Start a home kitchen in Indiana

The steps, the costs, where to apply, and how to get inspection-ready — in Indiana's own program terms.

Cottage food law Homestead vendor law

Sales cap: $1,500,000 in gross sales of food/meat products per year for homestead vendors and small farms (IC 16-42-5.4, effective July 1, 2026). The older home-based vendor law (IC 16-42-5.3) has no sales cap. No scheduled changes could be verified from a primary source.

Allowed foods: Allowed (homestead vendor/small farm, direct-to-end-consumer only, from your property or a farmers market): (1) meat products from cattle, sheep, swine, bison, poultry, goats, and rabbit — ONLY animals you raised yourself, slaughtered/processed/labeled under IC 15-17-5; (2) prepared foods, including baked goods; (3) candy; (4) produce; (5) natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, etc.); (6) fruit spreads. Not allowed: meat from animals you did not raise yourself, raw-milk dairy, alcoholic beverages, pet food, and anything prohibited by state or federal law — federal rules still apply to some meat, produce, and prepared foods. Under the older home-based vendor law (IC 16-42-5.3, still in effect): non-TCS foods only — baked goods, candy, traditionally fermented pickles, jams from high-acid fruit, honey, dehydrated produce, tree nuts/legumes; no TCS foods needing refrigeration (cream/custard/pumpkin pies, low-acid home-canned vegetables, cut melons/greens, garlic in oil).

The permit steps

1. No permit, license, inspection, or certification required for homestead vendors/small farms — state and local rules are preempted beyond federal law
2. Confirm eligibility: prepare and sell food or meat products from your property (primary residence or agricultural property) or at a farmers market, with gross sales at or under $1,500,000 per year
3. Meat products: animals must be raised at your property and slaughtered, processed, and labeled in compliance with IC 15-17-5; keep meat products refrigerated per best food handling practices
4. Label packaged products (or post a sign for unpackaged items) with name, address, ingredients by weight, product description, possible allergens, and the 10-point exempt-from-licensing statement
5. To ship or deliver (sealed package, in-state only): obtain a food handler certificate from an ANSI-accredited issuer; no certificate = no shipping/delivery; never ship outside Indiana
6. Under the older home-based vendor law (IC 16-42-5.3): obtain an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate and provide a copy to your county health department on request (per IDOH/HEA 1149)
7. State and local health departments may still investigate foodborne-illness complaints involving your products

How it works, start to finish

1. Decide which track fits: the 2026 homestead-vendor law (IC 16-42-5.4, broader foods including prepared meals and self-raised meat, no training certificate) or the older home-based vendor law (IC 16-42-5.3, non-TCS foods only, ANSI food handler certificate required).
2. Confirm you qualify: homestead vendor = prepare and sell from your property (primary residence or ag property) or a farmers market, gross food sales under $1,500,000/year.
3. Sell directly to the end consumer only — no wholesale, no resale.
4. Raise your own animals if selling meat; have them slaughtered, processed, and labeled under IC 15-17-5, and keep meat refrigerated per best practices.
5. Label every packaged product (or post a sign for unpackaged items) with: your name and address, ingredients in descending order by weight, a product description, allergens that might have come in contact, and the 10-point statement 'This product was produced by a homestead vendor or the owner of a small farm that is exempt from government licensing and inspection.'
6. If you want to ship or deliver: get an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate, use sealed packages, ship only within Indiana — no out-of-state sales.
7. If building a farm stand with plumbing, get a will-serve letter (sewer district) or septic approval/verification from the local health department per IC 22-13-2-16.

Where to apply in Indiana

Official sources — start with the agency or department that runs Indiana's program:

• HEA 1424 enrolled act text — House Enrolled Act No. 1424 (Public Law 163-2026), hosted on Hamilton County government site
• Indiana Department of Health — Food Protection: Laws, Rules and Regulations
• Indiana Department of Health — ANSI Certified Food Handler fact sheet (HEA 1149 home-based vendor requirement)

Inspection prep (general)