Arizona Cottage Food Law (2026): Registration, TCS Foods and Labels

Arizona expanded its cottage food program a few years ago. It's now one of the few states where home producers can legally sell time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, which need refrigeration. That expansion comes with registration, training, and delivery rules that depend on what's in the product. The governing law is A.R.S. 36-931 and 36-932, administered by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).

Which foods qualify

Most foods qualify, including TCS foods. The statute excludes:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk
• Fish and shellfish
• Marijuana products

Meat and poultry are allowed only if they come from an inspected source, or from poultry raised and slaughtered under the federal 1,000-bird exemption.

Registration and training

• Register online with ADHS. According to the Institute for Justice, registration is renewed every three years.
• Complete a food handler training course from an accredited program before you register.
• ADHS doesn't inspect cottage food kitchens as a condition of registration.
• The kitchen you use must be in your residence. The statute limits the kitchen area used for cottage food to 1,000 square feet or less.

Selling and delivery: it depends on the product

Arizona sorts cottage foods into two groups for selling and delivery.

Products without dairy, meat, or poultry: - Can be sold by you, an agent, or a third-party vendor, such as a store - Can be delivered by you, an agent, a third-party vendor, or a third-party carrier

Products containing dairy, meat, or poultry: - Must be sold by you, the preparer. Online sales are fine, but third-party delivery platforms aren't. - Must be delivered by you in person

TCS foods must be kept at safe temperatures in transit. The statute allows one transport of up to two hours.

Third-party vendors must display cottage food separately, with a sign identifying it as home-prepared. A permitted retail food establishment can't use cottage food as an ingredient in its own products.

Arizona has no state sales cap. The Institute for Justice reports that cities and counties can't impose their own restrictions.

The Arizona label

Arizona's required statement is long and specific. Every product label must include:

1. The name and registration number of the food preparer 2. All ingredients 3. The production date 4. This statement: "This product was produced in a home kitchen that may come in contact with common food allergens and pet allergens and is not subject to public health inspection." 5. If the product was made in a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities, a statement disclosing that 6. The ADHS cottage food website address, so buyers can look up the registration

For online sales, the same information must be shown prominently before purchase.

Nutrition Facts

Arizona's statute doesn't require a Nutrition Facts panel. Because Arizona allows meal-type TCS foods like burritos and casseroles, more Arizona producers end up making health claims, and those trigger federal rules. If one container holds two or three servings, the dual-column per-serving/per-container format is the right fit.

Official source

Arizona Department of Health Services — Cottage Food Program. Statutes: A.R.S. 36-931 and 36-932.