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Can I sell food from home in Washington?
Washington cottage food law at a glance
| Home food sales allowed | limited Cottage Food Operation Permit (WSDA) |
|---|---|
| Law | RCW 69.22; WAC 16-149 |
| Sales cap | $35,000 gross annual sales per domestic residence (RCW 69.22.050, amended 2023; WSDA to review every 4 years for CPI increase) |
| Permit or registration | permit. WSDA permit, renewed every 2 years. Fees: $75 public health review + $30 processing + $125 inspection (initial and annual); $125 reinspection. Home kitchen inspected before permit and annually. Everyone preparing/packaging food needs a WA food worker card. Permittee signs consent to inspection. |
| Sell in person | yes |
| Take online orders | no |
| Ship within the state | no |
| Ship to other states | no |
| Sell to shops and cafes | no |
| Where you can sell, details | Direct sales to consumers only (home, farmers markets, craft fairs, charitable events). A website may display products but sales must be completed in person. No internet sales, mail order, shipping, consignment, wholesale, or sales outside WA; no sales to food processors or food service. Permit must be displayed where selling. |
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 Washington?
Allowed: Only WSDA-approved products listed on the permit: non-potentially hazardous baked goods (breads, cakes, cookies, most pies), candies (fudge, caramels, brittles, taffy), standardized jams/jellies/preserves/fruit butters, dry herb and seasoning blends, rebottled vinegars.
Not allowed: Meat, poultry, fish (incl. jerky); canned fruits/vegetables, salsas, pickles, sauerkraut; dairy, cheese, cream or refrigerated bakery items, custard pies; cut fresh produce, sprouts, garlic in oil; juices, beverages, ice, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard; THC ingredients.
Label requirements in Washington
Required statement: Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria. exact wording from an official source
Other label items: Statement in at least 11-point equivalent font in contrasting color. Also: business name and WSDA permit number, product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, net weight/volume, allergen labeling per rule, nutrition labeling if claims made.
Selling from home in Washington? The Cottage Kitchen Toolkit prices your recipes for markets, pre-orders and shops. It scales batches and prints ingredient and allergen labels with Washington's required statement filled in. 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 checkNotes
Cap raised to $35,000 by 2023 amendment (from $25,000); WAC 16-149 last amended effective Jan 11, 2024. No inflation increase beyond $35,000 found. Permitted operations are exempt from local health permits. WSDA program page could not be loaded; facts from RCW/WAC.
Sources
- RCW 69.22 Cottage food operations official
- RCW 69.22.020 official
- WAC 16-149 Cottage food operations official
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.