Cottage Food Laws by State
Texas Cottage Food Laws
Texas has one of the most welcoming cottage food laws in the country. Home bakers and food producers can sell directly to consumers without a commercial kitchen, a permit, or an inspection — as long as they label correctly and stay under the annual sales cap.
Annual cap
$150,000
Permit required
No
Venues
5
Last updated
2026
What You Can Sell
The following product types are permitted under the Texas cottage food law.
Baked Goods
Permitted- Cakes and cupcakes
- Cookies and brownies
- Muffins and quick breads
- Yeast breads and rolls
- Pies (fruit pies; cream and custard pies require refrigeration and are not permitted)
- Cake pops and dipped treats
- Donuts and pastries
Candies and Confections
Permitted- Chocolates and fudge
- Hard candies and lollipops
- Toffee and caramel (shelf-stable)
- Cake truffles
Preserved and Dry Goods
Permitted- Jams, jellies, and preserves
- Honey and honeycomb
- Dried herbs and spices
- Roasted nuts and trail mix
- Granola and cereal
- Popcorn and flavored popcorn
- Dried pasta (no egg)
Beverages
Permitted- Coffee (roasted or ground, not brewed)
- Dry tea blends
What You Cannot Sell
These product types are not covered by the Texas cottage food law and require a commercial kitchen license.
- Meat, poultry, and seafood products
- Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter)
- Items requiring refrigeration (cream pies, cheesecakes, certain frostings)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Fruit and vegetable juices
- Canned low-acid vegetables (e.g. green beans, corn)
- Products with meat or egg fillings
Where You Can Sell
Texas permits cottage food sales at the following venues.
Direct from your home
Customers can pick up directly. You can also deliver to customers personally.
Farmers markets
One of the most common venues. No additional permit required beyond the market's own rules.
Roadside stands
Allowed on your own property or with landowner permission.
Craft fairs and festivals
Any event where you sell directly to the end consumer.
Online with direct delivery
You can take orders online as long as you personally deliver or the customer picks up. Third-party shipping is not permitted.
Annual Sales Cap
$150,000
Gross annual revenue. SB 541 (effective Sept 1, 2025) tripled the cap from $50,000 to $150,000 and indexed it to inflation.
Permit and Registration
No permit or registration required
No permit, license, or inspection is required. You can start selling immediately.
What a Compliant Texas Label Looks Like
Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.
Product
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Pops
Sunflower Home Bakery
412 Maple Ave, Springfield, TX
Ingredients:
Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Corn Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil; Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla; Sugar, Corn Starch, Vegetable Oil (Palm), Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax, FD&C Colors; Water, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red 40.
Contains:
THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.
Label Requirements
Every cottage food product sold in Texas must have a label that includes the following.
| Required field |
|---|
| All 9 FDA major allergens present |
| Complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight |
| Business name |
| Business address |
| Product name |
| "Not inspected" disclosure statement |
Required Label Disclosure
This exact text must appear on every label you sell in Texas.
THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.
Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.
Generate your Texas label in minutes
Ingredient lists, allergens, and the required disclosure — built in automatically.
Texas Cottage Food — Common Questions
No. Texas does not require any permit, license, or inspection to sell cottage food. You can start selling as soon as you are ready.
No. Texas cottage food law requires direct, in-person transactions. You can deliver personally or have customers pick up, but you cannot use FedEx, UPS, USPS, or other shipping carriers.
Yes. Farmers markets are one of the most popular venues for Texas cottage food sellers. You do not need a separate permit beyond what the market itself may require.
Products made in a commercial kitchen are regulated differently and are not covered by the cottage food law. Cottage food specifically applies to products made in your home kitchen.
If your gross sales exceed $50,000 in a year, you are required to obtain a food manufacturer's license and operate from a licensed commercial kitchen.
Yes. You can use any packaged ingredients. Your label must list all ingredients from every product you use, which is where Quickly Cottage helps — we pull the exact ingredient text from hundreds of branded products automatically.
Law reference: Texas Cottage Food Law (Texas Health & Safety Code, Chapter 437) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.
Generate your Texas labels in minutes
Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list from the brands you actually use, and generates a label with the Texas-required disclosure already included. Start free.