prohibited-food list still decides what belongs on your menu. Meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, seafood, and several other categories remain excluded. Registration for foods that need temperature control does not create an exception for meat fillings. Check the filling, frosting, or topping as carefully as the name of the finished dish.
The annual gross sales threshold is $150,000. Basic cottage foods do not require state registration. Free DSHS registration is available for address privacy and is required when selling qualifying foods that need temperature control. The two food categories share the sales threshold, so keep one total across the business.
Before taking online payment, give customers the required label information. DSHS says online orders must be personally delivered by the operator, an employee, or a household member. Plan the handoff along with the recipe: write down who will deliver, when the food will be ready, and how you will hold it at a safe temperature. Complete the required food-handler training before you start. For a first menu, a few qualifying items with clear pickup or delivery arrangements are easier to manage than a long list with different storage needs. Official guidance.
Annual revenue cap
$150,000 gross/year.
gross/year
$150,000
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 PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.
— Texas Cottage Food Law, Tex. Health & Safety Code § 437.001 et seq., as amended by SB 541 (effective September 1, 2025)
Sales channels
Where you can sell in Texas
Online ordering
YesYesShipping within the state
NoNoSeller delivery
YesYesThird-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
NoNoInterstate sales
NoNoWholesale through registered cottage food vendors (non-TCS foods)
YesYesLicense, permit & registration
Texas registration and permits
Texas does not require registration for basic cottage foods. DSHS registration is free and required for qualifying foods that need temperature control; it is optional for address privacy on other cottage food labels. Official guidance.
- Registration
Not required
- Timeline
About 7 days
- Labeling standard
Standard
- Inspection
None
- Food safety certification
Required
Type: food handler
- Address privacy
Available
Via state unique id
Food categories
Foods the basic cottage food rules usually do not cover.
- Meat
- Meat Products
- Poultry
- Poultry Products
- Seafood
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Ice Products
- Ice Cream
- Gelato
- Popsicles
- Low Acid Canned Goods
- Cannabis Cbd
- Thc
- Raw Milk
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in Texas.
Check whether your product is on Texas's prohibited list, then decide whether free DSHS registration is useful or required for your product and label.
- Check every ingredient and finished product against the prohibited list.
- Complete food-handler training and register with DSHS if your qualifying food needs temperature control.
- Show the required label information before online payment.
- Arrange personal delivery and track gross sales across your menu.
Frequently asked
Texas cottage food — your questions answered.
How much is a permit to sell food in Texas?
Texas does not require registration for basic cottage foods. DSHS registration is free and required for qualifying foods that need temperature control; it is optional for address privacy on other cottage food labels. Official guidance.
Can people cook food in their home and sell to the public in Texas?
Texas allows qualifying homemade foods under SB 541, including some that need temperature control after free DSHS registration. Meat and meat products, poultry, and seafood are excluded. A separate licensed food-establishment path is needed for those dishes. Official guidance.
Can I sell tacos from home in Texas?
Meat-filled tacos are outside Texas cottage food rules. Registration for temperature-controlled food does not remove the meat prohibition. Ask DSHS about a licensed food-establishment path for that menu; qualifying meat-free products need their own recipe and temperature-control check. Official guidance.
Can I sell tamales from home in Texas?
The filling matters. Meat and poultry tamales are excluded from the cottage food path. A qualifying meat-free tamale that needs temperature control requires DSHS registration and safe handling. Ask DSHS to confirm the recipe before taking orders. Official guidance.
What disclaimer has to be on a Texas cottage food label?
Every Texas cottage food label must carry the exact disclaimer: "THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION." Alongside it you list your name and address (or your free DSHS ID if you registered for privacy), the product name, ingredients, and allergens. TCS or refrigerated foods add a production date and a safe-handling line about keeping the food refrigerated or frozen. Official guidance.
Can I sell Texas cottage food through DoorDash or Uber Eats?
For online cottage food orders, DSHS requires personal delivery by the operator, an employee, or a household member. Arrange that handoff directly with the buyer instead of offering app-based courier delivery. Official guidance.
Do I need a cottage food license or permit in Texas?
Texas does not require registration for basic cottage foods. DSHS registration is free and required for qualifying foods that need temperature control; it is optional for address privacy on other cottage food labels. Official guidance.
Texas cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Basic Texas cottage foods need no state registration, with a $150,000 gross annual sales threshold. Qualifying refrigerated foods need free DSHS registration. Meat products remain outside this path. Official guidance.
What foods can I sell from home in Texas?
Qualifying foods may be shelf-stable or temperature-controlled, but meat, poultry, seafood, and other prohibited categories remain excluded. A restaurant or other licensed food-establishment path is needed for those products. Official guidance.