Utah gives home food makers two completely separate paths, and you have to pick one. One is a registered cottage food program with an inspection; the other is a "food freedom" law with no registration at all, but with a strict signage rule at markets. Here's how Utah works and how to choose.
The short version: Utah has two mutually exclusive pathways for home food. The Cottage Food Production path requires registration and a home kitchen inspection through the Department of Agriculture, plus a food handler's permit. The Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act (food freedom, 2018) requires no registration, no inspection, and no sales cap, but limits you to in-person direct sales and requires a specific signage setup at farmers markets. You can't use both at once. Prepared, temperature-controlled foods need a county Temporary Food Establishment permit. Utah has a state sales tax to register for.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking Utah orders, pickups, and payments easy.
This is the defining feature of Utah: there are two separate home-food pathways, and you cannot operate under both at the same time. Choose based on how you want to sell.
Path 1: Cottage Food Production. This goes through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and requires registration, a home kitchen inspection, and a food handler's permit. Allowed products are shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous items: baked goods, jams and jellies, honey, dried fruit, nuts, candy, popcorn, dried herbs, roasted coffee, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Sources suggest a cap around $50,000 a year, but the exact figure isn't clearly confirmed on UDAF's page, so verify it directly. You can sell at registered UDAF farmers markets and events.
Path 2: Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act (food freedom). Enacted in 2018, this requires no registration, no inspection, no sales cap, and no license (just a general business license if your municipality requires one). It allows most non-animal foods (no meat, certain poultry/rabbit, or raw dairy). The trade-off is below. For the full details on both, see our Utah cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in Utah.
If you choose the food freedom path, there's a specific catch at farmers markets. You can only sell in one of two ways:
Sales must be in-person, direct-to-consumer only (no wholesale). Your products also need a label reading "Not for Resale, Processed and prepared without the benefit of state or local inspection," plus an allergen list. So the food freedom path is paperwork-free but comes with this display requirement.
If you prepare temperature-controlled (TCS) foods on-site, you need a Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) permit from your county health department (not a state permit). The fee is calculated by the county after you apply, and you must keep a food handler card at the booth.
Utah has a state sales tax. Register with the Utah State Tax Commission for a seller's permit. Basic food for home consumption may be taxed at a reduced rate; confirm your products.
Start at the official sources: the UDAF Cottage Food Production page for the registered path, and the UDAF Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act page for the food freedom path. Your county health department handles TFE permits.
It depends which path you choose. The Cottage Food Production path requires UDAF registration and a home inspection. The food freedom path requires no registration but has a market signage rule. Prepared TCS foods need a county Temporary Food Establishment permit. Utah has a state sales tax to register for.
Cottage Food Production (UDAF registration, home inspection, food handler permit, shelf-stable foods) and the Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act (no registration, no cap, in-person sales only, with a market signage requirement). You can't use both at once.
If you sell under the food freedom act at a farmers market, your products must be in a dedicated section with a sign stating the food is homemade and not certified, licensed, regulated, or inspected, or at a direct-to-sale market made up entirely of homemade vendors.
The food freedom path has no sales cap. The Cottage Food Production path may have a cap around $50,000, but the exact figure isn't clearly confirmed on UDAF's page, so verify it directly before relying on it.
No state license or registration, though your municipality may require a general business license. The trade-off is in-person direct sales only and the market signage requirement.
Utah makes you choose: a registered cottage food path with an inspection, or a food-freedom path with no paperwork but a strict market signage rule. Prepared foods need a county TFE permit, and you'll register for state sales tax either way. Pick the path that fits how you want to sell. Once you're cleared, a simple storefront makes pickups and payments easy. Set up a Homegrown storefront for $10/month at 0% commission, and check other states on our farmers market vendor permits by state guide.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules change; confirm the Cottage Food Production cap with UDAF. Verify current requirements with UDAF, your county health department, and the Utah State Tax Commission before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
