Can I sell food from home in Alabama?

Q: Can I sell food from home in Alabama?

Yes. Alabama lets you make certain foods at home and sell them, under the Cottage Food Law (cottage food production operations). No state permit, license or registration is needed (training, a food handler card or local rules may still apply; see below). There is no state sales cap. Last checked 2026-10-25. Not legal advice.

AllowedOnline ordersShips in-stateNo store sales

Yes. Alabama lets you make certain foods at home and sell them, under the Cottage Food Law (cottage food production operations). No state permit, license or registration is needed (training, a food handler card or local rules may still apply; see below). There is no state sales cap.

Not legal advice. This page is a research summary, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm with your state agency and local health department, using the official sources below, before you sell.

Alabama cottage food law at a glance

Home food sales allowed	yes Cottage Food Law (cottage food production operations)
Law	Ala. Code § 22-20-5.1 (as amended by Act of 2021, SB 160)
Sales cap	No cap (the former $20,000 gross-receipts cap was removed by SB 160, effective Aug 1, 2021)
Permit or registration	none. No food service permit from the county health department and no kitchen inspection. The operator must complete and keep certification of a food safety course approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health (commonly offered by Alabama Cooperative Extension). The state may issue stop-sale/seize/hold orders if a food is suspected in illness.
Sell in person	yes
Take online orders	yes
Ship within the state	yes
Ship to other states	no
Sell to shops and cafes	no
Where you can sell, details	Sales must be directly to consumers in Alabama, whether in person, by phone, or online. Delivery to in-state consumers may be in person, by the producer's agent, or by mail. No resale/wholesale through stores; no out-of-state sales.

yes = allowed; limited = allowed with conditions; no = not allowed; unverified = we could not confirm it from an official source.

What foods can you sell from home in Alabama?

Allowed: Non-potentially hazardous (non-TCS) foods made in the home, including cakes, breads, pastries, donuts, pies; jams, jellies, fruit preserves; candy; dried/dehydrated herbs, herb mixes, vegetables, fruits; roasted coffee; dried baking mixes; fermented or preserved fruits/vegetables at department-approved acidity that produce no alcohol.

Not allowed: TCS/potentially hazardous foods; any food containing meat, poultry, or fish; fermented products that produce alcohol; acidified/fermented items not meeting department acidity levels.

Label requirements in Alabama

Required statement: A statement that the food is not inspected by the Department of Public Health or the local health department, plus a disclaimer that the food may contain allergens (statute specifies content, not exact wording). summary, not exact wording

Suggested wording: This food is not inspected by the Alabama Department of Public Health or the local health department. This food may contain allergens.

Other label items: At least 10-point font: common or usual name of the food; name and home or P.O. Box address of the operation; ingredient list in descending order of predominance; allergen disclaimer; non-inspection statement.

Selling from home in Alabama? The Cottage Kitchen Toolkit prices your recipes for markets, pre-orders and shops. It scales batches and prints ingredient and allergen labels with suggested wording for the statement Alabama's law describes. It also has this guide for all 50 states and DC. One-time price, and it works offline.

Get the toolkit Try the free cookie price check

Notes

SB 160 (2021) broadened the definition to all non-TCS cottage foods, removed the $20,000 cap, and allowed phone/online sales and in-state mail delivery; effective first day of the third month after enactment (Aug 1, 2021). Food must be made in the operator's primary residence. Older ADPH/AG flyers still cite the $20,000 cap and are outdated. Amendments after 2021 not checked (search budget exhausted). Label check (2026-10-25): Ala. Code 22-20-5.1(e) re-read in the enrolled SB 160 (2021). It requires a statement that the food is not inspected by the department or the local health department, and a disclaimer that it may contain allergens, in at least 10-point font, but no fixed words. The toolkit offers suggested wording that says both.

Sources

Last checked: 2026-10-25 · confidence: high (high = key facts confirmed on an official page; medium = partly confirmed or secondary sources agree; low = a single secondary or outdated source). Summaries are our own wording, not the text of the law.

This page is a research summary, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm with your state agency and local health department, using the official sources below, before you sell.

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