Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

Cottage Food Operations / Home-to-Market Act

The Cottage Food Law/Home-to-Market Act allows operators to prepare certain food or drink items in their home kitchen and sell them at specific locations. Before beginning operation, cottage food operators must register with the local health department (in the county where the cottage food kitchen is located) by submitting documentation for approval and obtaining a certificate of registration. It is illegal to advertise or operate a home-based food/drink business without first obtaining a cottage food registration ertificate.

Registration Documents to Submit (Initial Application)

This document list will help assure you are submitting the correct documentation. When completing an application, be sure to list all food items you’ll be preparing for the year. The items will be listed on your certificate of registration, and you are limited to offering the approved listed items. Note that we have up to thirty (30) business days to review applications and paperwork. Depending on the types of items prepared/offered, additional documentation may be required.

1. Completed application & self-certification checklist
2. Menu (a complete list of all the items you’ll be offering/selling – use a blank sheet of paper)
3. Certified Food Protection Manager certificate(s) – submit a copy, NOT your original
4. Well water test results (if applicable) taken within 60 days of the application date
5. Photo of the water well construction and location
6. Product labels (sample product label)
7. Lab test results (for certain products only – see the Cottage Food Law for more information
8. Registration fee ($50.00)
   • Payable to CUPHD if within Champaign or Urbana city limits
   • Payable to CCPHD if in other areas of Champaign County

Re-Applying for Registration

If you want to continue as a cottage food operator, you will need to re-apply each year. All documents that appear in the numbered list above must be submitted each time you re-apply, per the cottage food law. Writing “on file” in lieu of submitting documents is not acceptable. Re-application paperwork should be submitted well in advance of the expiration date of your current certificate so that your application can be approved before your current certificate expires. If you do not have a valid cottage food certificate, you shall cease operation until a new certificate is issued.

Allowed / Not Allowed – Food and Drink Items

NOT Allowed	Allowed
Meat/poultry, fish, seafood, shellfish	Jams, jellies, preserves, syrups
Meals containing anything on the Not Allowed list	Fruit butters, fruit pies, fruit pastries, fruit empanadas
Dairy – except in a non-potentially hazardous baked good or candy	Bread, tortillas, cookies, scones or other baked goods without frostings or cheese
Eggs – except as an ingredient in a non-potentially hazardous food	Dehydrated or dried fruits, vegetables, and spices (dried spices, herbal teas, fruit leathers, apple chips, etc.)
Pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, cheesecakes, custard pies/pastries, crème pies/pastries, or potentially hazardous fillings	Roasted and/or ground coffee or nuts
Garlic in oil or oil infused with garlic	Candies and caramels
Sprouts	Allowed with Additional Documentation
Cut leafy greens – except for cut leafy greens that are dehydrated, acidified, or blanched and frozen	Salad dressings, vinegars and infused oils
Tomato – cut or pureed fresh tomato, or dehydrated	Cheesy bread or other baked goods containing cheese
Melon – cut or pureed fresh melon, frozen cut melon, or dehydrated	Fermented foods (kimchi, kraut, etc.)
Mushrooms – wild harvested, non-cultivated	Acidified fruits or vegetables (pickles, shrubs, hot sauces, relishes, condiments)
Alcoholic beverages	Cakes cupcakes and other baked goods with frostings and icings
Kombucha	Fresh cut fruit and vegetables (zucchini noodles, pasta salads with vegetables, fruit bowls, etc.)
Low-acid canned food	Canned tomato products
	Vegan soups, vegan meals, or other heat-treated produce
	Fresh-pressed juices or bottled drinks

At What Locations Are Cottage Foods/Drinks NOT Allowed to be Offered/Sold?

You cannot give away/offer/sell your cottage food items in retail locations like stores or in restaurants.

Well Water Testing

If the water supply serving your cottage food kitchen is from a private well, your well water will need to be tested each year for Coliform bacteria. Please submit a copy of your well test results at the same time you submit your application and other documents. Note that well water testing must be performed within 60 days of the cottage food application date.

You are free to use any accredited laboratory for your well water test. You have the option of purchasing a State of Illinois well test kit from our office for $49. The price includes shipping and lab testing for Coliform bacteria only (no other types of tests are performed). Further information about private wells.

Septic Systems and Cottage Food Operations

A cottage food operation may increase the volume and/or strength of wastewater depending on the types of foods/drinks prepared. Residential septic systems are designed for the wastewater flow typically associated with normal day-to-day use of the occupants, such as laundry, kitchen use and bathing.

Some cottage foods/drinks can have high uses of sugar, fats, oils or grease that may be washed down the drain as a result from cooking, baking or cleaning associated with operation. The higher waste strength and increased water use can cause the septic system to perform poorly or fail, which can lead to septic system repair or replacement.

Links

Cottage Food Law/Home-to-Market Act
You must follow the cottage food law exactly. It is important that you read and understand the Cottage Food Law/Home-to-Market Act that is part of the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act (see Section 4.0).

Certified Food Protection Manager Classes

Food Testing Laboratories

University of Illinois Extension Cottage Food Law Information

USDA Home Canning Guide

Registered Cottage Food Operators

Below is a current list of registered cottage food operations in Champaign County. Please be advised that being registered with the local health department does not equal being inspected and permitted by the local health department. Yearly registration is required (calendar year).