State Guide · Updated 2026

Utah Home Food
Seller Guide

Everything you need to sell home-made food in Utah — legally, confidently, and profitably. Utah is one of only two states in the country with a true food freedom law alongside a traditional cottage food program, giving home food sellers more flexibility than almost anywhere else.

Two legal paths · Choose the one that fits No sales cap · Under either path UDAF & HB 181 · Both routes documented
Annual Sales Limit
No Cap
Neither path imposes a revenue ceiling. Grow as large as your kitchen allows.
State Registration
It Depends
Required under the Cottage Food Program. Not required under HB 181.
Home Inspection
It Depends
Required under Cottage Food Program (now via Google Meet). Not required under HB 181.
Where You Can Sell
Direct + Retail
Cottage Food reaches retail stores. HB 181 is direct-to-informed-consumer only.
Shipping & Mail Order
Not Allowed
Neither path permits shipping products within or outside Utah. In-person pickup only.
What Utah Allows

Two paths. You choose.

Utah does something unusual — it runs two separate home food laws side by side. You pick the one that matches how you want to sell. A seller must fully comply with one path or the other; you can't mix and match between them.

Path A

Utah Cottage Food Program

Utah Code § 4-5-501 · Admin. Code R70-560 · Est. 2007
  • Wider channel access — sell direct AND to retail stores within Utah
  • Shelf-stable products only — no TCS or refrigerated foods
  • Registration required — UDAF application, $50, renewed annually
  • Home kitchen inspection — initial inspection via Google Meet
  • Recipe approval — every recipe reviewed by UDAF before you can sell it
  • Food handler's permit — required before you register
Path B

Home Consumption & Homemade Food Act

Utah Code Title 4, Chapter 5a · HB 181 · Est. 2018
  • Nearly all foods allowed — including TCS, prepared meals, fermented items
  • Direct-to-consumer only — from your home, farm, office, or a direct-to-sale farmers market
  • No state registration — no UDAF permit, no inspection, no recipe review
  • No food handler's permit required by state (local rules may differ)
  • Required disclaimer — "Processed and prepared without state or local inspection" on every package
  • Excludes raw dairy and USDA-regulated meat — small poultry and rabbit have exceptions
A Third Option

Microenterprise Home Kitchen Act (2021)

If you want to sell hot, home-cooked meals like a restaurant incubator, Utah also offers the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Act. It's permitted and inspected by your local health department — not UDAF — and requires food safety training. Covered in detail on the Prepared Meals page.

Navigate This Guide

Eight topics. One clear path forward.

Each page below covers one piece of selling home-made food in Utah — from what products you can make to how to get permitted, labeled, and open for business.

🔧

Utah State Compliance Score

Answer a few questions about your product, your kitchen, and how you want to sell. Get a personalized score showing whether the Cottage Food Program or HB 181 is the better fit for your business — plus the exact next steps for your situation.

Create Free Account to Use This Tool →
Ready When You Are

Start Selling on SellFood

Join home cooks across Utah who are turning their kitchens into businesses. List your first three products free — no credit card required.