Colorado Cottage Food Act to ease rules for home bakers

Starting January 1, 2027, Colorado will implement new regulations for home-based food businesses under the Cottage Food Act (HB26-1033). Signed by Governor Jared Polis, the law aims to ease restrictions for at-home chefs and bakers selling goods directly to consumers.

Under the new rules, participants must register with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to receive a registration number for product labeling. The legislation also increases the annual sales cap to $150,000, which will be subject to future inflation adjustments.

The act includes additional provisions for the restaurant industry, such as prohibiting delivery drivers from handling cutlery unless specifically requested by the customer. Furthermore, existing safety measures require sellers to provide allergy notifications to buyers.