Whatcom County, WA Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)
Key Facts
- Regulator
- WSDA, statewide permit
- Kitchen inspection
- Required in Washington
- Sales cap
- $35,000 gross per year
- Sales channel
- Direct to consumer only
- Shipping
- Mail and courier prohibited
Summary
Washington lets you sell certain homemade shelf-stable foods from a Whatcom County kitchen under a WSDA Cottage Food Operation Permit. Unlike many states, Washington requires a home-kitchen inspection, caps gross sales at $35,000 a year, and allows only direct sales to the consumer.
a person who produces cottage food products only in the home kitchen of that person's primary domestic residence in Washington and only for sale directly to the consumer.
Full Breakdown
The Washington State Department of Agriculture runs the cottage food program statewide under RCW 69.22 and WAC 16-149, so the rules are the same in Whatcom County as anywhere in Washington. Permitted products are not potentially hazardous, shelf-stable items like breads, cookies, jams, and candies. A permit is required, your home kitchen is inspected before approval, and gross sales are capped at $35,000 per year. Sales must be direct to the consumer; Washington does not allow shipping cottage foods by mail or courier, or wholesaling to stores. Every product needs a label with ingredients, allergens, and the required home-kitchen statement.
Violations & Fines
Selling potentially hazardous foods, skipping the permit or inspection, shipping by mail, or exceeding the $35,000 cap strips the exemption and can trigger full WSDA food-establishment permitting and enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from home?
Can I ship my cottage foods to customers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
Compare Whatcom County to another location·View the Washington home business overview
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