Illinois Cottage Food Laws

Illinois went from restrictive to one of the best states for home bakers in a single bill. Registration is per-county with a modest fee.

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 Illinois sources on November 2, 2026: online sales and shipping. Anything not marked as checked is our summary — check with the Illinois Department of Public Health / local health departments.

Fast facts

Permit
Registration with local health department + food manager certification (summary)
Annual sales cap
No limit (summary)
Online sales
Allowed (checked)
Shipping
Limited (checked)

What makes Illinois different

  • The 2022 Home-to-Market Act removed the sales cap and opened up shipping within Illinois
  • You register with your county health department and hold ANSI food manager certification
  • Illinois allows a wider range of products than most states, including some acidified foods with a process review

Where you can sell in Illinois

  • Direct to consumer
  • Farmers markets
  • Fairs, festivals and public events
  • Online
  • Delivery
  • Shipping within Illinois (non-TCS, tamper-evident)

What you can and can't make

These lists describe what most cottage food laws allow and prohibit. They aren't Illinois's official product list: check the Illinois Department of Public Health / local health departments for the foods Illinois 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

Illinois labeling requirements

Most states require the elements below. Illinois's exact list may differ, so confirm it with the Illinois Department of Public Health / local health departments.

  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 Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health / local health departments administers cottage food rules in Illinois. Their page is the authoritative, current version of everything summarized here.

Visit the Illinois Department of Public Health / local health departments

Sources we checked on November 2, 2026:

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Cottage food laws in other states