Indiana · Cottage Food

Indiana cottage food label requirements and HBV / homestead path checker

Answer a few plain-English questions about what you make and how you want to sell it. We sort your plan into Indiana's older HBV path or the newer July 2026 homestead path, flag the choices that change the answer, and build you a personalized checklist and printable label draft.

Free permit walk-through Free label generation Free checklist
Free customized label/checklist after walk-through completion

Built from current Indiana guidance, Purdue HBV materials, and state-published homestead-vendor guidance. Not legal advice and not state approval — rules can change, so verify final requirements with the current Indiana guidance before selling.

  • Free path checkSee whether your product still fits Indiana's older HBV rules or belongs under the newer homestead path.
  • Free checklistTurn Indiana's parallel rule sets into one practical next-step list.
  • Free label generationDraft the Indiana label and switch automatically between the HBV and homestead disclaimers.

Do I need a cottage food license in Indiana?

Often no, but Indiana now has two different direct-to-consumer paths. The older HBV path still covers non-TCS foods from a primary residence. As of July 1, 2026, Indiana also has a broader homestead/small-farm path for direct-to-consumer sales of prepared foods, baked goods, candy, produce, natural sweeteners, fruit spreads, and certain meat products. The trick is picking the right path and staying inside its shipping, sales, and labeling rules.

Indiana label wording

  • HBV path: This product is home produced and processed and the production area has not been inspected by Indiana Department of Health. NOT FOR RESALE.
  • Homestead path: This product was produced by a homestead vendor or the owner of a small farm that is exempt from government licensing and inspection.
  • HBV also requires the processed date on the label

Common Indiana blockers

  • Trying to use HBV for a TCS / refrigerated product
  • Selling resale inventory to another business
  • Shipping to a customer outside Indiana
  • Using the homestead path above the $1.5M gross-sales cap