Does anyone know the rules and laws on becoming a home based business in indiana. All I can find online is about home based vendors and farmers markets and roadside stands.

i do not know

but i do know it is specific to each county and individual cities and areas within the county

so you might want to check locally--call health department, agriculture department, business licensing agency, zoning board, code enforcement, etc.

it's not a straight line --can sometimes be confusing being told different things/conflicting information by different agencies till it gets sorted out--sometimes receiving conflicting information from the same agency

wish it was one stop shopping but asking locally is one way to find out

there can even be a difference in some cases between the type of products made

big difference between selling 8" cakes and selling decorated cake

in some areas 8" iced cakes can fall under cottage/farmer's market type regulations but decorated cakes fall under catering--can be completely different things

in some areas you can bake freely from home even using potentially hazardous ingredients like cream cheese

all depends on your zip code and etc.

and not to mention

i applaud you for doing this the right way

some people might view this different but i think doing a random cake for family and for your bff and accepting remuneration is ok with most of the health dept and business authorities in the states

i think when you branch out beyond that tight small group you def need to corral the rowdy ducks to protect everyone as you are doing

some people think it's already a business if you accept payment  from anyone

so one phone call is not the final answer though--you probably will have to dig a bit

This is sort of tricky.  I've operated under the HBV law in Indiana for a few months now, but am seeking to become fully licensed and operate out of a commercial kitchen as soon as possible.

I called the Hamilton County health dept (where I live).  They told me over the phone that a "roadside stand" also included my home, because it was along the road.  Essentially, you could even set up a table in your driveway and it would qualify.

However, you need to have proper labeling on your products with the address of where you made the product, plus ingredients (check the law for sure) and there are certain things you cannot make to sell (cheesecakes, etc.)

You also can only have the items picked up, you are not supposed to deliver them.

Overall, it's a good law, but I want more freedom with what I can make.  And I want to be able to do weddings and get paid (not just gift wedding cupcakes for friends), so that's why I'm making the switch to be fully licensed.

Also, many central Indiana farmers markets will not allow you to sell under this law, even though it exists.  I want to sell at a farmers market but all my local ones won't allow me to, so it's just one more reason to be fully licensed.

Call your local health dept with your questions!  Purdue has also put out some great information on the HBV law.

Hope this helps!

It is my understanding in the state of Indiana that you cannot operate a bakery business out of your home unless you have a separate kitchen from your normal home kitchen, which has a completely separate entrance and even then it still has to meet inspection regulations. The only other way to legally operate out of your "normal" home kitchen is under the home-based vendor rule, which only allows pickup from Farmer's Markets or Roadside Stands, period. NOW...what *qualifies* as a Roadside Stand in Indiana is where different counties interpret the law differently. In some counties it is very strict, while in my county they OK'd my use of our large front porch (which is just off a main roadway, with parking along the curb) as a "roadside stand".

Like Sewlo said, there are still regulations you must follow such as labeling your items per the state's specifications and not using certain unstable ingredients they've "blacklisted" such as cream cheese, etc. Like Sewlo we are currently operating under the HBV laws as well, but are looking into renting a commercially licensed kitchen so that we may expand our business to include delivery and potentially resale through a few local businesses. I definitely echo her sentiments of contacting your local health department if you are thinking of starting up under the HBV law - they will give you their specific interpretations of the law, and then you will have a better idea of what you can and can't do. Good luck!!

Sewlo - you are lucky to live in Hamilton County, I used to live there and loved it! I'm sure you have a lot more access to rental spaces than I do...I live in a very rural town in Northern Indiana now, and don't have a lot of options...good luck to you too!!

Yes, it is good to live in Hamilton County!  Thankfully there is one commercial kitchen I can rent maybe a mile door to door from my house, and there's another in Indianapolis (though a bit more expensive).  And those are just the ones I know of.

I'm hoping to get all my ducks in a row within a month or so to rent a kitchen and expand what I can offer!  Good luck to you as well!
 

In Indiana, within the last few years, you CAN bake or do jams or jellies ONLY in a home kitchen, providing you are selling at a farmers market. This is legal for the state, but some counties supercede the ruling by making you bake in a certified kitchen. Tippecanoe is one, plus tippecanoe requires if you sell at any Farmers Market in the county, the product must be made in a certified kitchen AND a Board of Health person must watch you make at least 1 batch.