AB 352 Nevada Cottage Food: What Changes in 2027

What AB 352 Actually Does

Assembly Bill 352, passed during the 2025 Nevada legislative session and signed by Governor Joe Lombardo, is the biggest overhaul of Nevada's home food business laws in decades. It takes the current fragmented, county-by-county cottage food system and replaces it with a single statewide program under the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

The law is finalized, but implementation is phased. The full transition takes effect July 1, 2027. Until that date, the current rules under NRS 446.866 and your local health district remain the law.

Here is exactly what changes and what stays the same.

The Five Major Changes

1. Revenue Cap: $35,000 → $100,000

The current $35,000 annual gross sales ceiling triples to $100,000. Beyond that, the new cap includes a built-in inflation adjustment every two years, so it will not erode in real terms the way the original $35,000 limit has.

For operators who have been hitting the current ceiling and facing a choice between stopping sales or investing in a commercial kitchen, this is the most impactful change.

2. Online Sales and Shipping Become Legal

Currently, every cottage food sale must be face-to-face and direct to the consumer. You cannot take orders through a website, process payments online and mail products, or use delivery platforms.

AB 352 authorizes:

• Orders via telephone, social media, and websites
• Shipping through USPS, UPS, and FedEx
• Third-party delivery platforms (DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub)
• Direct delivery by the operator

Under Section 26 of the bill, cottage food operations are classified as "food dispensing establishments," which integrates them into the legal framework governing online delivery services.

This opens up e-commerce for home food businesses in Nevada for the first time.

3. Unified State Licensing Under the NDA

The current system requires you to register with one of five different agencies depending on your county — SNHD for Clark County, NNPH for Washoe County, CCHHS for Carson City, CNHD for central rural counties, or DPBH for the remaining rural counties. Each has different fees, application processes, and local rules.

AB 352 consolidates everything under the Nevada Department of Agriculture. One agency, one application process, one statewide database. The NDA is using the two-year transition period to design the centralized registry, draft administrative codes, and build the online licensing infrastructure.

4. Uniform $30 Licensing Fee

The current registration fees range from $0 (Carson City, DPBH rural counties) to approximately $160 (SNHD in Clark County). AB 352 sets a uniform statewide cottage food licensing fee of $30.

More importantly, the bill prohibits local municipalities from requiring special cottage-food-specific permits or charging additional registration fees. This prevents local jurisdictions from layering extra costs or regulatory hurdles on top of the state license.

5. Standardized Food Safety Training

County-specific food handler cards and training requirements get replaced by a single state-approved food safety training course. Every licensed cottage food operator must complete this course every three years. The NDA will develop and approve the training curriculum during the transition period.

What Does NOT Change

AB 352 does not eliminate the core requirements of cottage food production:

• Products must still be non-potentially hazardous — shelf-stable, no refrigeration needed, no TCS foods
• Production must still happen in your primary residence
• Sales remain direct-to-consumer — wholesale to stores, restaurants, and other businesses still requires a commercial kitchen
• Labeling requirements remain — the mandatory non-inspection warning statement, ingredient lists, allergen declarations, and net weight are all still required
• Craft food operations still require NDA oversight — though the batch log and pre-approved recipe requirements are eliminated

What You Should Do Right Now

Do not wait until July 2027 to start your business. The transition date is still months away, and the current system is fully operational. Here is the practical sequence:

If you are not yet registered: Register under the current system now. When the NDA's statewide system goes live, follow its instructions for existing operators rather than assuming your local registration carries over. Starting now means you build your customer base, refine your products, and establish your brand before the expanded competition that online sales will bring.

If you are already operating: Keep following your current local health district's rules. Continue tracking gross sales against the $35,000 cap. Do not start selling online, shipping, or exceeding the cap before July 1, 2027 — the current law is still enforceable.

If you are planning around the new rules: Use the transition period to prepare. Build your website, set up your e-commerce infrastructure, develop your shipping packaging and processes. Have everything ready to launch online sales the day the new rules take effect.

Stay in contact with the NDA. The Department of Agriculture will be publishing details about the new centralized registry, licensing application process, and state-approved training programs as they are finalized during 2026 and early 2027.

The Bigger Picture

AB 352 positions Nevada as one of the more permissive states for home food businesses once it takes effect — the $100,000 cap with inflation adjustments, legal online sales, and third-party delivery put it ahead of most neighboring states. For operators who have been limited by the face-to-face sales restriction and the $35,000 cap, the expanded framework creates genuine growth potential.

The Nevada Cottage Food & Home Food Business Guide covers both the current rules and the AB 352 transition timeline, so you can operate legally today while planning for the expanded framework.

See more Nevada guides →