My state, TN, has recently changed i's food cottage law so that home based bakeries no longer have to be inspected in order to operate legally.  You still have the option to do so, and many venues won't allow your cakes if you don't have that anyway.  Just wondering if anyone has recently gone through a home inspection and what to expect?

it depends on how your county interprets it all--my county, shelby county--way far west tn, does not recognize 'home bakeries' per se--it recognizes home 'bakery' for baked goods sold at farmer's stands and farmer's markets so i never bothered to get any more of the facts because the deal-breaker is that decorated cake comes under 'catering' not any of the cottage food regulations. 

it's all different county by county--

most if not all other counties are more obliging--

hopefully your local peeps can fill you in--but i mean i know there's no pets of any kind 'in the building'

You might want to check back into this K8Memphis.  The law just changed last year and it is a statewide law.  I didn't know any of this had changed until yesterday.  I had looked into all this a couple years ago, but also didn't get any more info at the time because of all the requirements.  I just happened upon these articles so I'm calling my local offices tomorrow to find out the deal.  I'm in Sumner County.

Here are the links to the article on the state law change and also to the rules from the agricultural dept. regarding food cottage laws.  From what I'm reading it includes all baked goods, which would include cakes.

I'll find out more info tomorrow and post what I find.

If this is all correct then I'd be interested in possibly getting inspected still.  I just wonder who has gone through one of those already and what exactly they do.

http://news.tn.gov/node/8897

https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/pb1399.pdf

thank you blackjack--very kind of you to reply and to shine the light--

however the zoning here will probably never change--at least it hasn't changed lately--there would be the shout heard 'round the turntable (world ;) by all the cakers here if it did --

page 6 of the new law you reference;

"Local zoning regulations 
may restrict the kinds of home businesses allowed or prohibit home 
food businesses entirely. If zoning laws are confusing to you, or if you 
have any questions about them, ask local officials to clarify the rules"

i don't have any questions--i got the answers! check locally--it is very confusing

each different governing arena has different guidelines--health board says yes--zoning says no--county clerk will sell anyone a business license--

i hope you're not in shelby county proper

the state law bows to the local ordinances--done--but no worries

and i hope you get all the answers you want to get!

and oh, man, i went back to close that tab and the next sentence reads thusly

"If zoning laws are confusing to you, or if you 
have any questions about them, ask local officials to clarify the rules. 
Do not make any plans until you are satisfied that your business will 
fall within the bounds of the current laws. If you plan a business with 
the idea that you will get local zoning ordinances and laws changed, 
you may be in for an unpleasant surprise."

they are talking shelby county here if not others

but i do know for a fact it is much more lenient in a lot of the rest of the state

good luck!

i hope this all goes through!

i just checked and the population of sumner county is just over 160,000--that bodes very well for the officials to have the more forgiving outlook on this

not to mention that every government entity everywhere is trying to oomph the tax monies coming in so every squeaky wheel they hear is an opportunity for them to cash in--they are motivated to make it happen--but they still want to retain control and regulate it which is a good thing where food for public consumption is concerned

and all that to say--how much inroad the peeps pushing for cottage laws have plowed for home cakers--bravo!

at the same time i see the conflict with established bakeries--no easy answers but bakeries have been changing/shrinking for many decades and this is the next blow -- established bakeries will have to scramble more in some cases to build more and better mouse traps like serve meals & stuff like that maybe

but this is very promising--i am genuinely excited for you--