Florida's Cottage Food Law (FS 500.80) allows home-based food entrepreneurs to produce and sell certain food products directly to consumers from their home without a commercial kitchen license. Allowed products include: baked goods (bread, cakes, cookies, pastries), candies, dried herbs and spices, jams and jellies (made from safe, tested recipes), fruit pies, roasted nuts, and granola. Not allowed: products requiring refrigeration, meat products, dairy-based items, or anything requiring time/temperature controls for safety.

Florida cottage food businesses are limited to $50,000 in gross annual sales and must sell directly to the final consumer — no selling to restaurants, grocery stores, wholesale distributors, or through third-party delivery apps. Sales channels allowed include: direct from your home, farmers markets, roadside stands, craft fairs, and online orders for in-person pickup. The $50,000 cap resets each January 1; exceeding it requires transitioning to a licensed commercial kitchen operation.

Every cottage food product sold in Florida must be labeled with: the product name, all ingredients in descending order by weight, net weight or volume, your name and home address, and the required statement: "Made in a home kitchen. This product is not inspected by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the United States Department of Agriculture." The label must be affixed to the product container, not just a receipt or invoice.

One of the most common cottage food myths: you do NOT need a business license, food handler certification, health inspection, or any special permit from the state to operate a cottage food business in Florida. You do need to follow the product and sales restrictions. Optional but recommended: a General Liability insurance policy ($300-600/year) that covers food product liability, and a simple LLC formation ($125) for liability protection. These are protective choices, not legal requirements for cottage food specifically.