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Nebraska went from one of the strictest states for homemade food to one of the easiest. Since July 19, 2024, when LB 262 took effect, you can sell a wide range of foods made in your own kitchen straight to your customers, with no yearly sales cap. Here is what the law actually says, in plain words, checked against the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and UNL Extension’s cottage food site, and how to get set up this week.
The Short Version
- Take an approved food safety course.
- Register with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture before your first sale.
- Sell directly to the person who will eat it: pickup, delivery, markets, events, or online orders.
- Label every item as homemade, with the allergen statement.
- There is no yearly sales cap.
What You Can Sell
Nebraska’s 2024 update widened the list a lot. Breads, cookies, cakes, pies, candy, jams and jellies, granola, dry mixes, popcorn and dried pasta are all classic cottage foods, and the law now also allows some foods that need temperature control. If a food needs to stay cold or hot, the law requires you to keep it at a safe temperature while you transport it, and not to transport it for longer than two hours.
👉 Free tool: make a cottage food label in a minute →
What You Cannot Sell As Cottage Food
- Fluid milk and milk products covered by the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
- Low-acid canned foods and sealed acidified foods. In practice that means shelf-stable salsas, sauces and pickles are out.
- Charcuterie boards.
- Eggs. Eggs are not cottage food in Nebraska. If you have fewer than 3,000 hens, contact the Department of Agriculture and ask for an egg number.
Where And How You Can Sell
- Directly to your customer. Home pickup, your own delivery, farmers markets, craft shows and events all work.
- Online and mail order within Nebraska, or to other states where it is legal to mail cottage foods.
- Not wholesale. You cannot sell to grocery stores, restaurants or coffee shops to resell.
- Local rules still apply. You must follow the food safety and handling rules of the county, city or village where you sell. Douglas County, for example, has a cottage food vendor packet for markets and temporary events.
If you only ever sell at farmers markets, state law does not require you to register. Most people want to sell more ways than that, so plan on registering.
How To Get Set Up
1. Take an approved food safety course. UNL Extension offers one online and in person, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department has an online course too.
2. Register with the Department of Agriculture. Registration can only be finished once you show your course, and it asks for the course name, the date you completed it, and the common names of the foods you will sell. It is not confirmed by email; your name shows up on the state’s list of registered cottage food producers, which can take up to 10 days.
3. Make your labels. Every item needs to say it was made in a home kitchen and that it may contain allergens. Add the product name, your ingredients and the net weight so customers know exactly what they are buying. Our free cottage food label maker lays it all out.
4. Set your prices. Count ingredients, packaging and your time. The free pricing calculators do the math.
5. Take orders without the message mess. A simple order page with your products, prices and pickup days keeps everything in one place.
Questions About Your Situation
The Department of Agriculture answers cottage food questions at agr.foodsafety@nebraska.gov. Laws change, so check the Department of Agriculture’s cottage food page before you start. This guide was checked against it and against UNL Extension in October 2026.
New to all of this? Start with Selling From Home: The Complete Guide.
Common Questions
Do I need a license to sell food from home in Nebraska?
You need to complete an approved food safety course and register with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture before your first sale. You also have to follow the food safety rules of the county or city where you sell. If you only sell at farmers markets, state law does not require registration.
Is there a limit on how much cottage food I can sell in Nebraska?
No. Since LB 262 took effect on July 19, 2024, Nebraska has no yearly sales cap for cottage food producers.
Can I sell cottage food online in Nebraska?
Yes. Online and mail order sales are allowed within Nebraska, and to other states where it is legal to mail cottage foods, as long as the sale is directly to the customer and not wholesale.
Can I sell eggs as cottage food in Nebraska?
No. Eggs are not cottage food in Nebraska. If you have fewer than 3,000 hens, contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and ask for an egg number.
Want to see this working on a real storefront?
See Ana's Kitchen → — a real KeyHUD storefront we built as an example (not an actual business).
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