Home Bakers & Cottage Food Makers in Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is home to cottage food makers selling homemade baked goods, jams, honey, and more directly to customers in Sarasota, Venice, North Port and 1 other communities. Under Florida Statute 500.80, these makers can sell non-potentially hazardous foods from their home kitchens with no commercial license required.
Cities in Sarasota County:
Showing 7 makers in Sarasota County
View all Florida makers →
The Salty Mermaid - Sourdough & Spreads
The Salty Mermaid - Sourdough & Spreads - Cottage food from Venice, Florida
We make artisan sourdough loaves, boules, pastries, breads, cookies! We create our own artisan compound butters and jams.
Stone & Kerns
Stone & Kerns - Cottage food from Venice, Florida
Artisan Stone Ground Nut Butters & Chocolate confections ( Small Batch )
The Cookie Cottage
Custom cookies & cookie decorating parties
Started in 2012 by Cathy VandeMheen, a former teacher who began a custom cookie business from her home kitchen. Located in the Historic Downtown Village in Sarasota. Offers drop-in decorating, birthday parties, custom orders, and company logo cookies.
Simply Sweets SRQ
Custom royal-icing cookies, cupcakes & cake pops
Home-based bakery opened in 2021 under Florida's cottage food law, making custom royal-icing sugar cookies, cupcakes, and cake pops for the Sarasota and Manatee county areas. Featured in Sarasota Magazine.
Grace & Grain
Handmade long-fermentation sourdough with organic ingredients
Grace & Grain is a local cottage food business based in Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida. As a Florida cottage food operation, orders are made to order and sold directly. Contact Grace & Grain through their profile for current offerings and local pickup.
Lit Dog Treats
All-natural dog biscuits & pupsicles at the Sarasota Farmers Market
Family-owned business handcrafting all-natural dog biscuits and pupsicles daily from human-grade ingredients, sold from a dog-themed pushcart at the Sarasota Farmers Market.
SRQ Sourdough
Organic artisan loaves & focaccia by weekly pre-order
Organic sourdough micro-bakery in Sarasota offering artisan loaves and focaccia by weekly pre-order, with biweekly Friday pickups.
Want homemade food in Sarasota County near you?
Tap in — we'll notify you when a maker offers it, and it tells makers there's demand in your area.
Farmers Markets in Sarasota County
Recurring markets where Sarasota County cottage food makers sell directly to customers. Schedules shift seasonally — tap a market for directions and verify hours before you go.
Sarasota Farmers Market
Sarasota Saturday
Year-round, since 1979
Lakewood Ranch Farmers' Market
Sarasota
Meadows Farmers Market
Sarasota
Local Requirements in Sarasota County
Selling cottage food itself needs no local food license — Florida Statute 500.80 preempts it. What may apply are general home-based-business rules. Always confirm current details with the county before you start.
Local Business Tax Receipt
Sarasota County REPEALED its County Business Tax by Board of County Commissioners vote effective July 9, 2024; the county no longer collects a business tax receipt. Home-based businesses in unincorporated Sarasota County do NOT need a county BTR. (The special-act tax on attorneys funding the Law Library continues.)
Renewal: N/A — county business tax repealed
Apply / detailsHome Occupation & Zoning
Unincorporated Sarasota County: home-based business activity must remain secondary to the residential use of the dwelling per the Sarasota County Unified Development Code. No county home-occupation permit is required. City of Venice requires a Home Occupation Application for home-based businesses.
Home-based business must be secondary to residential use per the Sarasota County Code of Ordinances / Unified Development Code (Ch. 124).
Inside city limits?
Businesses within city limits still need a municipal business tax receipt: Longboat Key, North Port, Sarasota, or Venice. The City of Sarasota also requires a Certificate of Use for new businesses; the City of Venice requires a Home Occupation Application (with the owner's written approval if you rent).
Notes
Per F.S. 500.80, cottage food operations are exempt from state and local food permits/licenses. Under F.S. 559.955, many home-based businesses are exempt from a local business use permit / Certificate of Use. HOA covenants may still restrict home-based businesses — check your deed restrictions.
⚠️ HOA or deed restrictions can still bar a home food business even where the county allows it — check yours.
Compiled 2026-08-03 from county tax collectors, FDACS, and Florida Statutes 500.80 / 205 / 559.955. Educational information only — not legal advice. Verify current requirements with Sarasota County before selling.
Cottage Food FAQ — Sarasota County
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Sarasota County, Florida?+
No state license is required. Under Florida Statute 500.80, cottage food operations need no state permit, inspection, or registration to sell approved non-hazardous homemade foods, up to $250,000 in gross sales per year. And Sarasota County does not require a county Business Tax Receipt.
Do I need a business tax receipt in Sarasota County?+
Sarasota County REPEALED its County Business Tax by Board of County Commissioners vote effective July 9, 2024; the county no longer collects a business tax receipt. Home-based businesses in unincorporated Sarasota County do NOT need a county BTR. (The special-act tax on attorneys funding the Law Library continues.)
Do I also need a city business tax receipt in Sarasota County?+
Businesses within city limits still need a municipal business tax receipt: Longboat Key, North Port, Sarasota, or Venice. The City of Sarasota also requires a Certificate of Use for new businesses; the City of Venice requires a Home Occupation Application (with the owner's written approval if you rent).
Can I run a cottage food business from my home in Sarasota County?+
Unincorporated Sarasota County: home-based business activity must remain secondary to the residential use of the dwelling per the Sarasota County Unified Development Code. No county home-occupation permit is required. City of Venice requires a Home Occupation Application for home-based businesses. Home-based business must be secondary to residential use per the Sarasota County Code of Ordinances / Unified Development Code (Ch. 124).
Who do I contact about cottage food rules in Sarasota County?+
Sarasota County Tax Collector: 941-861-8300 — https://www.sarasotataxcollector.gov. For health questions, contact Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County: 941-861-2900. Always confirm current requirements directly with the county before selling.
Setting up your Sarasota County cottage food business?
Cottage food needs no state license — but many farmers markets require proof of liability insurance, and forming an LLC keeps your personal and business finances separate.
Business liability insurance
General & product liability for food & market vendors, from ~$30/mo. Many markets require proof of coverage.
Get a free insurance quoteForm your LLC
Register your cottage food business as an LLC to separate personal & business liability.
Start your LLCSome links are from partners who may pay us a commission — at no extra cost to you. We only list services makers actually use. Learn more.
Explore More
Understand Florida cottage food regulations
Labeling RequirementsWhat your cottage food labels must include
Free Label GeneratorCreate compliant labels in minutes
Recipe Cost CalculatorCalculate costs and set profitable prices
Sell Food From HomeComplete guide to getting started
Your First 30 DaysStep-by-step plan to launch your business
Nearby Counties
Are you a cottage food maker in Sarasota County?
Join our directory and connect with local customers looking for homemade goods
List Your Business - It's FreeAbout Cottage Food in Sarasota County
Sarasota County is part of Florida's growing cottage food community. Under Florida Statute 500.80, home-based food producers can sell non-potentially hazardous foods directly to consumers without needing a commercial kitchen, food establishment license, or state inspection.
Popular cottage food products in Sarasota County include baked goods like cookies, cakes, and breads, as well as jams, honey, granola, candies, and dried herbs. All products must be properly labeled with ingredients, allergens, net weight, and the required cottage food disclaimer.
Whether you're in Sarasota or Venice, you can find homemade products or start your own cottage food business. Browse our guides and free tools to get started, or browse all makers across Florida.