Indiana Cottage Food Laws

Indiana's big constraint is venue, not volume: the transaction must be face-to-face, which rules out shipping and mail order.

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 Indiana sources on November 2, 2026: online sales. 2 items need confirmation (marked below). Anything not marked as checked is our summary — check with the Indiana Department of Health.

Needs confirmation

  • Conflicting: The state HBV handbook allows shipping within Indiana, but some county guidance (for example Brown County) says HBVs can't ship. Confirm with your local health department.
  • Unresolved: A 2026 law (HEA 1424) creates a homestead vendor category; we couldn't confirm its final enacted terms.

Fast facts

Permit
No permit; food handler certificate required (summary)
Annual sales cap
No limit (summary)
Online sales
Allowed (checked)
Shipping
Limited (conflicting)

What makes Indiana different

  • Indiana's home-based vendor (HBV) rules require an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate and a label statement
  • The state HBV handbook allows in-person, phone and internet sales, with delivery or shipping only within Indiana in tamper-evident packaging
  • A 2026 law (HEA 1424) adds a homestead vendor category; check with the Indiana Department of Health how it applies to you

Where you can sell in Indiana

  • Direct to consumer in person
  • By phone or online
  • Delivery or shipping within Indiana (sealed packaging)
  • Farmers markets
  • Roadside stands

What you can and can't make

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

Indiana labeling requirements

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

  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 Indiana

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

Visit the Indiana Department of Health

Sources we checked on November 2, 2026:

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Cottage food laws in other states