Colorado Cottage Food Laws

Colorado's per-product cap is unusual and worth tracking carefully in your bookkeeping, because it's measured by net revenue per product type.

Important information: Cottage food laws vary by state and may change. This guide is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your state's official regulatory agency before selling homemade food.

Checked against official Colorado sources on November 2, 2026: permit and sales cap. Anything not marked as checked is our summary — check with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

Fast facts

Permit
Food safety course required, no license (checked)
Annual sales cap
$10,000 per product type/yr (checked)
Online sales
Limited (summary)
Shipping
Not allowed (summary)

What makes Colorado different

  • The cap is per product, not total — $10,000 of cookies and $10,000 of bread is fine
  • A food safety training certificate is mandatory
  • Colorado allows some whole eggs and certain pickled produce
  • CDPHE says a 2026 law (HB26-1033) requires registration and raises the limit to $150,000 a year from January 1, 2027

Where you can sell in Colorado

  • Direct to consumer
  • Farmers markets
  • Roadside stands
  • Home pickup

What you can and can't make

These lists describe what most cottage food laws allow and prohibit. They aren't Colorado's official product list: check the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment for the foods Colorado actually allows.

Generally allowed

  • Breads, rolls, biscuits and buns
  • Cakes, cupcakes and brownies (without cream-cheese or custard fillings)
  • Cookies, bars and biscotti
  • Fruit pies and fruit-filled pastries
  • Candy, brittle, fudge and chocolate-covered items
  • Dry mixes, granola, popcorn and roasted nuts
  • Jams, jellies and preserves made from high-acid fruit

Generally prohibited

  • Cheesecake and cream-cheese frostings or fillings
  • Custard, meringue, pudding and Bavarian-cream pies
  • Anything containing meat, poultry or seafood
  • Fresh-dairy items, ice cream and buttercream that requires refrigeration
  • Canned vegetables, salsas and other low-acid canned goods
  • Garlic-in-oil, pickled goods and fermented foods (in most states)
  • Kombucha, juices and other beverages requiring a process authority

Colorado labeling requirements

Most states require the elements below. Colorado's exact list may differ, so confirm it with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

  1. The name and physical address of your home kitchen business
  2. The common name of the product
  3. A full ingredient list in descending order by weight
  4. Allergen declaration for the major allergens (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame)
  5. Net weight or volume
  6. A cottage food disclosure such as "Made in a home kitchen that is not subject to routine state inspection"

Official source for Colorado

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment administers cottage food rules in Colorado. Their page is the authoritative, current version of everything summarized here.

Visit the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

Sources we checked on November 2, 2026:

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Cottage food laws in other states