Bay County, FL Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- Fla. Stat. §500.80
- Sales cap
- $250,000 per year
- Permit
- None required
- Shipping
- Allowed within Florida
- Labeling
- Home-kitchen disclosure required
Summary
Fla. Stat. §500.80 lets Bay County residents sell homemade, shelf-stable foods direct to consumers, and ship them, earning up to $250,000 a year with no state food permit. Local governments cannot prohibit it.
A cottage food operation must comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter but is exempt from the permitting requirements of s. 500.12 if the cottage food operation complies with this section and has annual gross sales of cottage food products that do not exceed $250,000.
Full Breakdown
Florida's cottage food law, §500.80, allows production of non-hazardous foods such as baked goods, jams, candies, and dried goods in a home kitchen without a permit or inspection from the Department of Agriculture, so long as annual gross sales stay at or below $250,000. Since 2021 operators may sell in person and ship within Florida. Products must be labeled with the operator's name and address, ingredients, allergens, net weight, and a statement that the food is made in an unlicensed home kitchen. Bay County, Panama City, and Panama City Beach cannot ban cottage food operations, though zoning still treats them as home occupations.
Violations & Fines
Selling potentially hazardous foods, misbranding products, or exceeding the $250,000 cap ends the exemption and can trigger Department of Agriculture enforcement and a requirement to move to a licensed facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell homemade baked goods in Bay County?
Do I need a kitchen inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bay County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Bay County to another location·View the Florida home business overview
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