I realize ignorance is no excuse, but I honestly didn't even think about "getting legal" before I read about it on CC. It was just a hobby for me. People started paying me and so I thought, "Hey, I can make a few extra bucks doing something I like to do." Only after joining CC and reading on here did I realize that it would be best to go through all the proper channels. We are very rural here and a lot of people in our town have little things they do from home for a little extra cash...mowing grass, making candles, tailoring clothes, etc. It just seemed like one of those types of things to me. I do realize it is best to be legal before doing public business, but I am also glad that I got my feet wet before spending a lot of time and $$ on the legalities of it all. Actually in NC, it is not hard to become a licensed home baker and that's been my project since a few months ago when I got my inspection. Now I have everything in line and it honestly is a relief.

For those in Virginia I looked up the vda rules governing home baking business. Just FYI. There is a whole lot of arguing going on but not a whole lot of information posting so I figured it wouldn't take more than a minute to copy and paste. Of course this is only valid information for those in Virginia. Google is a wonderful tool


Location of a Home-Based Bakery
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has the authority to see that clean and wholesome bakery products, such as cakes, breads and cookies, are prepared under proper conditions. Although a license is not required for a home-based bakery, VDACS must inspect the facility that you intend to use. A separate kitchen is not required, but the products and ingredients must be kept separate from those used by your family. VDACS will need formulations (recipes) of the products that you intend to prepare as well as flow processes for these products. To insure that good manufacturing practices (GMP) are used, all products must undergo basic laboratory testing to make sure that they are not adulterated with bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

If the products will be sold to retail outlets, they must be labeled. The label must include: 1) name of the product; 2) net weight of the product; 3) name and address of the manufacturer and 4) a list of the ingredients in descending order by weight. All packaging used for the products must be made of food grade sources, as recognized by the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture.

There is a huge thread posted at the top of the business section that lists it out by state and if each state allows the licensing of home kitchens. It's a sticky post.

Pms'rs got nothing on the post menopausal...that are not currently behind bars.

We have the attention span of a four year old at the circus and the patience of a two year old in church.

"Are we there yet?"

Ok, so I've never recieved any money at all from my cakes. I pay for them entirely then donate them. I've been informed (on this site) that getting $3 to cover basic materials is a business transaction, so my next question is. Is it a business transaction to bake a cake for a church member's baptism party where they asked me to provide a service, but instead of receiving payment asking them to make a donation to the church? That way I get no money, but am at least feeling like something good is coming from the cake, other than happy tummies. I can't imagine I could get turned in for something like this because I don't think it's wrong....lemme know!

OH my gosh, is THAT what's wrong with me??!! I'm only 40 (ONLY....yeah! I remember when 40 was waaaaayyyy old!), I can't be facing this yet!!!

There used to be a couple of threads here on CC about starting home based baking businesses and which states were legal for that, but I'm not sure if they are still around. Does anyone remember those threads?

As jkalman mentioned, it's a sticky thread at the top of this forum. However, the thread is quite large and with the last few pages corrupted in the crash it's hard to navigate. Here's the most recent info I have.

Kelly.. maybe we could see if Heath or Jackie could delete the old thread and put your latest update in a new one? That thread is full of info if you can weed through it, but it can be confusing with all the missing posts from the crash. Thanks again for keeping up with that list.

Yep, I am not legal and people I know have paid me for my cakes.

On top of that - I get paid cash to babysit and I have even paid teens to babysit my son. I also pay the neighbor's son cash to mow my lawn. I am sure the professional nannies and landscapers would love to come after me.

Honestly, if you really think the neighbor's kid mowing your lawn or your friend making a dress is comparable to selling food items from your home then you really have misunderstood what it is all about.

I don't know all the legalities of your state, but I can give you a couple of pointers about getting your name out there. Like so many have stated before, by making cakes for special occasions for family and friends, I have gotten alot of my business. Everyone is looking for a good tasting cake, that is decorated well. Take advantage of the times when you are supposed to bring a dish, like family reunions, church functions, class parties and pot luck dinners. Send a cake into work with your husband! All of these are opportunities to let people see, taste and know that your product is a good one. Believe me the minute people see a pretty cake they want to know who brought it. When they taste how good it is, then they want to know if you can make something for an upcoming event. The biggest thing is don't just give it away! Your materials, time and effort are worth every penny you charge. I used to worry that folks could buy a cake cheaper at Sam's Club, but people who want a quality cake were always willing to spend the money.

chutzpah - people talk about the IRS portion of it and that is what I am referring to. It is the same thing!

Ok. gotcha.

Yup.... I'm everywhere.... I have my half hour here on CC and then to bed!

Thanks Kelly!

In Tennessee you can't have a bathroom open into or toward the kitchen--you have to have a hallway with doors as a buffer in between.

After you wash your hands in the bathroom and re-enter the kitchen, you have to wash your hands again.

Here in NH you can't use the kitchen sink to wash your hands.. that sink is your "sanitation sink" and you have to use the bathroom sink to wash your hands and have a roll of paper towels in there.

Such different regulations over this great country of ours.. it's enough to drive you batty.