Illinois Cottage Food Law: Registration, Labels, and Shipping Rules
Illinois cottage food law explained: registering with your local health department, the CFPM certificate, the required label and sign, and how you may ship.
Illinois cottage food law lets you make a wide range of foods in your home kitchen and sell them directly to consumers anywhere in Illinois, once you register with your local health department and hold a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certificate. The rules are in section 4 of the Illinois Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act, in its current form since January 1, 2022 (Cook County Department of Public Health).
This guide follows the Cook County Department of Public Health’s 2026 registration application, which sets out the state rules in plain terms: what you can make, how to register, what goes on the label and the sign, and how orders can be delivered.
Key takeaways
- Register with the local health department where you live, and keep a copy of your certificate of registration on hand.
- Everyone who prepares or packages the food needs a CFPM certificate. Staff who only sell or do admin don’t.
- Sell directly to consumers anywhere in Illinois, including online, by delivery, and by shipping within the state.
- You can’t sell to stores, restaurants, or distributors, or use a third-party distributor to deliver on your behalf.
- Shipped products must be sealed so tampering shows, and nothing can be shipped across state lines.
What can you make under Illinois cottage food law?
A wide range. The Cook County application lists two groups (Cook County DPH):
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Low-risk, shelf-stable | Jams, jellies, preserves, syrups; fruit butters, fruit pies, fruit pastries, empanadas; bread, tortillas, cookies, scones and baked goods without frosting or cheese; dried fruit, vegetables, spices, herbal teas; roasted coffee and nuts; candies and caramels |
| Allowed with additional instruction | Salad dressings, vinegars, infused oils; baked goods with cheese; fermented foods such as kimchi and kraut; acidified foods such as pickles, hot sauces, and relishes; cakes and cupcakes with frosting; fresh-cut fruit and vegetables; canned tomato products; vegan soups and meals; fresh-pressed juices and bottled drinks |
The second group comes with extra paperwork. Acidified and fermented foods need a food safety plan and a pH test for each distinct process, or an approved recipe from the USDA National Center for Home Food Preservation or a state cooperative extension. Canned tomato products need a pH test per recipe or an approved canning recipe.
How do you register a cottage food operation in Illinois?
Register with the local health department that covers your home. In Cook County, that means sending the county (Cook County DPH):
- A copy of a valid Food Service Protection Manager (CFPM) certificate
- A product label for each product category you’ll make
- Water test results, if your home is on a private well
- Food safety plans and pH tests, or approved recipes, for acidified, fermented, or canned tomato products
Suburban Cook County residents register with the Cook County Department of Public Health. Chicago and some suburbs, such as Evanston, have their own health departments, so check which one covers your address. Forms and fees differ from one department to the next.
Employees are allowed. Everyone who prepares or packages food needs their own CFPM certificate.
You agree to let the health department inspect your home if there’s an illness outbreak, a referral from another health department, or reason to believe there’s an imminent hazard or a misbranded or noncompliant product. The department may charge a fee for that inspection.
What label and sign does Illinois require?
Products must be prepackaged in your home kitchen and labeled under the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Every label carries this statement in prominent lettering:
This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.
The same statement must appear at the point of sale (Cook County DPH):
- At a market stall or pickup spot: a placard of at least 8 by 10 inches
- Online: a message on your sales page at checkout
Some foods don’t package easily, such as a wedding cake or donuts in a display case. You can ask your health department for a packaging exemption. If it’s granted, the label information goes on a receipt delivered with the product, and the sign is still required.
If you use ingredients bought directly from an Illinois farm, you’re encouraged to say “Illinois Grown,” “Illinois-Sourced,” or “Illinois Farm Product” on the label.
How can Illinois cottage food be sold and delivered?
Directly to consumers for their own use, anywhere in Illinois. You aren’t limited to your own city or county. The Cook County application lists these channels:
| Channel | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Pickup from your home or farm | Yes, subject to local rules on parking, signs, and customer numbers |
| On-farm store | Yes |
| Farmers markets, fairs, festivals, pop-up stands | Yes |
| Pickup or drop-off at another private property, with the owner’s consent | Yes |
| Online sales | Yes |
| Delivery directly to the customer | Yes |
| Shipping within Illinois | Yes, in packaging that reveals tampering, such as a sticker seal or pop top |
| Shipping across state lines | No |
And these are prohibited:
- Sales to retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, or bakeries
- Sales to third-party distributors for resale
- Sales to third-party distributors that deliver products on your behalf
Can a courier deliver Illinois cottage food?
The rules allow delivery directly to the customer and shipping within Illinois, but they prohibit “third party distributors that deliver products on your behalf.” A local courier handing over the product could fall under that ban, so don’t plan your delivery around one without written approval from your health department.
Shipping is the open route. A tamper-evident sealed package sent by a parcel carrier within Illinois is allowed.
That changes once you move into a licensed kitchen. Food made under a food establishment license isn’t cottage food, so these sales limits no longer apply. You can sell to cafés and stores and have a courier carry the orders.
When should you move to a licensed kitchen?
Move when one of these comes up:
| Sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A café, grocer, or restaurant wants your product | Cottage food can’t be sold for resale |
| You want a courier or delivery company to carry orders | Third parties delivering on your behalf are prohibited |
| You want to sell outside Illinois | Cottage food can’t cross state lines |
| Production has outgrown your home kitchen | Every preparer needs a CFPM, and home rules on parking and customers apply |
Most businesses take that step by renting time in a shared kitchen. Our guide to commissary kitchens covers what they cost and what they ask of tenants. Once you’re licensed, we run scheduled and same-day routes as a courier service in Chicago and its suburbs, with live tracking and a photo at every drop-off. See our bakery delivery service and our food and beverage delivery for brands getting into stores, or price a route in the delivery cost calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to sell food from home in Illinois?
You need to register with your local health department and hold a CFPM certificate. Registration is a different step from a full food establishment license, and there’s no routine inspection of your home.
Can I sell cottage food online in Illinois?
Yes, to consumers in Illinois. Your sales page must show the home kitchen notice at checkout.
Can I ship cottage food in Illinois?
Yes, within Illinois. Each product must be sealed so tampering shows, such as with a sticker or pop top, and nothing can be shipped across state lines.
Can I sell frosted cakes under Illinois cottage food law?
Yes. The Cook County application lists cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods with frosting and icing among the foods allowed with additional instruction from the health department.
Can I sell cottage food to a coffee shop in Illinois?
No. Sales to restaurants, stores, bakeries, or anyone reselling the food are prohibited.
What does the Illinois cottage food label say?
“This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.” The same notice goes on a placard where you sell, and at checkout online.
The Bottom Line
Illinois allows a wide range of cottage foods, including frosted cakes, fermented foods, and some fresh-cut produce. You register locally, get a CFPM certificate, and sell straight to consumers anywhere in the state, including by shipping in tamper-evident packaging. The firm limits are no resale, no shipping out of state, and no third parties delivering on your behalf. When you need any of those, a licensed kitchen is the next step, and a courier can take over from there. To price a route, use the delivery cost calculator.