Florida Cottage Food Law · 2026
Can you sell spice blends from home in Florida?
YES — Allowed
Yes. Dried herbs and seasoning blends are allowed — and at ~90% margins they are the single most profitable cottage food in Florida.
Why yes?
Dry herbs, seasonings, and spice blends are explicitly allowed cottage foods. Everything about them is shelf-stable, lightweight, and cheap to produce — which is why they top every profitability list.
The rule to respect: everything in the jar must be dry. Blends are fine; anything wet (marinades, sauces, pastes) is a different product category and not allowed.
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 spice blends legally
- 1Buy base spices in bulk; your blend and brand are the value
- 2List every component spice in descending order by weight
- 3Watch hidden allergens: some spice ingredients contain wheat or soy carriers
- 4A "Florida citrus-pepper" or "swamp seasoning" local angle sells itself
Storage & refrigeration
Spice Blends 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 spice blends at room temperature and it stays compliant.
How to label spice blends
Every package of spice blends 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 spice blends in Florida
Cottage food is sold direct to the customer, within Florida. For spice blends, 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 spice blends 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 spice blends 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
Can I sell BBQ rubs?
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Yes — dry rubs are seasoning blends and fully allowed. (Liquid BBQ sauce is not — see our BBQ sauce page.)
Do I need to list every spice or can I say "spices"?
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List each ingredient. The generic "spices" shortcut used by big manufacturers is not the safe path for a cottage label — and customers with allergies will thank you.
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.