Colorado lets home food makers sell at farmers markets with no state permit and no inspection, as long as you take a food safety course. The licensing that does exist runs through your county, and a big expansion of what home cooks can sell arrives in 2027. Here's how Colorado works now.
The short version: Colorado's Cottage Foods Act lets you sell home-produced non-perishable foods with no state permit and no inspection, but you must complete a food safety course and the sales cap is per product (verify the exact figure with the state, since sources vary). Retail food licenses for other vendors come from your county health department, not the state. Whole produce and unfilled non-perishable pastries are exempt. A 2027 "Tamale Act" expands cottage food to include some refrigerated and meat items. Almost everyone needs a free Colorado sales tax account first.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking Colorado orders, pickups, and payments easy.
Colorado's Cottage Foods Act is the route for home bakers and jam makers. It lets you sell home-produced, non-temperature-controlled foods with no state permit and no inspection. There's one requirement most states don't have: you must complete a food safety course (through CSU Extension or an equivalent), and markets will ask to see your certificate. The course runs roughly $15 to $40.
The sales cap is set per product, per producer, per year. Sources differ on the exact figure (some cite $5,000 and others $10,000), so confirm the current limit directly with the state before you rely on it. Allowed foods are non-temperature-controlled items like baked goods, jams, candy, and dried goods, sold at your residence, a roadside stand, a farmers market, or a CSA. For the full list and labeling rules, see our Colorado cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in Colorado.
If you sell beyond cottage food (prepared or temperature-controlled food), Colorado treats your stand as a retail food establishment, and the license comes from your county health department, not the state. Fees vary by county, and a 2025 law (Senate Bill 25-285) is phasing in fee changes. CDPHE charges a $155 plan review fee in the areas it inspects directly.
Some products need no license at all: whole, uncut fruits and vegetables, commercially prepackaged non-temperature-controlled foods, and non-temperature-controlled donuts and pastries without filling. Cottage food items under the Cottage Foods Act are also exempt from county licensing.
A notable change is coming. Colorado's Tamale Act (HB 26-1033), signed by the governor and effective January 1, 2027, expands cottage food to include certain refrigerated foods and items containing meat. It requires food safety training and raises the per-product cap. If you make tamales or similar foods, this opens the door.
Before any food license, you need a Colorado sales tax account number from the Colorado Department of Revenue. It's free, and it's a prerequisite, so handle it early.
Sampling is exempt from licensing in Colorado, but you must follow sanitation guidelines and have an approved handwashing setup. That's lighter than many states, but the handwashing requirement is specific, so plan for it.
Start at the official sources: the CDPHE Cottage Foods Act page for the home-food rules, and the CDPHE retail food licensing page if you need a county license. Confirm your county's specific fees with its health department.
Cottage food makers need no state permit, but must complete a food safety course. Other vendors need a retail food license from their county health department. Whole produce and unfilled non-perishable pastries are exempt. Everyone needs a free Colorado sales tax account first.
Yes. Unlike many states, Colorado's Cottage Foods Act requires you to complete a food safety course (through CSU Extension or equivalent, about $15 to $40), and markets will ask for your certificate. There's no state permit or inspection beyond that.
It's set per product, per producer, per year, but sources differ on the exact figure (some cite $5,000 and others $10,000). Confirm the current cap directly with the state before relying on it. The 2027 Tamale Act raises the per-product cap.
Effective January 1, 2027, it expands cottage food to include certain refrigerated foods and items containing meat, requires food safety training, and raises the per-product cap. It's a meaningful expansion of what home cooks can sell.
Yes, and it comes first. You need a free Colorado sales tax account number from the Department of Revenue before any food license.
Colorado keeps cottage food permit-free but adds a food safety course, with county health departments handling licenses for other vendors. Confirm the per-product cap with the state, get your free sales tax account first, and watch for the 2027 Tamale Act if you make refrigerated or meat items. Once you're cleared to sell, a simple storefront makes pickups and payments easy. Set up a Homegrown storefront for $10/month at 0% commission, and check other states on our farmers market vendor permits by state guide.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules change and county fees vary; confirm the current cottage food cap with the state. Verify requirements with CDPHE, your county health department, and the Colorado Department of Revenue before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
