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Cottage food laws

Illinois Cottage Food Law

Can you sell homemade food from your home kitchen in Illinois? Here are the sales cap, allowed foods, where you can sell, and the point where you must move into a licensed commercial kitchen.
Educational summary, not legal advice — cottage food rules change; confirm with the state before you sell.
Program
Cottage Food Operation (Home-to-Market Act)
Annual sales cap
No statewide dollar cap (registration-based)
Where you can sell
Direct/in-personFarmers marketsHome pickupOnlineHome deliveryFairs/festivals
Registration / to start
Register with local health department; food-service sanitation manager certification required for many operators
Allowed foods
Non-TCS homemade foods and drinks; certain TCS items allowed with alternative determinations (Public Act 103-903)
Not allowed
TCS foods not approved, wholesale to retail stores, interstate sales
When you need a commercial / commissary kitchen
Selling wholesale/retail, unapproved TCS foods, or interstate requires a licensed kitchen
Administered by
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) / local health departments · Cottage Food Operation Act; SB 2007 Home-to-Market Act (eff. 2022); PA 103-903

Source: Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) / local health departments. Cottage food laws change often — confirm current rules before selling.

Good to know

Home-to-Market Act (2022) expanded venues (home, online, delivery, fairs) and requires local health dept registration; PA 103-903 added TCS determinations, recognized mobile farmers markets and adjacent-county registration.

Outgrowing cottage food? When you need a licensed kitchen, see Illinois food-business requirements, estimate the build with the cost-to-open calculator, and check whether you need a hood.

Frequently asked

Can I sell homemade food in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois has a cottage food framework (Cottage Food Operation (Home-to-Market Act)) that lets individuals make and sell certain non-hazardous foods from a home kitchen. Annual sales are capped at No statewide dollar cap (registration-based). You still must follow the state's rules on allowed foods, labeling, and where you can sell. Administered by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) / local health departments.
What foods can I sell under Illinois's cottage food law?
Non-TCS homemade foods and drinks; certain TCS items allowed with alternative determinations (Public Act 103-903) Not allowed: TCS foods not approved, wholesale to retail stores, interstate sales
When do I need a commercial or commissary kitchen in Illinois?
Selling wholesale/retail, unapproved TCS foods, or interstate requires a licensed kitchen At that point, see the requirements and permit fees for your area.
Do I need a license or registration for cottage food in Illinois?
Register with local health department; food-service sanitation manager certification required for many operators
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