Start a Home Kitchen in Iowa

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

Cottage food law Home food processing establishment license

Sales cap: Cottage food: no sales cap in Iowa law. Home Food Processing Establishment license: gross annual sales must be less than $50,000 (Iowa Code §137D.1). No scheduled cap changes — HF2767 (2026), which could have changed sales channels but not the cap, passed the House but died in the Senate and never became law.

Allowed foods: Allowed (cottage food, no license): non-TCS foods made in a private residence — baked goods, jams/jellies, candies, dried herbs/spices, popcorn, granola, etc.; home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with finished equilibrium pH ≤ 4.6 or water activity ≤ 0.85, with every batch measured by pH or aw meter and the processing/canning date on each container. Allowed (HFPE license, broader): all of the above plus certain refrigerated TCS foods and made-to-order food for immediate consumption (takeout style); also limited meat/poultry sold directly to the end consumer — poultry you raised under the federal ≤1,000-bird exemption (9 CFR 381.10(c)(1)), poultry from an inspected source (9 CFR 381.10(d)), or custom-exempt meat (9 CFR 303.1(d)). Not allowed (both tracks): milk or milk products (Iowa Code ch. 192/194), meat/poultry products regulated under ch. 189A (beyond the narrow exemptions), unpasteurized fruit/vegetable juice, raw sprout seeds, game animals, fish/shellfish, alcoholic beverages, bottled water, packaged ice, consumable hemp products, ROP-packaged TCS foods, food to be further processed by a food processing plant. HFPE 'produce' methods exclude low-acid canning, low-acid fermentation, acidification, curing, and smoking for preservation (curing/smoking for flavor is allowed).

🥧 Cottage track in Iowa

🥧 Cottage Food — Shelf-Stable Cottage food law — the shelf-stable track: preorder / pickup, never reservations.

No permit required in Iowa for this track — makers are not “permitted”; they follow the cottage food rules.

Sales cap (cottage track): no sales cap in Iowa law. Home Food Processing Establishment license: gross annual sales must be less than $50,000 (Iowa Code §137D.1). No scheduled cap changes — HF2767 (2026), which could have changed sales channels but not the cap, passed the House but died in the Senate and never became law.

Labeling (from the published steps):

Cottage food: no permit, license, or inspection required — simply meet the food, direct-sale, and labeling rules in Iowa Code §137F.20.
Label each HFPE item: establishment name, common food name, ingredients in descending order, net quantity, expiration date for refrigerated TCS foods, allergen statement, and 'This product was produced at a home food processing establishment.'

Where you may sell (from the published rules):

Pick your track: cottage food (no license, direct-to-consumer only, non-TCS foods) or Home Food Processing Establishment license (up to $50,000/yr sales, broader foods, can sell through other businesses)
Sell cottage food only directly to consumers (in person, online, phone, mail) or at temporary food events you operate

🌮 Street track in Iowa

🌮 Street Food — Sidewalk & Mobile

Street and mobile vendors do not cook from home kitchens — a different permit stack, and walk-up sales only.

No distinct street-vendor (sidewalk / mobile) regime is documented in Iowa's published data on this site yet — mobile food is permitted separately from home kitchens; check with the local health department.

The permit steps

Cottage food: no permit, license, or inspection required — simply meet the food, direct-sale, and labeling rules in Iowa Code §137F.20.
HFPE: apply to the Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) on the department's form at least 30 days before operating; $50 annual license fee; license expires one year from issue and is renewable.
List all homemade food items on the application; update the account when items are added or removed — unlisted items may not be sold.
At least one team member must complete food safety training.
DIAL provides for periodic inspection of the establishment (inspector may enter food-preparation areas at any reasonable hour).
Label each HFPE item: establishment name, common food name, ingredients in descending order, net quantity, expiration date for refrigerated TCS foods, allergen statement, and 'This product was produced at a home food processing establishment.'

How it works, start to finish

Pick your track: cottage food (no license, direct-to-consumer only, non-TCS foods) or Home Food Processing Establishment license (up to $50,000/yr sales, broader foods, can sell through other businesses).
Make sure your recipes qualify — no TCS foods for cottage food; confirm pH ≤ 4.6 or aw ≤ 0.85 for home-canned pickles/vegetables/fruits.
If cottage food: no application — just label each item (producer name + contact, common food name, ingredients in descending order, allergen statement, 'This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection,' plus processing date for home-canned items).
If HFPE: apply online through DIAL at least 30 days before opening ($50 annual fee); list every homemade food item on your application and keep it updated.
At least one person on your team must complete food safety training.
Prepare for a DIAL inspection of the food-preparation areas (periodic inspections continue after licensing).
Sell cottage food only directly to consumers (in person, online, phone, mail) or at temporary food events you operate; HFPE items may also be sold wholesale or through stores.
Keep sales records and renew your HFPE license annually (up to 90 days early).

Where to apply in Iowa

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

Inspection prep (general)

General prep that applies in most programs — your law guide and health department have the specifics for Iowa:

Write your standard operating procedures: foods handled, prep methods, cleaning schedule, refuse disposal, and your time/temperature control plan.
Complete the food safety training your program requires and keep the certificate where an inspector can see it.
Have a calibrated food thermometer, proper cold storage, and labels that meet your program's rules.
Keep pets out of the kitchen during production, and separate household and business ingredients.

Read the full Iowa law guide → · Check your eligibility → · Ask the guide about Iowa →