Can I sell food from home in Hawaii?

Q: Can I sell food from home in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii lets you make certain foods at home and sell them, under the Homemade Food (HMF) Products. 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 2026-10-24. Not legal advice.

AllowedOnline ordersShips in-stateSells to stores

Yes. Hawaii lets you make certain foods at home and sell them, under the Homemade Food (HMF) Products. 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.

Hawaii cottage food law at a glance

Home food sales allowed	yes Homemade Food (HMF) Products
Law	Haw. Admin. Rules ch. 11-50 (Food Safety Code), amended effective Aug 2025; expanded by HB 2144 (2024) per secondary source
Sales cap	No cap stated
Permit or registration	none. Exempt from the DOH food establishment permit, with no registration. Food safety training from DOH or a DOH-approved program is required; ANSI-accredited courses qualify. Some markets or events may require a Special Event permit, which DOH can review and sign.
Sell in person	yes
Take online orders	yes
Ship within the state	yes
Ship to other states	unverified
Sell to shops and cafes	yes
Where you can sell, details	DOH allows sales at nonprofit and for-profit events, farmers markets, and online. HMF products may be wholesaled to permitted food establishments for resale. A restaurant using them must disclose in writing that they are HMF and show the label on request. In-state shipping comes from a secondary source (HB 2144) and isn't stated in DOH's brochure.

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 Hawaii?

Allowed: Non-TCS foods, including baked goods without custard or cream fillings and jams and jellies. Also plant-based pickled, fermented, or acidified foods with pH 4.2 or lower or water activity below 0.88 (e.g. kimchi, pickles). Salsa with cut tomatoes is allowed if held at 41F or below, and juice if sold direct to consumers.

Not allowed: Dried meats (beef jerky, dried aku), seafood, melon-family fruits, dried tomatoes, vacuum packaging, and any canning other than jams and jellies.

Label requirements in Hawaii

Required statement: Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health exact wording from an official source

Other label items: Package products as they will be sold, and label with: common or descriptive name; ingredients by weight if 2 or more; major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame); operator name and contact info (website, email, or phone accepted). A secondary source reports a separate statement for hand-pounded poi.

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

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Notes

Hawaii authorized homemade food sales by rule (HAR 11-50, 2017-2018) rather than statute. HB 2144 (2024) added acidified and fermented foods, indirect and online sales, and in-state shipping; implementing rules took effect Aug 2025 (secondary source; act number not verified). DOH notes that FDA does not treat HMF products as an approved source.

Sources

Last checked: 2026-10-24 · 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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