Indiana Cottage Food Law: What Home Sellers Need to Know in 2026

Most states make you jump through expensive hoops to sell cookies from your kitchen. Indiana did the opposite — and just doubled down.

Through June 30, 2026, Indiana operated one of the most permissive home food frameworks in the country under its Home-Based Vendor (HBV) law, IC 16-42-5.3. There was no annual revenue cap. There were no pre-launch kitchen inspections. The state explicitly barred local health departments from charging permit fees or requiring retail food establishment licenses for qualifying home producers.

Effective July 1, 2026, the new Homestead Food Sales Act (HEA 1424, codified as IC 16-42-5.4) expanded those protections even further.

The HBV Framework (Through June 30, 2026)

Under IC 16-42-5.3, you can legally sell homemade food from your primary residence if you meet three conditions:

• Non-TCS foods only. Your products must be shelf-stable — meaning they don't require temperature control for safety. Baked goods, candy, honey, fruit jams made with full sugar, dry herbs, and dry noodles all qualify. Cheesecakes, cream-filled pastries, and fresh salsa do not.
• ANSI food handler certificate. You need a valid certificate from an ANSI-accredited program like ServSafe ($15 online, roughly 90 minutes). File a copy with your county health department.
• Proper labeling. Every product needs the HBV statutory disclaimer in at least 10-point type, plus a full ingredient list, allergen declarations, net weight, processing date, and your physical address.

You can sell at farmers markets, from your home, at roadside stands, online, and via in-state shipping. No revenue cap, no pre-launch kitchen inspection, no local permit fees.

What Changed on July 1, 2026

HEA 1424 replaced the HBV framework with the Homestead Vendor system. The biggest shifts:

• Perishable foods become legal. Homestead vendors can sell prepared meals, casseroles, custard pies, and other TCS foods directly to consumers — items that were flatly banned under the former HBV rules.
• Meat sales open up. If you raise the livestock on your own property and process it at a state (BOAH) or USDA inspected facility, you can sell frozen or refrigerated meat at farmers markets and on-farm.
• Training relaxes for direct sellers. If you only sell face-to-face (on your property or at farmers markets), ANSI certification is no longer mandatory. It's required only if you ship or deliver.
• A revenue cap appears. The former HBV system had no cap. The 2026 law introduces a $1.5 million annual gross sales ceiling — generous, but it exists.
• Labeling changes. The HBV disclaimer ("NOT FOR RESALE") is replaced with: "This product was produced by a homestead vendor or the owner of a small farm that is exempt from government licensing and inspection."

State and local health departments cannot impose rules, certifications, or licensing requirements on qualifying homestead operations beyond what federal law requires. They retain authority to investigate consumer complaints about foodborne illness or misbranding, including imposing fines up to $3,000 or issuing stop-sale orders if a health hazard is identified.

What Stays the Same

Several fundamentals carry over between frameworks:

• No pre-launch kitchen inspections
• No local health department permit fees
• Sales must stay within Indiana for shipping/delivery
• Wholesale and resale remain prohibited (selling to grocery stores, restaurants, or out-of-state triggers commercial licensing)
• You still need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate ($26 via INTIME) and must collect Indiana's 7% sales tax on prepared foods

Which Framework Applies to You Right Now

If you're reading this before July 1, 2026, the HBV rules govern your operation. Plan your product line around non-TCS foods, get your ANSI certificate, and use the current labeling disclaimer.

If you're launching after July 1, 2026, you fall under the Homestead Vendor framework. You have a wider product range, potentially no training requirement for direct sales, but you'll need to use the new disclaimer language.

Either way, you need to register for sales tax, check your local zoning for home occupation compliance, and — if you're selling eggs off-site — register with the Indiana State Egg Board.

The full registration sequence, labeling templates for both eras, and county-by-county requirements are mapped out in the Indiana Cottage Food & Home Food Business Guide.

See more Indiana guides →