I love Iowa is all I can say. The inspector just left and gave me my home food license for the state of Iowa. I can legally sell potentially hazardous foods (cream fillings, cheesecakes) baked in my home kitchen! I really don't need a license in Iowa to decorate and sell cakes from my home kitchen, but this just makes it better for me in the long run.
All the inspector did was sat me down at my kitchen table and told me what all I needed. He took the temp of my fridge and that was it! He was impressed that I had my cake stuff already seperate and a thermometer in my fridge and freezer already (thanks to you all at CC for that). I was so nervous because I do have dogs, but he saw the baby gate I have up between the kitchen and the living room and said that was good. I still have it up for my son and the dogs so it works out.
I even have the go ahead to set up at local farmer's markets. YIPPEE!!!
WOHOOO! Congrats, Becky! I went through this a few months ago. I'm excited for you! ...Now get cakin'! 
Congrats!!!on your victory and best of luck to you. 
I'm excited for you and envious. I live in Florida. You can't have a "legal"home kitchen set up for baking. I also have a detached building that the dept of Agriculture said I could use, but zoning in my county said that home baking does not qualify as a home based business. I'm so upset. I almost set up shop at a catering store and was going to rent her kitchen. But I just can't be away from the house full time like that with the rest of my family duties.
But congratulations to you in Iowa!!!!!
I'm curious, I live in Iowa also in a smaller town. The lady that did our wedding cake said she has to use a commercial kitchen to do cakes. What's the circumstances that make it possible to do it at home? Id be interested in doing some occasionally.
avgsuperheroine,
In Iowa it's very easy to set up shop in your own home. If you don't plan on selling any potentially hazardous foods (cream fillings, cheesecakes, etc....items that need to be refrigerated) then you don't need a license. If you want to sell cream fillings and will make less than $20,000 a year doing so then you need a home food operation license which is what I got. If you make over $20,000 then you will need a commercial kitchen set up. I have the forms from the State if you'd like for me to email them to you. I'll PM you.
Also, check with your county/city to see if they have certain restrictions. The only thing we can't do is have customers come by the house to pick up their cakes and pay since this isn't a storefront. It's more of a zoning issue as well.
Thanks for the info. I wonder if our cake lady can't do it in her hoome because she has so much business. We only have one bakery in town (other than walmart) and she's the only other cake person I know of for a town of 12,000 so she keeps pretty busy. She doesn't do fondant though, and I only work with that. I thought it may be fun to eventually sell them.
Gotta go my bday cake is ready for me. Thanks again-
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