Indiana's Home Based Vendor law lets you sell certain non-hazardous homemade foods statewide. Every product must be labeled with your name, address, ingredients, and a disclaimer stating the kitchen was not inspected and the food is NOT FOR RESALE.
Cottage food is governed by state law, IC 16-42-5.3, applied uniformly in Hamilton County; there is no separate county cottage-food license. A home based vendor may sell non-TCS (shelf-stable) foods such as baked goods, jams and candies directly to consumers. IC 16-42-5.3-5 requires each packaged product to carry a label (or a sign for unpackaged food) listing the producer's name and address, the food's common name, ingredients by weight, net quantity, the processing date, and a mandatory disclaimer in at least 10-point type. Vendors must also post the label on their website and hold an accredited food-handler certificate on file with the county health department. City home-occupation limits still apply to on-site sales.
Selling prohibited TCS foods or mislabeling products can bring Indiana Department of Health enforcement and loss of home-based vendor status.
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See how Hamilton County's cottage food operations rules stack up against other locations.
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