Bakery permits and licenses, by state
A bakery is often licensed by the state department of agriculture, not the county, and many states let a home baker sell without a license at all. Here is every credential you need to open, from the state bakery license down to local permits, broken down by state and city.
These federal credentials apply to every bakery in the United States. State, county, and city requirements stack on top of them. Pick your state below to see what your state adds, then drill into your city for the local permits.
Federal requirements for bakeries
These apply nationwide, so they are the same in every state. Your state and local guides below cover everything that stacks on top.
Federal level
3 credentials
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
A nine-digit federal tax ID for your business. Required for partnerships, corporations, LLCs, and any bakery with employees. A sole proprietor with no employees may use their SSN, but you need an EIN before you can get an Oregon BIN.
- Issued by
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Fee
- $0 (free)
- Renewal
- None (one-time)
- Processing
- Immediate online, about 4 to 5 weeks by mail
FDA Food Facility Registration
A wholesale or manufacturing bakery must register its facility with the FDA. A retail bakery is exempt when direct-to-consumer sales exceed all other sales by dollar value, so a storefront selling mostly to walk-in customers stays exempt even with some wholesale. Once wholesale becomes your main channel, registration is required. Cottage food operations in a private residence are also exempt.
- Fee
- $0 (free; registration only)
- Renewal
- Every 2 years (renew October to December of even-numbered years)
- Processing
- Immediate online via the FDA FURLS system
FDA Allergen and Nutrition Labeling
Packaged baked goods sold pre-wrapped or at wholesale must declare the nine major allergens, including sesame, and carry FDA nutrition facts labeling. Goods sold unwrapped over the counter to walk-in customers generally do not trigger the packaged-label rules. Small producers may qualify for a nutrition labeling exemption.
- Fee
- $0 (a labeling obligation, not a license)
- Renewal
- Ongoing on every packaged product
- Processing
- Not applicable
Select a state
Each state guide covers the statewide credentials every bakery needs, plus city-by-city specifics for the cities we cover.
Run a bakery across more than one city?
Every jurisdiction has its own renewal calendar. CredentiAlert tracks them all in one dashboard so nothing slips.