To start a cottage food business in Virginia, you confirm your product is a low-risk non-perishable food, label it with your name, address, and phone number, and start selling — there's no permit, no registration, and no inspection, and most foods have no sales cap. A new law (HB 402) legalizes in-state online sales and delivery starting July 1, 2026. This is the step-by-step playbook; for the full legal detail, see our Virginia cottage food law guide.

The short version: Virginia's Home Kitchen Food Processing Exemption (Code § 3.2-5130) requires no registration or VDACS inspection for low-risk foods. Baked goods, jams, candy, honey, and dried foods have unlimited revenue; acidified vegetables and pickles have a separate $9,000/year cap. The big 2026 change: HB 402 (effective July 1, 2026) allows online sales and delivery within Virginia for the first time — before that, orders had to be placed by phone, text, or in person. Label products with your name, address, and phone number, and you can start this week.

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

1. Confirm your product qualifies. Virginia covers low-risk non-perishable foods, acidified vegetables, and honey. Check yours in our Virginia cottage food law guide.
2. No permit, registration, or inspection needed under the Code § 3.2-5130 exemption.
3. Set up safe home production. There's no inspection, but safe handling protects customers.
4. Label every product with your name, physical address, and phone number, plus product name, ingredients, and allergens.
5. Choose how you'll sell — at home, farmers markets, temporary events (up to 14 days), and roadside stands; online sales and delivery within Virginia are allowed starting July 1, 2026.
6. Make your first sale — most foods have no cap, so scale as demand allows (acidified vegetables/pickles cap at $9,000/year).

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

Virginia is one of the lower-friction states because there's no permit or fee:

• Permit / registration / inspection: $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 Virginia sellers start for under $150.

How Long Does It Take to Start in Virginia?

You can legally start the same day — there's nothing to apply for. The realistic timeline:

• Day 1: Confirm your product, 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; online ordering within Virginia is available from July 1, 2026.

What Can You Sell as a Virginia Cottage Food Business?

Virginia's exemption covers low-risk non-perishable foods: breads, cookies, cakes, and pastries (no refrigerated fillings), jams, jellies, preserves, candy, dried foods, granola, dry mixes, and honey (up to 250 gallons). Acidified vegetables and pickles are allowed under a separate $9,000/year cap. The full allowed/prohibited lists and labeling rules are in our Virginia cottage food law guide and cottage food labeling guide.

Where Can You Sell in Virginia?

Virginia's channels expand in 2026:

• At home and from a private residence
• At farmers markets and temporary events (up to 14 days)
• Roadside stands
• Online with in-state delivery — allowed starting July 1, 2026 (HB 402)

Because Virginia is legalizing online ordering and delivery within the state, a real storefront is well-timed — you can take orders, payments, and delivery in one place instead of handling phone and text orders manually. Homegrown gives Virginia cottage food sellers an online storefront with built-in payments and pickup for $10/month at 0% commission — you keep every dollar except standard card processing. Start a free trial and have a Virginia-ready storefront live in about 15 minutes.

How Much Can You Make Selling Cottage Food in Virginia?

Most foods — baked goods, jams, candy, honey, dried foods — have no cap; only acidified vegetables and pickles are limited to $9,000/year. To get the most out of it:

• Get ready for online sales — HB 402 opens in-state online ordering and delivery on July 1, 2026.
• Price for profit — cover ingredients, packaging, your time, and card processing, then add margin.
• Focus on uncapped categories — baked goods and jams have no revenue limit.
• Build repeat buyers — weekly pickup, pre-orders, and seasonal boxes make income steady.
• Track the $9,000 cap only if you sell acidified vegetables or pickles.

What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Starting in Virginia?

• Selling online before July 1, 2026 — until HB 402 takes effect, orders must be by phone, text, or in person.
• Exceeding the $9,000 cap on acidified vegetables and pickles.
• Selling perishable foods — only low-risk non-perishable items qualify.
• Leaving your phone number off the label — Virginia requires name, address, and phone.
• Shipping out of state — keep sales within Virginia.

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

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. In Virginia you may also need to register for sales tax with the Department of Taxation depending on what you sell.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Under Code § 3.2-5130, no permit, registration, or VDACS inspection is required for exempt low-risk foods, acidified vegetables, and honey within the stated limits.

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

Often under $150 — there's no permit or 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 Virginia?

Baked goods, jams, candy, honey, and dried foods have no cap. Acidified vegetables and pickles are limited to $9,000 per year.

Can you sell cottage food online in Virginia?

Starting July 1, 2026, HB 402 allows online sales and delivery within Virginia. Before that, orders had to be by phone, text, or in person.

What can you sell as a Virginia cottage food business?

Low-risk non-perishable foods: baked goods, jams, candy, dried foods, and honey, plus acidified vegetables and pickles (under a $9,000 cap). Refrigerated items aren't covered.

How long does it take to start in Virginia?

You can start the same day — there's nothing to apply for.

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

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

Start Your Virginia Cottage Food Business

Virginia pairs no permit and no cap (for most foods) with newly legal online sales from July 1, 2026. Confirm your product, label it with your name, address, and phone, and set up an easy way for customers to order and pay. Set up a Homegrown storefront to take Virginia cottage food orders online, see the best platform to sell food from home, read the full Virginia 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 Virginia VDACS before you start selling. Last verified: June 2026.*

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