Laredo, TX Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

Texas Cottage Food Law (Health and Safety Code Chapter 437, as expanded in 2019 and 2021) permits home producers to bake, preserve, and sell non-potentially hazardous foods without a commercial kitchen or local health permit, so long as annual gross sales stay under 50,000 dollars. Approved products include baked goods (breads, cookies, cakes, pies without cream/custard), jams and jellies from approved fruits, dry goods, candy, dry mixes, roasted coffee beans, pickles meeting pH requirements, and fermented vegetables under certain conditions. Prohibited items include raw milk products, cream-filled baked goods, potentially hazardous meats, and canned low-acid vegetables.

Sales must be direct to consumer (farmers markets, home pickup, at events, online with in-state delivery by producer) and cannot be wholesale to stores or restaurants. Required: food handler certificate from a TX DSHS-accredited provider, proper labeling including producer name, address, product name, ingredient list, allergen statement, and the cottage food disclaimer. Laredo does not impose additional local permits, though a home business registration and zoning clearance may apply.