Do I Need a Food Handler Card to Sell Baked Goods from Home in Texas?

Yes. Under the Texas Cottage Food Law, anyone who prepares and sells homemade baked goods, jams, pickles, or other approved cottage foods must complete an accredited food handler training course.

Home bakeries and farmers-market stands have boomed in Texas, and the state requires this one simple certification so home kitchens understand the basics of safe food handling — cross-contamination, temperature control, and hygiene — even though they are not commercial restaurants.

The course is accredited, takes about 30 minutes, has no exam, and your certificate is valid for two years. It is the same state-approved food handler training restaurant workers use, and it satisfies the cottage food requirement. (Household members who help are generally exempt, but anyone else you employ must also be trained.)