Florida Cottage Food Law · 2026
Can you sell sourdough bread from home in Florida?
YES — Allowed
Yes. Sourdough is an allowed cottage food in Florida — the natural fermentation of the dough does not make it a prohibited "fermented food" because the loaf is fully baked.
Why yes?
Sourdough sometimes confuses new sellers because Florida prohibits fermented foods like kombucha and kimchi. The key difference: sourdough fermentation happens before baking, and the finished loaf is a shelf-stable baked good — which is exactly what the cottage food law allows.
Sourdough is also one of the best-selling cottage foods in Florida right now, commanding premium prices ($8–$15 a loaf) with strong repeat customers.
Florida Cottage Food Law: Key Facts
Updated July 2026- Permit required: None — no license, permit, or FDACS registration for cottage foods
- Legal basis: Florida Statute 500.80
- Annual sales cap: $250,000 gross per year
- The rule: Only non-potentially-hazardous foods (safe at room temperature)
- Sales channel: Direct to consumers in Florida only — no wholesale
- Labels: 6 required elements, including the cottage food statement
How to sell sourdough legally
- 1The finished, baked loaf is what matters — your starter is just an ingredient
- 2List ingredients simply: flour, water, salt (and any add-ins) by weight
- 3Inclusions must be shelf-stable: herbs, olives, and dried fruit are fine; cheese is a gray area — test shelf-stability or skip it
- 4Preorder + weekly pickup is the classic sourdough business model
Storage & refrigeration
Sourdough Bread qualifies because it's shelf-stable — safe at room temperature. Keep it that way: the moment you add a cream or custard filling, fresh dairy, or anything that needs refrigeration, it stops being a cottage food. Store and transport sourdough bread at room temperature and it stays compliant.
How to label sourdough bread
Every package of sourdough bread you sell needs a compliant label with all 6 required elements:
- 1Your cottage food business name and address
- 2The product name
- 3Ingredients, listed in descending order by weight
- 4Net weight or quantity
- 5Allergen declaration (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish)
- 6The cottage food statement (exact wording, below)
“Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations.”
This statement must appear word-for-word.
Where you can sell sourdough bread in Florida
Cottage food is sold direct to the customer, within Florida. For sourdough bread, that means:
✅ Allowed
- Farmers markets, fairs & events
- Home pickup and local delivery
- Online, phone & mail order — delivered in Florida
🚫 Not allowed
- Wholesale to stores/restaurants for resale
- Selling or shipping outside Florida
- More than $250,000 in gross sales per year
Pricing sourdough bread for profit
Add up your cost per unit (ingredients + packaging), multiply by 3–4× to cover your time and overhead, then sanity-check against what similar makers charge locally. Undercharging is the single most common mistake — your time is a real cost, not a freebie.
Free recipe cost calculatorCommon mistakes to avoid
- Underpricing — not counting your time, packaging, and market fees
- Missing a required label element, especially the exact cottage food statement
- Adding a filling or frosting that needs refrigeration, which quietly turns compliant sourdough bread non-compliant
- Selling across state lines or wholesale to a shop for resale
- Losing track of the $250,000/year gross sales cap
Not sure about a different product?
Check any food against Florida's rules in seconds with our free tool — then price it and label it with the rest of the toolkit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to list my sourdough starter as an ingredient?
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List what the starter is made of — typically flour and water. Ingredients must appear in descending order by weight.
Is a cheese sourdough allowed?
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Baked-in cheese is a gray area because the finished product may need refrigeration. Many sellers avoid it; if in doubt, ask FDACS or stick to shelf-stable inclusions.
People also ask about
Official Florida sources
FDACS — Cottage Foods
Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services — the official cottage food program.
Florida Statute 500.80
The cottage food law itself, on the Florida Legislature's official site.
This is general educational information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules change — always verify current requirements with FDACS before you sell.
Ready to start selling?
Get the step-by-step startup guide, free pricing tools, and a spot in Florida's cottage food directory.
Educational information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements with FDACS. Based on Florida Statute 500.80 as of 2026.