Cottage Food Law /US
A structured reference to state cottage food rules

United States · PA

Pennsylvania

Limited Food Establishment

Informational only — not legal advice. Verify every requirement with the official agency cited below before producing or selling food.

At a glance

Administering agency
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services

Source: Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture — Limited Food Establishment · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Permit required
Yes

Every person operating a food establishment in Pennsylvania must register with the Secretary of Agriculture. Not available in Philadelphia County.

Source: 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57 (Food Safety Act), § 5734(a) · Verified Sep 25, 2026

License cost
$35

$35 per food establishment per year; PDA lists $35 for registration and $35 for annual renewal. A retail food license for farmers market stands selling pre-packaged, shelf-stable items is fee-exempt but still requires licensing and inspection.

Source: 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57 (Food Safety Act), § 5734(c) · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Annual sales cap
No cap

No sales limit appears in the Food Safety Act (3 Pa.C.S. §§ 5721–5737) or PDA's Limited Food Establishment page and application packet.

Source: 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57 (Food Safety Act) · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Training required
No

No course or certificate is required. The Food Employee Certification Act says "Food establishments are exempt from this chapter" (§ 6510(c)), and a Limited Food Establishment registers as a food establishment. PDA's application packet says operators "must demonstrate basic food safety knowledge" but names no course or exam. A farmers market stand that needs a Retail Food License is a retail food facility, which normally needs a certified food employee (§ 6504(a)), but facilities that "handle only nonpotentially hazardous food are exempt" (§ 6510(b)(1)). Limited Food Establishments may only make non-TCS foods, so a stand selling only those products is exempt. A stand that also sells TCS (potentially hazardous) food needs a certified employee.

Source: 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65 (Food Employee Certification Act), § 6510 · Verified Oct 5, 2026

Home inspection
Yes

An opening inspection is required before operating, and PDA inspects the production site on a routine basis.

Source: Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture — Limited Food Establishment · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Permit details

How it works
Submit the Limited Food Establishment application packet to PDA at least 60 days before operating, with a business plan, product labels, any required lab test results (pH, water activity), proof of water supply, and local zoning confirmation. PDA reviews plans within 15 business days, then an inspector does an on-site inspection; the registration fee is collected after a compliant inspection. Registration renews annually. No pets may be in the home when the personal kitchen is used, unless the food area is fully separated with its own entrance. Registration is not permitted in Philadelphia County.

Details from PDA's Limited Food Establishment application packet. Operators in a county health department's area must first get any county licenses or registrations. Selling at a farmers market, roadside stand, or fair may also need a Retail Food License.

Source: Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture — Limited Food Establishment · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Allowed foods

Allowed
  • Baked goods (e.g., cakes, breads, bagels, cookies, rolls, muffins, brownies, biscuits, most fruit pies and pastries)
  • Jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters (standard recipes; new or altered recipes need soluble-solids testing)
  • Candy (e.g., fudge, caramels, truffles, cotton candy, lollipops, chocolates, hard candy); chocolate-covered fruit only with whole, uncut fruit at pH 4.6 or below
  • Acid, acidified, and fermented foods with a lab-tested pH of 4.6 or below (e.g., pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, salsa, hot sauces, BBQ sauce)
  • Dry goods (e.g., cereals, coffee/tea, spices and seasonings, dry herbs, dry pasta, nuts, seeds, and mixes)
  • Dehydrated foods (e.g., dried fruits and vegetables, dried herbs, beef or meat jerky)
  • Freeze-dried foods, with water activity testing
  • Condiments (e.g., honey, maple syrup and products, ketchup, mustards, vinegars, nut butters, dressings, sauces, oils other than garlic-in-oil)
  • Acidic or fermented beverages with a pH of 4.6 or below (e.g., root beer, lemonade, lemon ice tea, kombucha)
  • Other non-TCS (shelf-stable) foods, as evaluated by PDA product by product

Not an exhaustive list: PDA evaluates each product. Only non-TCS foods (no refrigeration needed) may be made. PDA may require pH and water activity testing for questionable products.

Source: PDA Application Packet — Limited Food Establishments (Rev 10-2024), pp. 11–16 · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Prohibited
  • Time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, e.g., raw or heat-treated animal foods (milk, dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish), heat-treated plant foods, raw seed sprouts, cut fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic-in-oil, tofu and soy-protein foods
  • Perishable baked goods (e.g., cheesecakes, pumpkin pies, cream, custard, or meringue pies and pastries, pudding)
  • Low-acid canned foods and beverages (e.g., most soups, gravies, un-pickled vegetables, fruits in syrup)
  • Freshly brewed coffee and tea

Juice sold wholesale needs a HACCP plan and pathogen reduction and typically can't be made in a limited food establishment. Bottled fermented drinks can't rely on refrigeration alone to stop fermentation.

Source: PDA Application Packet — Limited Food Establishments (Rev 10-2024), pp. 8–15 · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Labeling requirements

On every package
  • Name of the product
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight, including sub-ingredients
  • Allergen declaration, if needed
  • Name and address of the manufacturer or distributor
  • Net weight or count, in the bottom third of the primary panel, at least 8-point type
  • Nutrition labeling for products sold interstate, unless FDA grants a small-business exemption
  • Unpasteurized juice: FDA warning statement

Bakery items the baker sells directly to Pennsylvania consumers (at the production site or a satellite such as a farmers market) need no label, but ingredient information must be available on request. Baked goods sold through a retail facility not run by the baker need full labeling. Claims such as "gluten free" must be substantiated.

Source: PDA Application Packet — Limited Food Establishments (Rev 10-2024), § 5 and pp. 10–13 · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Sales channels

Where you can sell
  • In person: Yes
  • Farmers market: Yes
  • Online (in-state): Yes
  • Online (out-of-state shipping): Yes
  • Delivery (in-state): Not addressed
  • Retail / wholesale resale: Yes
  • Registration covers sales direct from the production site, including internet sales. Retail and wholesale are both allowed, including to stores and restaurants. Farmers markets, roadside stands, and fairs may also need a Retail Food License (fee-exempt for pre-packaged, shelf-stable items). Interstate sales are allowed but may require FDA food facility registration and nutrition labeling. PDA sources don't address delivery.

Source: Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture — Limited Food Establishment · Verified Sep 25, 2026

Caveats

  • Pennsylvania has no cottage food exemption: home kitchens register with PDA and are inspected.
  • Limited Food Establishment registration is not available in Philadelphia County.
  • Honey producers register as a food establishment ($35/year), but a honey establishment where 100% of the honey is produced or processed on its own farm is exempt from the registration fee and routine inspection (3 Pa.C.S. § 5734(d)(2)).
  • Some counties and cities have their own health departments; their licensing applies in addition to PDA registration.

Official sources

Page last reviewed: 2026-09-25

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