I've seen this term thrown around a lot on here...if your buisness is legal. What exactly doesn that mean? Is it that you work in an inspected and certified kitchen and you pay taxes or is there more to it?

Yes. You're a licensed/inspected/registered/tax paying/law abiding legitimate business.

I don't think I left anything out.

If you have to ask if you are ..... then you're not.

Ok, I am still working on it but nearly there.

I have my tax id, DBA, inspections to finish(hand sink not to regulations), what all license do I need. I also have insurance. I feel so lost. I am only renting a kitchen for 10 - 20 per month. (thanks indydebi for the polite push to get this done. All your advice from various threads have been a big help!)

well, heck, darlin', sounds like you're halfway there!

The inspections .... are you referring to building inspector inspections or health dept inspections?

The HD license is the gold at the end of the rainbow.

Oh I know you were so irritated that they didn't connect the HAND SINK with HOT WATER. Good luck when everything is completed!

Dkelly has just about everything and...insurance!

It actually depends on where you live. Here in Ohio, you can legally have a cake business and not be licensed. (cottage industry laws) To BE licensed here, all you need is the inspection (they check to see to make sure you have no pets in your home or carpet in your kitchen) you give them the $10. fee and you are licensed.

Food is not taxed here in Ohio, so you don't HAVE to have the tax ID #. However, if you charge for delivery or rent equipment out, you do have to tax that.

isn't the tax ID the same as a SS number but for a business? I mean, when you do your state and federal taxes, your tax id is needed to identify your business. Unless you do it as a hobby, then you liabilities would be on a personal level, right?

Iowa is a lot like Ohio - you can bake from home and food sales are tax free as long as consumption is off premises. As long as you sell non-hazardous items, which include most bakery items that don't have perishable fillings, you don't even need to be licensed, unless you are selling wholesale (to restaurants, stores,etc).

I recently double-checked this with the Iowa State Extension office and they confirmed this for me and even sent me the links to the Iowa Code section and language that verified this.

I suspect we have fairly liberal laws here because we are a rural state with lots of farmers markets - other items exempt are raw/unprocessed produce, eggs in shells, honey, and other non-potentially hazardous food (essentially does not require refrigeration).

Tigerhawk83- I'm from Iowa as well (near Des Moines) and I think we are VERY lucky here!! After reading everyone's posts on being licensed, etc, I'm glad I live in Iowa! I can't imagine going through all of that other stuff to do cakes. I'm not sure I would even bother because I wouldn't be able to afford it!

TigerHawk & SimplyIced - I'm an Iowa gal, too! I'm glad we've got such liberal laws regarding baking cakes out of our home. I was just doing some more research tonight (looking for others like me in the area) and I came across the Simply Iced website.

I know we don't have to be licensed, but I still get this fear that someone's gonna come knocking on my door telling me to knock it off! But after seeing all of the websites for the locals (well...a couple hours away) I feel a lot better!

I was wondering if you Iowa gals that are unlicensed and working out of your homes do bridal shows, advertise, etc. I really want to do some of those things, but I'm chicken. Everyone says my cakes taste so much better than what can be found here in town and I'd like to take advantage of that. But I also don't want to get myself in a bind. Know what I'm sayin'?

gotta love that indydebi! Well said.

I know indydebi....stupid, huh?

I think I just wanted confirmation from others in Iowa in the same situation. (Unlicensed home bakeries) After all the websites I saw last night and after looking through TONS of posts on CC I'm much more comfortable. Truthfully, I had already emailed back and forth with the dept. of inspections and appeals regarding this very thing and they assured me it was fine. I did that before I ever sold my first cake.

I think after reading all of the licensed v. unlicensed stuff on here I got a little scared. Even though I know that it varies state by state, county by county, etc. But, I know it is RIDICULOUS to worry about the HD when they're not worried about me.

And I instantly look at my speedometer when I see a cop...even if I know I'm going the speed limit. Can you tell I'm a huge baby and just don't want ANY trouble?

Thanks for the reality check indydebi!

Leave it to indydeb to say it like it is. I agree! If you dont need a license, get to it girl and make a name for yourself!! Some of us can only dream of owning our own shop. I live in CA and it is extremely hard and cost boat loads of $ to get legal. You should be thanking your lucky stars and doing a happy dance that it is so easy for you

*commencing happy dance*

(Be glad you can't see it! )

Wow, I wish it was that easy to sell from home here. I grew up in Iowa -- maybe it's time to move back!

Y'all forgot "insured".

Theresa