To start a cottage food business in Florida, you confirm your product is non-perishable, label it with the required state statement, and start selling directly to customers — there's no license, no permit, and no inspection, and you can earn up to $250,000 a year. Florida is one of the easiest states in the country to launch a home food business. This is the step-by-step playbook; for the full legal detail, see our Florida cottage food law guide.

The short version: Florida's cottage food law lets you make and sell shelf-stable foods from your home kitchen with no registration or inspection by FDACS, up to a generous $250,000 per year. You sell directly to consumers — in person, online, by mail order, and shipped within Florida. The whole launch is four moves: confirm your product is non-perishable, label it correctly, choose how you'll sell, and make your first sale. You can be live this week.

How Do You Start a Cottage Food Business in Florida? (Step by Step)

1. Confirm your product is non-perishable. Florida allows only shelf-stable (non-TCS) foods — no items needing refrigeration. Check your product in our Florida cottage food law guide.
2. No registration needed. Unlike most states, there's nothing to file with FDACS — no license, permit, or inspection.
3. Set up safe home production. No inspection is required, but follow good food-safety practices to protect customers.
4. Label every product with your name and address, the product name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, and the exact statement "Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations."
5. Choose how you'll sell — directly to customers in person, online, by phone, or shipped within Florida (no wholesale).
6. Make your first sale and track gross sales toward the $250,000 cap.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Cottage Food Business in Florida?

Florida is one of the cheapest states to start because there's no license or inspection fee:

• License / registration: $0 (none required)
• Labels and packaging: $20–$100 to start
• First batch of ingredients: $30–$150
• Optional food-safety course: $10–$15 (good practice, not required)
• Online storefront: $10/month with Homegrown (0% commission)

Most Florida sellers are up and running for under $150.

How Long Does It Take to Start in Florida?

You can legally start the same day — there's no application to wait on. The realistic timeline most sellers follow:

• Day 1: Confirm your product is non-perishable, design your label, buy packaging.
• Day 2–3: Make your first batch, photograph products, set up a storefront.
• Day 4+: Take your first orders in person or online.

What Can You Sell as a Florida Cottage Food Business?

Florida allows non-perishable baked goods, candies and confections, jams and jellies, fruit pies, dry mixes, granola, popcorn, roasted coffee, and similar shelf-stable items. Anything needing refrigeration — cream- or custard-filled goods, fresh salsas, most canned vegetables — is off-limits. The full allowed/prohibited lists and labeling rules are in our Florida cottage food law guide and cottage food labeling guide.

Where Can You Sell in Florida?

Florida is flexible, with one key rule — sales must go directly to the end consumer:

• Directly to customers in person and from home
• At farmers markets, fairs, and events
• Online, by phone, and by mail order — including shipping within Florida
• Not wholesale to stores or restaurants (direct-to-consumer only)

Because Florida explicitly allows online and mail-order sales plus in-state shipping, a real storefront makes selling far easier than juggling DMs and spreadsheets. Homegrown gives Florida cottage food sellers an online storefront with built-in payments and pickup or shipping for $10/month at 0% commission — you keep every dollar except standard card processing. Start a free trial and have a Florida-ready storefront live in about 15 minutes.

How Much Can You Make Selling Cottage Food in Florida?

The cap is a high $250,000 per year, so for nearly every home seller the real limit is time and demand, not the law. To get the most out of it:

• Price for profit — cover ingredients, packaging, your time, and card processing, then add margin.
• Use in-state shipping — Florida lets you ship statewide, expanding past your local market.
• Lean on direct sales — no wholesale is allowed, so build a loyal direct customer base.
• Build repeat buyers — weekly pickup, pre-orders, and seasonal boxes make income predictable.
• Track gross sales against the $250,000 cap.

What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Starting in Florida?

• Selling perishable foods — Florida cottage food must be shelf-stable; no refrigerated items.
• Selling wholesale — you can only sell directly to the end consumer, not to stores or restaurants.
• Shipping out of state — Florida cottage food can ship within Florida only.
• Missing the required label statement — the "not subject to Florida's food safety regulations" line is mandatory.
• Underpricing — new sellers often forget to pay themselves; cost out your time.

Do You Need an LLC or to Worry About Taxes in Florida?

Starting a cottage food business doesn't require an LLC, but it's worth understanding the basics: see whether you need an LLC to sell food from home and how cottage food taxes work on Schedule C. Florida has no state income tax, but you may need a sales tax certificate from the Department of Revenue depending on what you sell.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to start a cottage food business in Florida?

No. Florida requires no license, permit, registration, or inspection from FDACS to sell shelf-stable homemade foods directly to consumers.

How much does it cost to start a cottage food business in Florida?

Often under $150 — there's no license fee, so your main costs are labels, packaging, and ingredients. An online storefront adds $10/month.

How much can you make selling cottage food in Florida?

Up to $250,000 in gross annual sales — one of the highest cottage food caps in the country. There's no monthly or per-product limit.

What can you sell as a Florida cottage food business?

Non-perishable (shelf-stable) foods: baked goods, candies, jams, fruit pies, dry mixes, granola, and similar. Refrigerated and cream-filled items are prohibited.

Can you sell cottage food online in Florida?

Yes. Florida allows online, phone, and mail-order sales, including shipping within Florida. You must sell directly to the end consumer (no wholesale).

How long does it take to start in Florida?

You can start the same day — there's no application or waiting period.

Do you need an LLC to sell food from home in Florida?

No. Most sellers start as sole proprietors. An LLC is optional and mainly about liability protection if you scale.

Start Your Florida Cottage Food Business

Florida gives you about the easiest on-ramp in the country: no license, a $250,000 cap, and in-state shipping. Confirm your product is shelf-stable, label it correctly, and set up an easy way for customers to order and pay. Set up a Homegrown storefront to take Florida cottage food orders online, see the best platform to sell food from home, read the full Florida cottage food law, and compare other states on our cottage food laws by state hub.

*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules change — verify current requirements with Florida FDACS before you start selling. Last verified: June 2026.*

Selling at farmers markets? See our Florida farmers market vendor permit guide for the permits you need on market day.