Where are the official Iowa cottage food rules?

Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing publishes them. Start at the Iowa licensing department. Use the statute compilation when you need the code text.

Can I sell cottage food at a farmers market in Iowa?

Often yes, if the food is on the state's allowed list and you meet the label and sales rules. The market can still require its own application. Confirm both.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page was reviewed in October 2026 and points you to the state sources. If a sales cap or food list here disagrees with the state page, use the state page.

IA · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing

Iowa cottage food laws

Iowa's cottage food rules are in Iowa Code chapters 137D and 137F. The licensing department is the agency. Read the statute, then confirm the current sales limit and label on the agency site.

Open the official source Read the statute

Official source: Iowa licensing department. Reviewed October 2026. Not legal advice.

What the Iowa law decides

Iowa cottage food law answers these points. The state page is the current list. A county health department or a farmers market can add a form, a fee, or a product ban.

Which foods are allowed, and which foods need refrigeration or a pH test
The current sales cap, or whether the state has removed it
Where you can sell: farmers markets, online orders, shipping, and stores
The label, including allergens and any home-kitchen statement
Registration, a food-handler class, or a county permit

Sell it only after the rule checks out

A cottage food page is market research, not a promise of income. Price the product, find a market in Iowa, and sell one batch before you buy equipment.

Iowa farmers markets Price checker Cottage food selling guide Test a business idea