New: States That License Home Kitchens
Business By kelleym Updated 17 Aug 2014 , 1:55pm by craftybanana
Because our old thread was corrupted in the big crash, we're starting fresh! This attatchment reflects all the information I have gathered on which states will permit/license your home kitchen for public cake preparation, and relevant contact information.
The chart is coded by color:
Green = YES, this state allows/permits/licenses home kitchens for cake/baking businesses
Orange = NO, this state will not allow you to have a food business in your home kitchen
Yellow = VARIES BY COUNTY, check with the county in which you reside
White = No information yet
For the purposes of this chart and thread, a "home kitchen" is your own home kitchen where you prepare food for yourself and your family, not a separate kitchen on your property.
Of course, this is not a legal document, and you should always check with your local Health Department or Agriculture Department before beginning any type of food business.
To keep this thread from getting too large and unwieldy, please only add to it if you have a correction, or new information on a state. Please start a new thread to ask a specific question about a state's regulations, as that way it will be more likely to be seen by someone who can help.
You can follow all the latest news here: http://texascottagefoodlaw.com/Facts.aspx
The information for Missouri is incorrect.
In Missouri it varies by county.
Some counties allow the primary home kitchen to be licensed, but many do not.
For instance, in my county the kitchen can be on your property, but has to have a separate entrance for just the kitchen.
Marion County in West Virginia is a no go.
The guy at HD did tell me to "just go for it!"
He said and I am quoteing him here "What's the worst that could happen?"
So I said "I don't know, what is the worst that could happen?"
He said "Well.....I would come out and tell you if you don't have a permit then you can't sell cakes."
Me "So I can't sell cakes?"
HD "Legally? No! Personally, I don't care! I am not going to come over to your house and check everything out. Espeically if you are only selling to a handful of people!"
So legally I cannot sell cakes, but the guy at HD really encourged me to "just go for it!"
You gotta love WV! These people are a hoot!
The information for Missouri is incorrect.
In Missouri it varies by county.
Some counties allow the primary home kitchen to be licensed, but many do not.
For instance, in my county the kitchen can be on your property, but has to have a separate entrance for just the kitchen.
Hippiemama,
What county are you in and do you know if it is Ok in Clay county?
I'm not sure about Clay county. I know Greene and Laclede rules well though, lol!
If you contact the nearest health department they will give you more information than you ever wanted to know.
Tennessee varies by county. Shelby County in West TN where Memphis is located does not allow cake bakeries except in commercially zoned areas. During the past year we have gone through the drama/trauma of having some of our cakers turned in for cake baking in their homes.
It is true that the state will certify home kitchens to do baking for farmer's market purposes. But not for cake bakeries like we are talking about in this thread because the Shelby County Health Department sent out cease and desist letters to four of my friends.
Tennessee varies by at least one county, mine unfortunately. sniff
Updated document as of Oct. 2008.
Again, to keep this thread from becoming too gigantic, please limit posts to corrections or new information. Questions about specific states or counties should be posted in a new thread where you have the greatest chance of someone who can help you seeing it.
Vermont does allow home bakeries . The tradename must be registered with the Sec of State, Kitchen must be inspected, Application filed, water tests completed, Vermont Business License & Tax ID Number Procured, and certificate of business insurance procured.
http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/food_lodge/Bakeries.aspx
http://healthvermont.gov/forms/documents/JULY_2008_APP.pdf
http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/food_lodge/documents/2008_Bakerystatue_fees.pdf
http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/food_lodge/food_lodge_guide.aspx#additional
Well, having just gone thru all of this myself i know that in the state of NEBRASKA you CANNOT bake from home. The kitchen has to be seperate from your home.
This is in another Nebraska thread ( http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-quote-6133075.html ) . Maybe it differs from county to county??
I was browsing the Business Forum Sticky on state laws re: bakeries and home businesses ... found this post on page 7. I didnt' read any further to see if there were any countering posts, so you might check out the thread: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=32550&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=90
for nebraska.I made some calls today to find out information about getting a license. What I did find out is if you don't advertise and only do it 3 days or less a week you don't need one. If you do advertise you do need it. and one of the requrements is to have a seperate kitchen for a license if you live in lincoln or omaha there is a little more to getting the license. they did give me a website www.agr.ne.gov for a place to go to see the requirements in the dairies and food section. I hope this helps
stacey
Georgia should be yellow. In some counties you can operate a cake business from your house as long as you have a seperate kitchen. I have two friends who have them. Unfortunatley, I'm in a county that doesn't.
kakesbykitty is right. It's a no in Nebraska unless it's a separate kitchen. Doesn't matter how often you use it or advertise.
No.. unfortunately it's not legal in California to bake for the public from your home kitchen.. and they are pretty strict about it too.
I am moving to Bismarck, North Dakota in a few weeks and have not found any info on baking cakes at home. Any one know that answer, I couldnt get Kellys info to open up for me.
Thank you.
According to the chart it is not legal in North Dakota to bake in your home kitchen for sale to the public. Sorry.
hi im in NY..............does anyone know if i can bake from my home kitchen, i cant download the form for some reason
thanks mary
This is on the Vermont statutes: EXCEPTIONS. The provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to individuals manufacturing in and selling from their own private home kitchens, bread, cakes, pies or other food products made either wholly or in part from flour whose average gross retail sales of such products do not exceed $125.00 a week, nor to restaurants, inns or hotels subject to the provisions of subchapter 2 of this chapter, nor to church, fraternal or charitable food sales.
We haven't figured it out for Connecticut yet as far as I can see.
New York varies by county so call your department of agriculture and see what they say.
Unfortunately Mississippi doesn't allow home kitchens at all.
Both Indy and Wisconsin do not allow home kitchens... sorry the news isn't better.
I never have a problem getting it to open like most people seem to. Just click where it says Download on the right and click open and it pops up every time. Not that I mind looking it up though.
I can't get it to open either. No matter what program I tried to open it in. What does it say for Illinois?
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