Wisconsin's Cottage Food Law

Wisconsin's cottage food law allows individuals to produce and sell certain low-risk homemade foods directly to consumers without a commercial kitchen or food processing license. The law applies to home-based producers and covers non-potentially hazardous foods, meaning products that don't require refrigeration to stay safe. If you're baking out of your home kitchen and selling shelf-stable goods, you likely qualify under this framework.

You can sell your products directly to consumers at farmers markets, roadside stands, flea markets, and similar in-person venues. Online sales are not permitted, and you cannot ship products to customers. All transactions must happen face-to-face. Wisconsin does not allow cottage food products to be sold through retail stores, restaurants, or any third-party reseller, so your sales channel is limited to direct, in-person contact with the end buyer.

Your gross annual revenue from cottage food sales cannot exceed $7,500. No permit, license, or registration is required before you start selling. One notable limitation is that Wisconsin's cap is lower than many other states, which can restrict growth. That said, the zero-permit requirement means you can start your business immediately once you understand the rules and get your labeling in order.