Alabama Cottage Food Law: What You Can Sell, Labels, and Delivery
Alabama cottage food law in plain terms: no sales cap, which foods qualify, the food safety course, the label rules, and how you may sell and deliver.
Alabama cottage food law lets you make foods that don’t need refrigeration in your home kitchen and sell them directly to consumers in Alabama, with no annual sales cap. You need a food safety course, a compliant label, and a review of both by your county health department, but no permit and no kitchen inspection (Alabama Department of Public Health).
The law is in section 22-20-5.1 of the Code of Alabama. This guide covers what the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) says about foods, the course, labels, where you can sell, and how orders can be delivered.
Key takeaways
- There’s no sales cap. ADPH says the annual income limit “has been removed.”
- Only non-potentially hazardous foods qualify. Meat, poultry, and fish are out.
- You must complete an approved food safety course and keep the certificate current.
- Sales go directly to consumers in Alabama: in person, by phone, or online. Wholesale, consignment, and restaurant sales are not allowed.
- Orders can be delivered in person, by mail, or through an agent of the producer, within Alabama.
What counts as cottage food in Alabama?
ADPH defines cottage food as a non-potentially hazardous food made at home that needs no time or temperature control for safety, and it “does not include meat, poultry, or fish.” The department lists these as allowed (ADPH):
| Allowed | Condition |
|---|---|
| Baked goods: cakes, breads, pastries, donuts, pies | None beyond the general rule |
| Jams, jellies, and fruit preserves | None beyond the general rule |
| Candy | None beyond the general rule |
| Dried herbs, herb mixes, vegetables, and fruits | None beyond the general rule |
| Roasted coffee and dried baking mixes | None beyond the general rule |
| Fermented or preserved fruit and vegetables that don’t produce alcohol | pH verification required |
| Freeze-dried foods | Water activity verification required |
| Non-potentially hazardous foods with under 3% alcohol | Over 3%, ask the Alabama Beverage Control Board |
pH tests you run at home aren’t accepted. Verification has to come from a processing authority or the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Beef jerky and foods like pigs in a blanket are specifically not allowed.
What do you need before you start selling?
Three things, and no permit (ADPH):
- A food safety course approved by the health department. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System offers one designed for cottage food, and ADPH accepts any ANSI-accredited food safety course. You must keep the certification current and retake the course when the certificate expires.
- A compliant label for each product (see below).
- A review by your county health department. Submit your course certificate, a sample label, and the Cottage Food Review Form. The county can give you written confirmation of the review, which some cities ask for before issuing a business license. Review fees vary by county.
There’s no inspection of your home kitchen.
What has to be on an Alabama cottage food label?
Every food item sold must be labeled in at least 10-point type with (ADPH):
- The common or usual name of the food
- The name of the cottage food operation
- The home or P.O. Box address of the operation
- The ingredients, in descending order of predominance
- A statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department
- A disclaimer that the food may contain allergens
A QR code can’t replace the contact information or the ingredient list.
Where can you sell cottage food in Alabama?
You sell directly to consumers, and the buyer must be in Alabama. Sales can happen in person, by phone, or online, and advertising on social media is allowed. ADPH says sales can take place from unpermitted venues such as a van, cart, tent, booth, or storefront, as long as the food is made at home and sold directly to the consumer.
What you can’t do:
| Not allowed | Why |
|---|---|
| Selling wholesale or on consignment to stores | Sales must go directly to consumers |
| Selling through a restaurant | Permitted food establishments may not sell food made in a private home |
| Selling from a permitted establishment or permitted mobile food unit | Same reason |
| Selling to buyers outside Alabama | The buyer must be in the state |
Farmers markets are regulated separately, by the Farmers Market Authority under the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, so check its rules before you book a stall.
How can Alabama cottage food orders be delivered?
ADPH allows three methods, all within the state:
- In person, by you
- By mail
- Through an agent of the producer, meaning a person delivering on your behalf
That third option matters if delivery is eating into your production time. ADPH’s description of an agent, a person delivering on the producer’s behalf, reads as covering a driver you hire. It doesn’t name couriers specifically, so confirm with your county health department during your review and keep its answer with your records.
If you use a courier:
- Seal and label every order before pickup. The label rules apply to every item sold.
- Keep deliveries inside Alabama. A Birmingham baker can deliver anywhere in the state, but not across the state line.
- Group orders into one route so you pay for one run, not ten.
We run scheduled and same-day courier routes from the Birmingham area, with live tracking and a photo at every drop-off. Our bakery delivery service is built for regular customer orders and event cakes. Enter your address and a typical customer’s in the delivery cost calculator for a price range.
When should you move to a permitted kitchen?
Alabama has no sales cap, so growth alone doesn’t force a move. These do:
- You want to sell meat, poultry, fish, or anything that needs refrigeration.
- A grocery store, café, or restaurant wants to stock your product. That’s wholesale, which the cottage food law doesn’t allow.
- You want to ship to customers in other states.
Most food businesses rent time in a shared kitchen at that point. Our guide to commissary kitchens covers costs and requirements, and our guide to direct store delivery covers what stores expect once you sell to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Alabama?
No. ADPH states that the annual income limit has been removed (ADPH).
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from home in Alabama?
No permit, and no kitchen inspection. You need an approved food safety course, a compliant label, and a review of both by your county health department.
Can I sell cottage food online in Alabama?
Yes, to consumers in Alabama. You can deliver orders in person, by mail, or through an agent delivering on your behalf.
Can I sell cottage food to a coffee shop or restaurant in Alabama?
No. Cottage food must be sold directly to consumers. Consignment to stores and sales through restaurants aren’t allowed.
Can I sell cheesecake under Alabama cottage food law?
Cheesecake needs refrigeration for safety, so it doesn’t fit ADPH’s definition of cottage food, which covers only foods that need no time or temperature control.
What does an Alabama cottage food label need?
The food’s name, your business name, your home or P.O. Box address, ingredients in descending order, a statement that the food isn’t inspected by the Health Department, and an allergen disclaimer, in at least 10-point type.
The Bottom Line
Alabama’s cottage food law has no sales cap, no permit, and no kitchen inspection. In exchange, you sell only shelf-stable foods, only directly to consumers in Alabama, and only with a current food safety certificate and a reviewed label. Delivery is flexible: in person, by mail, or through an agent delivering on your behalf. When you’re ready to hand off the driving, check with your county health department, then price a route with the delivery cost calculator.