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: 2026-06-12
No permit for qualifying homemade food operations, and this is brand new: until August 24, 2025, Hawaii had no cottage food allowance at all and home kitchens could not produce food for sale. Older guides calling Hawaii the most restrictive state are now obsolete. Exempt operators remain subject to DOH inspection and must have food safety certification, a handwashing setup during prep, and proper labels. Some markets still require a DOH Special Event Permit, which DOH signs off for HMF sellers, and every seller needs a $20 GET license.
Yes: food safety certification from the DOH program or a DOH-approved (ANSI-accredited) course. Home-based honey producers complete a separate DOH workshop and exam.
Non-TCS foods made in a home kitchen: jams and jellies, baked goods without custard or cream fillings, granola, and notably pickled, fermented, or acidified plant foods at pH 4.2 or less or water activity below 0.88, including pickles, kimchi, and salsa (refrigerated if it contains cut tomatoes). Honey has its own track under 500 gallons per year, and hand-pounded poi has a dedicated direct-sales exemption.
TCS foods requiring refrigeration (beyond the refrigerated-salsa allowance), dried meats like beef jerky, dried seafood (dried aku), dried melons, fermented melon-family fruits, vacuum packaging, and all canning except jams and jellies. Those need a permitted commercial kitchen.
Unusually broad: direct to consumers in person or remotely with in-state shipping, at craft fairs, farmers markets, and fundraisers, online, AND wholesale to permitted restaurants and grocery stores for resale (a restaurant using your product must disclose in writing that it is homemade). Hand-pounded poi is direct-only, and honey can go direct or to retail stores but not wholesalers. No interstate shipping, since FDA does not recognize HMF products as an approved source.
Annual sales cap: none (only honey has a volume cap: under 500 gallons per year).
Every product packaged as sold, labeled with: 'Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health', the food's common name, ingredients in descending order with sub-ingredients, major allergen notification (including sesame), and your name and contact information. Honey adds net weight, date produced, and an infant botulism warning.
Hawaii's GET applies to all sales with no food exemption: 4.5 percent on retail sales statewide (4 percent plus the 0.5 percent county surcharge in all four counties), and only 0.5 percent on wholesale sales to stores. Register for a GET license ($20 one-time) before selling.
Food safety is uniform statewide through DOH district offices on each island; counties run no separate cottage programs, though market organizers may require the DOH Special Event Permit and county zoning rules apply to home businesses.
Violating the exemption's conditions is enforceable with administrative penalties up to $1,000 per day per violation, and DOH can suspend operations for imminent hazards.
Selling non-food crafts too? See the Hawaii craft fair permit and sales tax guide.
Yes, under Hawaii Homemade Food Products exemption (HAR 11-50-3(c), amended Food Safety Code effective August 24, 2025). No permit for qualifying homemade food operations, and this is brand new: until August 24, 2025, Hawaii had no cottage food allowance at all and home kitchens could not produce food for sale. Older guides calling Hawaii the most restrictive state are now obsolete. Exempt operators remain subject to DOH inspection and must have food safety certification, a handwashing setup during prep, and proper labels. Some markets still require a DOH Special Event Permit, which DOH signs off for HMF sellers, and every seller needs a $20 GET license.
Non-TCS foods made in a home kitchen: jams and jellies, baked goods without custard or cream fillings, granola, and notably pickled, fermented, or acidified plant foods at pH 4.2 or less or water activity below 0.88, including pickles, kimchi, and salsa (refrigerated if it contains cut tomatoes). Honey has its own track under 500 gallons per year, and hand-pounded poi has a dedicated direct-sales exemption. TCS foods requiring refrigeration (beyond the refrigerated-salsa allowance), dried meats like beef jerky, dried seafood (dried aku), dried melons, fermented melon-family fruits, vacuum packaging, and all canning except jams and jellies. Those need a permitted commercial kitchen.
Yes: none (only honey has a volume cap: under 500 gallons per year).
Unusually broad: direct to consumers in person or remotely with in-state shipping, at craft fairs, farmers markets, and fundraisers, online, AND wholesale to permitted restaurants and grocery stores for resale (a restaurant using your product must disclose in writing that it is homemade). Hand-pounded poi is direct-only, and honey can go direct or to retail stores but not wholesalers. No interstate shipping, since FDA does not recognize HMF products as an approved source.
Every product packaged as sold, labeled with: 'Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health', the food's common name, ingredients in descending order with sub-ingredients, major allergen notification (including sesame), and your name and contact information. Honey adds net weight, date produced, and an infant botulism warning.
Hawaii's GET applies to all sales with no food exemption: 4.5 percent on retail sales statewide (4 percent plus the 0.5 percent county surcharge in all four counties), and only 0.5 percent on wholesale sales to stores. Register for a GET license ($20 one-time) before selling.
Browse upcoming craft fairs and markets in Hawaii with booth fees and application deadlines, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan a profitable season.
Last verified: 2026-06-12. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.