Cottage food quick guide · Last reviewed October 2026
Selling homemade food in West Virginia
- Sales cap
- No cap
- Permit or registration
- None beyond business registration
- Online & shipping
- Remote sales; delivery by carrier
- Sell through stores
- Third-party vendors such as retail shops
- Refrigerated foods
- No
Allowed from a home kitchen
Sourdough bread · Cookies & brownies · Fruit pie · Strawberry jam · Granola · Spice rubs & seasoning blends · Roasted coffee · Loose-leaf tea blends · Dried fruit & fruit leather · Freeze-dried candy · Chocolates & truffles · Toffee, fudge & caramels · Marshmallows · Nut butter · Pure honey · Fruit-infused vinegar
Needs a commercial kitchen or other license
Pumpkin pie · Cheesecake · Cake with cream cheese frosting · Meat tamales · Fresh salsa (refrigerated) · Garlic or herb-infused oil‡ · Home-cooked meals‡ · Beef jerky‡ · Cheese & yogurt‡ · Cold-pressed juice‡
Ask the agency first
Cake with buttercream · Macarons · Fruit tamales · Low-sugar or freezer jam · Pepper jelly · Shelf-stable salsa · Hot sauce · Canned pickles · Sauerkraut & kimchi · Canned tomato sauce · Infused honey · Vanilla extract · Mustard (no egg) · Kombucha
Every product has conditions, such as registration, training, labeling, and sales limits. See the full guide for each one. ‡ General rule; not specifically addressed in this state's guidance.
Limited sources: the detailed rules for West Virginia rely on a 2019 statute. Confirm with the state agency.
How to start
- Check that the product doesn't need refrigeration. Meat and poultry are excluded except under federal exemptions.
- No state license, permit, or inspection is needed, but register your business name with the state.
- Sell in person or remotely, directly or through agents and third-party vendors like retail shops. Delivery by you, an agent, a vendor, or a carrier is allowed.
- Give buyers the required information on a label, placard, webpage, or receipt.
Key label items
Use the exact required wording shown in the full guide and on the agency's site.
- “This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from State licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.”
- Producer's name, home address, and phone number
- Common or usual name of the item
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance