If I were wanting to just bake for fun - like for meetings, family b-days and an occasional friend (even if they did pay me for the trouble), I wouldn't bother with a license as the number of cakes I would make in a year would be like 10 TOPS, more likely like 5.

However, I'm wanting to sell enough cakes, decorated cookies, pies and tea cakes (and specialty holiday breads) so that I can stay at home with my kids for a bit longer. I just don't see HOW I can do that with just word of mouth and no business cards. So, I will get licensed and since I'm lucky that Virginia will license home bakers, then it's only to my benefit. I can only be taxed on what I earn and the licensing fee is like $40 a year and the modifications I would have to make at home would be minimal as I already have a pretty decent set up at home. Licensing will only help me.

Melissa

Well I am just a beginner decorater, but I am already working on becoming legal. I live in NC and so far what I have learned it's not too bad to get legal.

I want to be legal for all the right reasons plus, I have bad luck. I would never sleep worrying about someone just wanting to be mean and turn me in.

But I also feel that we all have to do what we have to do for us (not for everyone else) in all aspects of life.

NOTHING in life is FAIR. Even the rich and famous find something to complain about.

And as far as breaking the law, like someone else mentioned, does everyone follow all the rules all the time. I would bet not. Do you ever speed, what about the laws of the Lord, does anyone ever curse, get mad at someone else and blow their top. Remember, that's not christian like.

And what about getting legal, do you care either way, legal or not, you are still taking away business from others and making it harder for the person that was there before you.

I would also bet that anyone who became legal, started out long before they became legal. Everyone has to work there way up.

Not too many just have enough money just sitting around to jump straight in, especially with no experience and to at least see if they have interested clientele.

I come from a pretty poor family. We are clean people, but everyone seemed to take the financial road to nowhere. Me, myself included.
And my parents didnt seem to have the time to show me the right way.
I am HELL bent on teaching, making, threatening, whatever it takes, to insure that my kids will have no worries in the financial department.

My kids will not have to struggle, worry, or feel bad about the choices they have made. They might hate me now, but they really will know why one of these days, why I am like I am.

Kinda off subject there, but was meaning that I am having to start off with basically nothing, and that makes it almost impossible, but I am going to try anyways.

I believe you must do what you need to do, no matter whose toes you step on or whose feelings you may hurt, because they will do it to you first if they need to for what ever reason. Now I didnt mean to do this on purpose to anyone. Just meaning, if it gets under someones skin that you are actually good at this and could take some of there business, so be it, just keep digging your heels in and you will get there.

I live in a small town, there's only grocery store bakeries, and Wal-Mart.
I dream of the day to have my own bakery on Main Street one day.
But do you think if someone else thinks of it first and has more money than me, do you think they will come and ask if I mind? No way!!

Just be happy and never give up.

What have to do to become legal in NC

So far, I have learned that it is pretty basic.

No pets in the house, Thermometer in fridge., all light bulbs protected, no-what-nots sitting around collecting dust, cake ingredients separate from home stuff, your regular appliances are fine. You dont have to have a separate sink.

Now I have not had them to come out yet, so I could be missing something.

I have talked to the Dept. of Ag.
The Health Dept. has nothing to do with my county.

Different counties could be different.

HTH

back to the subject.....does anyone know of a home decorator that ever got busted?


Yes I know someone. She was told to cease and desist until she got a leagal licenced kitchen She was turned in by a disgruntled friend when she told that friend she was getting too busy to help her decorate her cakes. Here in SC every county is a little diffferent. Our county allows the hobbyist to charge for ingredients used. we can't advertise or have business cards or anything. The rules to be legal are rather stiff and such things as grease traps ( pretty costly as I understand) and certain types of sinks are required. A lot of other hoops and red tape to go through as well. I will remain a hobbyist as I do this for fun for family, friends and coworkers. I belong to a local cake club and There are both types in the club. None of the licenced decorators really feels threatened by us hobbyists.

I am a cake decorating instructor who allowed my students to do a cake exhibit at the local craft store, kinda like an art show but with dummy cakes. One of my least favorite students convinced several other students not to submit a dummy cake because she has a friend who goes around looking for un-official cake decorators to turn in to the local health department. Considering the passion behind the way she argued it in class, I'm starting to think her "friend" is actually her. So I guess you do have people who have enough time to scout out up-and-coming new talent at the local craft stores where classes are offered. We weren't selling cakes, but I told my students that they may consider selling their dummy cakes if someone made an offer. Out of the 14 students in my cake class, only 2 students dispalyed cakes, so I had to add a few of my dummy cakes to the exhibit.

This will be my last post in the subject because I'm not going to continue to read this thread and let other peoples perceptions anger me. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

Just to hit on a few points here.

There is a big difference between running a red light and making a cake that could potentially cause severe illness to people. Yeah, running a red light can kill someone, but so can ecoli and many other lurking yuckies. You'd be amazed what you learn about bacteria and foods that are potentionally dangerous in a SaniServe class. Here, the class is a requirement for those who get legal. Either you or someone in your kitchen need the cert to operate.

I have turned in homebakers because of unclean kitchen conditions brought to my attention by their former clients. Pet fur, rancid icing for example. So what if someone goes to Suzy Q Homebaker for a cake and not me? Nothing I can do about it. Maybe her cake or frosting is better or she's less expensive than I am. So be it.

Would I do it again? You betcha. Why do you think the laws are so stringent in the first place? Yes, a lot of it is about supplying Big Brother with a nice chunk of change, but don't think for one moment that someone down the line didnt screw up a cake and make these rules necessary. Why turn a blind eye on that? Sure, keep letting it happen and sooner or later more laws will be enforced and it will be even harder for us to get licensed.

Call me jealous, insecure, whatever. I dont care. I've busted my a$$ to get legal and I'll be darned if I'm going to allow someone elses poor judgement make it more difficult to continue to do so. A blatent disregard for these rules will make it harder for others in the future who want to get licensed

Selling cakes from your home is illegal for a reason. This irks me and I'm sorry if I come off rude and piss off a few people but by belittling the cause and thinking that it's just a piece of expensive paper that makes you legal, well then maybe perhaps one is not operating a true cake "business."

RisqueBusiness,
There is one thing I do not agree with you is that from the moment you opened your own bakery you competitors changed completely you are competing now against all the rest of the bakeries in Miami, that can place adds, do advertising, have a lot of help in the kitchen because you are not working alone on your place with one mixer,so I do not agree that the competitors are the homebakers that can make 1 to 2 cakes per week. Your business, your target is some other places, and I can not understand how you get so mad with homebakers when you started the same way.

I AGREE WITH YOU 100% !!!

This topic has now been locked! Thanks everyone!