Indiana lets home food makers sell at farmers markets with no permit and no sales cap, as long as you hold a food handler certificate. There's one important limit: the home vendor rules only cover farmers markets and roadside stands, not stores or restaurants. Here's how Indiana works.
The short version: Indiana's Home Based Vendor (HBV) rules let you sell non-perishable home foods at farmers markets with no permit, no fee, and no sales cap. The one requirement is an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate (good for three years). The catch: HBV sales are limited to farmers markets and roadside stands, not grocery stores or restaurants. Vendors selling temperature-controlled or other foods need a county health department permit. A 2026 law expanded exemptions for homestead and small-farm vendors. Almost everyone registers (free) for sales tax.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking Indiana orders, pickups, and payments easy.
Indiana's path for home food makers is the Home Based Vendor (HBV) system. It requires no food permit, no registration, and no fee, and there's no sales cap. The only requirement is an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate (such as ServSafe), valid for three years. There's no kitchen inspection, and the certificate is valid statewide.
Allowed foods are non-temperature-controlled items: baked goods (cookies, bread, cakes, cupcakes), candy and confections (chocolates, caramels, nougats), and traditional full-sugar jams and jellies from high-acid fruits. For the full list and labeling rules, see our Indiana cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in Indiana.
Here's the important restriction. Indiana's HBV rules only let you sell at farmers markets and roadside stands. You may not sell HBV products at grocery stores, restaurants, or other retail establishments (though fairs and festivals may opt in). You can also sell in person, by phone, and online with direct in-state delivery.
So if your plan is to get your products into local shops, the HBV path won't cover that, and you'd need to step up to a licensed operation. For market and stand sales, though, HBV is simple and free.
If you sell temperature-controlled foods, cooked foods, or anything beyond the HBV list, you need a retail food establishment permit from the county health department where the market operates. Apply at least seven days ahead. County fees vary (one county example runs $150 for a partial-year permit). Vendors selling whole, uncut produce, honey, or syrup need no permit at all.
Indiana signed HB 1424 in March 2026, which expands exemptions for homestead and small-farm vendors from health department regulation. A new food code (410 IAC 7-26) also took effect April 16, 2025. If you run a small farm operation, these changes may broaden what you can sell without a county permit.
Separate from any food rules, register for free with the Indiana Department of Revenue. Most food is subject to sales tax in Indiana, though some farm commodities are exempt.
No state-level sampling permit was identified. Check with the county health department where your market operates if you plan to offer tastes.
Start at the official sources: the Indiana Home Based Vendors FAQ for the HBV rules, and Purdue Extension's Home Based Vendors page for a plain breakdown. Your county health department handles non-HBV permits.
For non-perishable home foods under the Home Based Vendor rules, no permit, fee, or cap is required, but you need an ANSI food handler certificate. Temperature-controlled or other foods need a county health department permit. Whole produce, honey, and syrup are exempt.
It's the state's category for home food makers. HBVs sell non-perishable foods (baked goods, candy, high-acid jams) with no permit, no fee, and no sales cap, but must hold an ANSI food handler certificate and can only sell at farmers markets and roadside stands.
Not under the Home Based Vendor rules, which limit you to farmers markets and roadside stands (plus in-person, phone, and in-state delivery). Selling to grocery stores or restaurants requires a licensed operation.
Yes, for Home Based Vendor sales. You need an ANSI-accredited food handler certificate (such as ServSafe), valid for three years. There's no kitchen inspection beyond holding the certificate.
Yes, if you make taxable sales. Registration is free with the Indiana Department of Revenue. Most food is taxable in Indiana, though some farm commodities are exempt.
Indiana keeps home food selling simple for markets: no permit, no fee, no cap under the Home Based Vendor rules, as long as you hold a food handler certificate. Just remember the venue limit (markets and stands only, not stores). Temperature-controlled foods need a county permit, and the 2026 homestead law expanded small-farm exemptions. Register for sales tax too. 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. Verify current requirements with the Indiana Department of Health, your county health department, and the Department of Revenue before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
