Say what you'll make, where you'll sell it, and how much you expect to bring in. In a few seconds you get whether Florida's cottage food law covers it with no license, what's not allowed, the label wording the law requires, and when a DBPR or FDACS license kicks in — including food trucks. No account. Nothing stored.
Free — 30 seconds
Be specific about the food — 'cheesecake' and 'pound cake' get different answers.
Why this exists
Cookies yes, cheesecake no. Honey yes, pickles maybe. Your own market tent yes, the restaurant down the street no. The label has seven required pieces and one exact sentence. Food trucks answer to a different agency and the city can't charge you for a license. This sorts it in thirty seconds.
How it works
The food, how you'll sell it, what you expect to make. Nothing is saved.
Product by product: cottage food or licensed, the cap, the label elements, which agency for a truck.
The exact label text per product and a start checklist — in the full version.
Plans
The free check tells you what qualifies and what the label must say. The full version writes the label text for each product and the start checklist — including the truck path if you're planning one.
Every Florida small-business tool in one membership — the compliance calendar with email reminders, permits, DBPR inspection responses, licence checks, hurricane plan.
The full check, ready-to-print label text for every product you named, and the start checklist. Printable.
For a farmers market, a church kitchen program or a small-business incubator that onboards food sellers every week.
All prices in USD, handled by Stripe. The free check never goes behind a paywall.
Common questions
The first look is free — no account needed. Nothing you enter is stored. If you want the exact label text and a checklist for one kitchen it's $9, and access for markets or incubator kitchens is $49 a month.
If what you make is non-potentially-hazardous, sold directly to the consumer, and your yearly gross sales stay under $250,000, Florida's cottage food law (Fla. Stat. 500.80) lets you sell from a home kitchen with no license, permit or inspection. This tool checks whether your product and sales plan fit that description, but it isn't legal advice — confirm a specific product with FDACS.
Foods that need time or temperature control for safety — like cheesecake, cream or custard fillings, flan, tres leches, meat, fish, dairy-based sauces, cut fresh fruit, low-acid canned foods, and pickles or fermented foods unless acidified and tested — don't qualify as cottage food. Wholesale sales to stores or restaurants and shipping out of state aren't allowed either. If you're not sure about a specific product, ask FDACS directly (FDACS — Cottage Foods).
Fla. Stat. 500.80 requires your name and address, the product name, ingredients by weight, net weight or volume, allergen information, and — in at least 10-point type — the sentence: 'Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations.' The full version of this tool can generate that label text for each product you name, but it's still worth double-checking against FDACS's own guidance.
Yes — a food truck that prepares or serves food is licensed and inspected by DBPR's Division of Hotels and Restaurants, not FDACS, and needs a plan review and a commissary or approved base. Since Fla. Stat. 509.102, your city or county can't charge a separate local license or permit for the truck itself, though it can still regulate where and when you operate and apply zoning. This tool can point you to the right agency, but confirm your specific setup with DBPR before you sell.
La primera consulta es gratis y no necesita crear una cuenta. No se guarda nada de lo que usted escriba. Si desea el texto exacto de la etiqueta y una lista de verificación para una cocina, cuesta $9, y el acceso para mercados o cocinas incubadoras cuesta $49 al mes.
Si lo que usted prepara no requiere control de tiempo o temperatura por seguridad, lo vende directamente al consumidor, y sus ventas brutas anuales se mantienen por debajo de $250,000, la ley de alimentos artesanales de la Florida (Fla. Stat. 500.80) le permite vender desde una cocina casera sin licencia, permiso ni inspección. Esta herramienta revisa si su producto y su plan de ventas encajan en esa descripción, pero no es asesoría legal — confirme un producto específico con FDACS.
Los alimentos que necesitan control de tiempo o temperatura por seguridad —como el cheesecake, los rellenos de crema o natilla, el flan, el tres leches, la carne, el pescado, las salsas a base de lácteos, la fruta fresca cortada, los enlatados de baja acidez, y los encurtidos o fermentados a menos que estén acidificados y probados— no califican como alimento artesanal. Tampoco se permite la venta al por mayor a tiendas o restaurantes, ni el envío fuera de la Florida. Si tiene dudas sobre un producto específico, pregúntele directamente a FDACS (FDACS — Cottage Foods).
El Fla. Stat. 500.80 exige su nombre y dirección, el nombre del producto, los ingredientes en orden de peso, el peso o volumen neto, la información sobre alérgenos, y — en letra de al menos 10 puntos — la frase: 'Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida's food safety regulations.' La versión completa de esta herramienta puede generar ese texto de etiqueta para cada producto que usted indique, pero igual vale la pena confirmarlo con la guía oficial de FDACS.
Sí — un food truck que prepara o sirve comida es licenciado e inspeccionado por la División de Hoteles y Restaurantes del DBPR, no por FDACS, y necesita una revisión de planos y una cocina base o comisariato aprobado. Desde el Fla. Stat. 509.102, su ciudad o condado no puede cobrarle una licencia o permiso local aparte solo por el camión, aunque sí puede regular dónde y cuándo opera y aplicar reglas de zonificación. Esta herramienta puede orientarlo hacia la agencia correcta, pero confirme su instalación específica con DBPR antes de vender.
Built by the same team, free to try.