Baked Goods

Breads, cookies, cakes, and pastries baked at home for direct sale under Iowa's cottage food law

None*

License required

None

Sales cap

Iowa Code 137F.20

Governing law

DIAL

Regulator

What's covered vs. what needs a different path

Covered here

Breads, rolls, biscuits, cookies, brownies, and cakes without cream filling
Fruit pies with a top or lattice crust (non-custard)
Direct sale in person, by phone, online, or by mail within Iowa
Sales at farmers markets, on-farm, and by delivery to the buyer

Needs a different path

Cream pies, cheesecakes, custard fillings, or cream-cheese frostings that need refrigeration
Anything sold wholesale to a restaurant, grocer, or another retailer
Baked goods containing meat filling (regulated meat product, not cottage food)
Sales made through a third party who isn't the producer or their agent

How to get compliant

Confirm the item is non-TCS

Iowa's cottage food statute (137F.20) only covers food that does not require time/temperature control for safety. Most baked goods qualify as-is; cream, custard, and cheesecake fillings do not and instead need a Home Food Processing Establishment (HFPE) registration or a licensed bakery.

Label every unit

Add your name and contact info, the common name of the item, a full ingredient list by weight, the required residential-exemption statement, and an allergen callout for any of the nine major allergens.

Sell direct, keep records

Sales must go from you (or your delivery agent) straight to the consumer — no wholesale accounts. There is no state sales cap, but keep basic production logs in case a regulator asks.

Quick reference

Item	Rule	Regulator
Non-TCS breads, cookies, cakes, fruit pies	No license; direct-to-consumer sale only	Cottage food exemption, DIAL
Cream pies, cheesecake, custard fillings	Requires Home Food Processing Establishment registration	DIAL
Labeling	Name/contact, common name, ingredients, allergens, exemption statement	Iowa Code 137F.20(2)
Wholesale or retailer resale	Not permitted under cottage food; needs a licensed food establishment	DIAL
Sales tax	Register and remit on taxable bakery items	Iowa Dept. of Revenue

Frequently asked

Can I sell a decorated birthday cake with buttercream?

Yes if the buttercream itself is shelf-stable (most American buttercreams are). Fresh dairy fillings like pastry cream or whipped cream push it into the TCS category and out of cottage food.

Do I need a food handler card to bake from home in Iowa?

No. Iowa's cottage food law does not require a food handler certificate or safety training, though many bakers take a low-cost course for buyer confidence.

What if a farmers market asks for more than the state requires?

Cities and counties are preempted from layering extra cottage food rules on top of state law, but an individual market can still set its own vendor conditions as a private venue.

Is there a revenue limit before I need a license?

Iowa cottage food has no dollar sales cap, unlike many neighboring states. Volume alone does not trigger a license — the product type does.

Printable checklist

Verified item does not require refrigeration (non-TCS)
Label includes name, address/phone/email, and common food name
Full ingredient list in descending order by weight
Exemption statement printed exactly as required
Allergen statement added if any of the 9 major allergens present
All sales are direct-to-consumer, no wholesale accounts