Now That Az Is Legal I Am Opening Shop...kind Of
Business By Bettyviolet101 Updated 9 May 2011 , 4:58am by Bettyviolet101
Hello,
So I just found out at home bakeries will be legal in az in July and now want to start actually making money off cakes! So excited to help the family as a stay at home mom!
Anyways I am not going to advertise because I am not interested in a huge business with 2 toddlers and one baby on the way. I want to mostly to do friends, family, and word of mouth. Understand that when I say word of mouth that is pretty much the most effective advertising where I come from. I come from a cluster of small towns.
My question is how far should I go legally? Even though its friends and family I think I should have something to sign but I am not sure what. What about insurace? With word of mouth I could still do a stranger. I don't even know where to begin! Thanks! 
I'm just a hobby baker, but i guess I'm a bit confused by your post. Why would you have waited until it was legal to bake from home in AZ, and then not go the full route of becoming legal?
You should look into the following:
- Business liability insurance
- A business license from your town
- Check your town's zoning ordinances to make sure you can operate legally from your home
- Registering your business name with the county and/or state
- Putting together a business plan so you know how much to charge and which products to sell
- Learning some basic accounting (or hiring an accountant) so you can track your expenses and income
- Creating a logo, business cards, web site, invoices, and contracts for customers to sign
YMMV depending on where you live...business liability insurance is an absolute must though.
YMMV depending on where you live...business liability insurance is an absolute must though.
For sure. Even if you are just making cakes for friends and friends of friends, all it takes is one litigious guest who does't feel well after the party and you could find yourself in trouble, even if it has nothing to do with your cake. The insurance will help CYA and in general just make you feel better about everything you do. I could totally live with peace of mind without health insurance, but not without business insurance.
Also, a lot of what actually happens with the new Arizona law could depend on whether or not the county decides to impose additional restrictions over the state. Irrespective of what the state code says, every county has different rules as it relates to food safety(Maricopa is the strictest) . If Maricopa County decides not to modify their food code to reflect everything that the state allows, there may be additional restrictions or selling food made from home in Maricopa County may not be allowed at all. I would definitely get in touch with the Maricopa County Department of Environmental Services to find out where they stand (although they may not even know where they stand just yet).
Best of luck!
Thank you for all of your tips! Cakifiction: I didn't mean not going the full route of becoming legal. I don't want to become a huge business. I want to just continue doing it as a hobby but want to make sure I am doing everything legal and make some money on the side while I am at it.
Okay so yes on insurance for sure. I am paranoid about that stuff anyways so I might as well be at peace with knowing if something does happen I have a safety net to fall into. The rest I have to call and ask 
From what I hear no one will be able to answer my questions or cares to for that matter. Lets hope I get someone who does! Anyways I live in Navajo county and I have no idea how strict they are. We shall see. Thank you for the list that was great!
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