This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permit and tax rules change, and your situation may differ. Always confirm current requirements with the official state agency linked in this guide, and consult a licensed attorney or tax professional for advice about your specific business.Last verified against official state sources: 2026-06-11
Yes, but free: register online with the ADHS Cottage Food Program (proof of food handler certificate plus a signed attestation; 4 to 6 weeks processing, no home inspection, no fees). ADHS emails a certificate that must be displayed at your fair or market booth, renewed every 3 years.
Yes: every cottage food preparer (or their direct supervisor) needs an active accredited food handler certificate, required at registration and renewal. A few counties (La Paz, Mohave, Pima, Yuma) issue their own cards.
Among the broadest in the country since HB 2042: both shelf-stable and perishable TCS foods made in your home kitchen (max 1,000 sq ft), including frosted cakes and cheesecakes, salsas and hot sauces, pickled and fermented foods, tamales, burritos, soups, full meals, jerky, freeze-dried items, kombucha, and more. Meat and poultry only from USDA-inspected sources or the federal small-flock exemption.
Fish and shellfish in any form, raw milk, alcoholic beverages, and marijuana or CBD products. Also outside the program: supplements, wild-foraged produce, home-raised raw eggs, pet treats, and anything assembled or poured at the booth; everything must be prepackaged at home.
Direct sales anywhere in Arizona: home, craft fairs, farmers markets, festivals, online with delivery. Arizona only, no interstate shipping. Shelf-stable foods without dairy, meat, or poultry can also be sold through retail stores and shipped by carrier within Arizona; TCS foods must be hand-delivered by you (no third-party delivery apps), with transport limited to one trip of no more than 2 hours at proper temperature.
Every product including free samples needs a label with: preparer's name and ADHS registration number, complete ingredient list, production date, the ADHS website address, and this exact 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.' Online listings that take orders must show the same information.
Arizona's TPT exempts packaged food for home consumption at the state level, but two catches for event vendors: food sold inside events that charge admission is taxable by statute even when sold to go, and many cities tax food for home consumption at the city level. Most vendors need a TPT license; check the host city's food tax rate.
State law does not override county or municipal zoning and building codes, so home-business zoning still applies; check your county planning office and city clerk. ADHS enforces the program, not counties.
Violations can lead to suspension or revocation of your registration, after which selling makes you an unlicensed food establishment subject to fines.
Selling non-food crafts too? See the Arizona craft fair permit and sales tax guide.
Yes, under Arizona Cottage Food Program (A.R.S. 36-931 to 36-933, expanded by HB 2042 in 2024 with rules effective February 4, 2025). Yes, but free: register online with the ADHS Cottage Food Program (proof of food handler certificate plus a signed attestation; 4 to 6 weeks processing, no home inspection, no fees). ADHS emails a certificate that must be displayed at your fair or market booth, renewed every 3 years.
Among the broadest in the country since HB 2042: both shelf-stable and perishable TCS foods made in your home kitchen (max 1,000 sq ft), including frosted cakes and cheesecakes, salsas and hot sauces, pickled and fermented foods, tamales, burritos, soups, full meals, jerky, freeze-dried items, kombucha, and more. Meat and poultry only from USDA-inspected sources or the federal small-flock exemption. Fish and shellfish in any form, raw milk, alcoholic beverages, and marijuana or CBD products. Also outside the program: supplements, wild-foraged produce, home-raised raw eggs, pet treats, and anything assembled or poured at the booth; everything must be prepackaged at home.
No. Arizona places no annual cap on cottage food sales.
Direct sales anywhere in Arizona: home, craft fairs, farmers markets, festivals, online with delivery. Arizona only, no interstate shipping. Shelf-stable foods without dairy, meat, or poultry can also be sold through retail stores and shipped by carrier within Arizona; TCS foods must be hand-delivered by you (no third-party delivery apps), with transport limited to one trip of no more than 2 hours at proper temperature.
Every product including free samples needs a label with: preparer's name and ADHS registration number, complete ingredient list, production date, the ADHS website address, and this exact 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.' Online listings that take orders must show the same information.
Arizona's TPT exempts packaged food for home consumption at the state level, but two catches for event vendors: food sold inside events that charge admission is taxable by statute even when sold to go, and many cities tax food for home consumption at the city level. Most vendors need a TPT license; check the host city's food tax rate.
Browse upcoming craft fairs and markets in Arizona with booth fees and application deadlines, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan a profitable season.
Last verified: 2026-06-11. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.