Cottage food laws in Idaho

The limits

Sales cap

None — the statute contains no income limit

You can sell

Both "shelf-stable" and "perishable" homemade foods/nonalcoholic drinks are allowed (a broader category than typical cottage food laws). Shelf-stable: hermetically sealed jams/jellies/marmalades/preserves/syrups, fermented food products, tallow, lard, fruit leathers/pies/turnovers, non-refrigerated chocolates/candies/confectioneries, non-refrigerated nonalcoholic drinks, non-refrigerated milk/dairy, nut mixes, granola, non-meat dry soup mixes, roasted coffee beans, popcorn, honey, dried/dehydrated/freeze-dried foods (including jerky), and baked goods without animal-based frosting/filling. Perishable (also allowed, under safe-handling conditions): nonalcoholic drinks requiring refrigeration, refrigerated chocolate/candy, condiments/sauces, uncut fruits/vegetables, milk/dairy, eggs/egg products, nut/seed/fruit butters, fresh/dehydrated pastas, raw doughs, refrigerated jams/jellies/etc., baked goods with animal-based frosting/filling, certain meat products (see Prohibited), cooked vegetables, and pickled products

You cannot sell

Meat/meat products generally, except: poultry raised by the producer (≤1,000 birds/year, not bought for resale), live animals, portions of live animals sold via "animal share" agreements, domestic rabbit meat, farm-raised fish (excluding catfish), and USDA/state-inspected cattle/sheep/swine/goat meat. Raw/fluid milk and dairy products require separate compliance with Idaho's dairy statutes; products under this Act cannot be used as an ingredient in a licensed food establishment

Getting set up

Permit / registration

No — no license, permit, registration, or fee of any kind

Cost

None

Training

No formal certification is mandated; the Department must provide educational materials and producers/agents must "become familiar" with them, but no test or certificate is required

Kitchen inspection

No routine inspection or reporting; records may be requested only during a confirmed foodborne-illness investigation

Labeling

A conspicuously displayed sign, product label, or card stating: "This product is not subject to government food safety inspection or licensing requirements. It may contain allergens." Must also include the producer's name and contact information, and an ingredient list if the product has two or more ingredients. Perishable products must additionally include safe handling/storage instructions

Where you can sell

Permitted venues

Direct sale from a producer or "designated agent" to an "informed end consumer" — farm stands, ranches, farms, and producers' homes; a retail space that also sells licensed food-establishment products must physically separate and clearly mark the Act's products

Online sales

Yes — the statute does not restrict the sales method, only that the transaction and delivery occur wholly within Idaho

Delivery in state

Yes, including via a designated agent

Shipping out of state

No — the statute explicitly requires that "all production, processing, packaging, sale, and delivery activities shall take place wholly within the state of Idaho" and "shall not constitute or involve interstate commerce"

The fine print

Statute

Idaho Code Title 37, Chapter 2 (Idaho Direct-to-Consumer Commerce Act), enacted by Senate Bill 1283 (2026)

Recent changes

SB 1283 (2026) — signed with an emergency clause, reported effective March 20, 2026 — creates this Act and completely replaces Idaho's prior cottage food rule (IDAPA 16.02.19) with a far broader direct-to-consumer framework covering many perishable foods, not just shelf-stable products

Notes

This is a brand-new (2026) law that is substantially broader than a typical "cottage food" statute — it covers many perishable, non-shelf-stable foods and a limited set of meat products. Producers/agents must keep transaction records (product type/quantity, sale date, production date, sourcing) for at least 2 years; failure to maintain records during a foodborne-illness investigation carries a fine of up to $500. No MEHKO-specific law distinct from this Act was identified for Idaho.