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A working page for home-based food businesses

Home-based food business requirements worksheet

Organize questions for state, county, and city authorities, then record the answers, sources, and follow-up for your own setup.

Typed entries are not saved or sent by this page. Print a copy or keep your own record before you leave.

Verify current rules for your own location. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and may depend on your products, preparation and storage, home address, and sales channels. This worksheet is a record-keeping aid, not legal guidance. Its questions are topics to confirm with the authorities responsible for your location; they do not mean a permit, review, or condition applies to you.

01 · Describe your location and setup

Business and home details

Use the same description when asking each office to assess your situation.

Optional; a proposed name is fine.
Use the address you want the authorities to consider.
Leave blank if not applicable.
The city or town for this address.
The county for this address.
The state for this address.
If known.
List ingredients or product types and how you plan to prepare, cool, package, and store them.
For example, pickup, delivery, online orders, markets, retail, wholesale, or shipping.

02 · Verify state questions

State requirements

Ask the state office responsible for your food products and preparation process. Office names and responsibilities differ by state.

Questions to ask about your described setup

  • Which state agency or office handles questions about the foods and preparation process I described?
  • What current state rules or conditions, if any, may apply to these products, ingredients, preparation, packaging, or storage?
  • Could a state registration, permit, license, review, inspection, or other step apply to my planned products and sales channels?
  • What food-safety, allergen, packaging, or labeling questions should I confirm for these products and how I plan to sell them?
  • Where can I find the current official rules and forms, and when should I check for updates?

State authority contact records

Use a separate record for each office or contact. Add another copy if you need more space.

State contact 1
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.
State contact 2
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.

03 · Verify county questions

County requirements

Contact the county office that serves the home address, or ask which agency handles county-level questions for your setup.

Questions to ask about your described setup

  • Does a county health, environmental health, agriculture, or other office handle any questions about my products or home preparation process?
  • Could a county registration, permit, review, inspection, or food-safety condition apply to the activity I described?
  • What should I ask about this address, its water, wastewater, waste handling, or other site details, if those topics are relevant?
  • Could the county requirements or review differ based on the products, preparation, storage, or sales channels I described?
  • If another county, state, or local office is responsible, which one should I contact and where is its current guidance?

County authority contact records

Use a separate record for each office or contact. Add another copy if you need more space.

County contact 1
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.
County contact 2
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.

04 · Verify city questions

City requirements

Ask the city or municipal office responsible for the home address. If the address is outside a city, record the local authority that serves it.

Questions to ask about your described setup

  • Could zoning, home-occupation, or land-use rules address the food activity I described at this home address?
  • Could customer visits, pickup or delivery traffic, signs, parking, employees, or equipment affect how the home may be used?
  • Could a city business registration, permit, building or fire review, or another local step apply to my described setup?
  • Could my planned pickup, delivery, online, event, retail, or wholesale sales channels raise city-level questions to verify?
  • Which office and official source can confirm current rules for this address, and which other authority should I contact?

City authority contact records

Use a separate record for each office or contact. Add another copy if you need more space.

City contact 1
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.
City contact 2
Name the office and the place or area it serves.
Record a person's name or role, phone, email, or other method.
Record when you asked or reviewed the source.
Write the questions you asked about your products, process, home, or sales channels.
Separate what the office told you from anything that still needs confirmation.
Record the source the authority provided or identified.
Note who or what to check next and any date to follow up.

Keep open questions visible and reconfirm details with the responsible authorities if your products, process, address, or sales channels change.