Skip Nav
State of Nevada Outline icon NV.gov
DPBH

Cottage Foods Registration

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

During the 83rd Legislative Session (2025) Senate Bill (SB) 466 transferred the authority to regulate and permit food establishments from the Division of Public and Behavioral Health to the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA). The bill was signed by the Governor on June 10, 2025, and became effective on July 1, 2025. A separate bill SB 494 created the Nevada Health Authority (NHA). These bills reorganized the Environmental Health Section into two separate programs. The NDA is responsible for all the food programs regulated in NRS and NAC 446, 583, 585 and 445A. The NHA will provide support for all non-food programs regulated under NRS/NAC 444, 585 and 447.   

Please contact us at the Nevada Health Authority, Environmental Health Section

Phone: 775-684-1061

DPBH only accepts registrations for the following counties:

Elko, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Nye, Storey and White Pine.

DPBH DOES NOT ACCEPT PERMIT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

If you live in a county with a local health authority and intend to sell a cottage food product, in one of the  counties listed below, you must have a registration with that local health authority. DPBH does not issue permits for these counties. You may have multiple cottage food registrations.  

  • Carson City Health and Human Services (Carson City and Douglas County)
  • Central Nevada Health District (Churchill, City of Fallon, Pershing, Mineral, and Eureka)
  • Southern Nevada Health District (Clark County)
  • Washoe County (Reno, Sparks)

General Information

As of May 2013, the Nevada Legislature passed a cottage food bill which became Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 446.866. This bill allows for a limited amount of non-potentially hazardous foods to be prepared from a person’s home, providing that person has registered as a cottage food operator. These foods may only be sold in the private home of the registered person who prepared them, in farmer’s markets, flea markets, swap meets, church bazaars, garage sales and craft fairs.

A cottage food operation, means person who manufactures or prepares food items in his or her private home, a non-food establishment setting, for direct sale to an end customer. Cottage food preparation takes place in a kitchen that is not inspected by a health authority. A cottage food operation cannot prepare or sell food items at a permitted food establishment.

Cottage Food Vendor Registration Process

In order to operate a cottage food operation, NRS 446.866 requires that the cottage food operation register with the health authority. The health authority may require any information deemed necessary and appropriate for the registration process.

An application must be completed as part of this process. The application must be submitted to the health authority and will be reviewed. Go to the main page and look for Centralized Licensing and inspections, on-line applications and renewals. Scroll down the page and find the instructions under Cottage Foods.

Although food safety information is available on our web site for cottage food operation applicants, it is highly recommended that applicants further educate themselves about safe food handling principles and practices. According to state law, a cottage food operation may be held financially responsible for the cost of the complaint and/or foodborne illness investigation, if found to be valid.

Guidance Documents for the Cottage Food Program

Information for operating a cottage food operation can be found at the link listed below.

Label Requirements, compliant with 21 C.F.R. 101

Food Items Allowed Under the Cottage Foods Law

  • Nuts and nut mixes
  • Candies
  • Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • Vinegar and flavored vinegar
  • Dry herbs and seasoning mixes
  • Dried fruits
  • Cereals, trail mixes, and granola
  • Popcorn and popcorn balls
  • Baked goods that:
  • Are not potentially hazardous
  • Do not contain cream, uncooked egg, custard, meringue or cream cheese frosting; garnishes, fillings or frosting with low sugar content
  • Do not require time or temperature controls for food safety
  • Registered Cottage Food Operators List

A list of cottage food operators may be obtained for the Centralized Licensing Inspection and Complaint System (CLICS).