Ok I called the health department today b/c I'm ready to start baking and decorating for real ( ie I can make $$$$!) anyway he ( guy at hd) said point blank "read he law and do what it says" ok I know what I can and cannot do but from what I read on here it's more complicated than that. So I tried to prob him and he said I didn't need anything else just do it, as long as it's marked homemade and I have ingredients listed. Does that sound right?? No fees ( I'm ok with that ) but I don't want 6 mo from now someone saying you're breaking the law and you owe us $$$. Please help me be legal!! (I'm going to get insurance too FYI)

If you are just doing 1 or 2 cakes a month just do what the guy said. Make sure you report your earnings (and expenses!) on your taxes and you'll be fine. If you plan on really going for it and running it like a business then treat it like one and take the necessary steps. That's were the more complicated stuff comes in that you've been reading about. I only do a few cakes a month so I'm not messing with all that stuff. If ever I quit my "real" job and use caking as my main income THEN I will go about the getting a tax ID and business name and such.

That's Qhat I want to do I'm a stay at home mom.

Where in Arkansas are you? I am in Benton county (Bella Vista), I didn't have to do anything either. I am, however, looking into getting my business license and tax id number. I hope to open a store front next summer. Currently in the process of writing up my business plan and doing research.

I'm in Faulkner county( Conway). It just seems like it should be harder or something!!!

I know! I, unfortunately, spent HOURS on the phone with local government trying to get straight answers, before I finally got any information. Everyone kept directing me to someone else. In their defense the law had only passed a month or two earlier, and no one really knew anything yet.

I'm also in Conway. I talked to someone else in Conway and they had called the city. They are the ones that want you to check zoning.

Nowotny did you have to do anything special and what offices did you call I called the Health dept.

To check on zoning you will need to call your city hall. They should be able to direct you to the person you need. In my case, however, my POA is the one that governs zoning. Very weird here, because we have a city wide POA, and they handle most of what is usually considered city matters.