Illinois Department of Agriculture
Can you sell dog treats under the Illinois cottage food law?
Verified September 7, 2026. Figures quoted from the statute, rule, fee page or form.
No. A cottage food operation is defined as producing or packaging food or drink in a kitchen in the person primary domestic residence, and 410 ILCS 625 contains no occurrence of pet, pet food or animal feed; homemade dog treats fall under the Commercial Feed Act instead. What applies to a dog treat maker in Illinois instead is the feed side of the state: the instrument, the home and small-scale position, and the retail carve-out are set out below with their citations, and the first-year cost is added up on its own page.
What the Illinois cottage food text says
What applies to a dog treat maker in Illinois instead
| Item | What Illinois says | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| The instrument that applies | YesIllinois Commercial Feed License, a firm license under 505 ILCS 30/4(a), applied for on form IL406-0039 | IDOA Feed Frequently Asked Questions, Q1 'Who is required to obtain an Illinois Commercial Feed License?' |
| Home manufacturer | YesThe Act does not prohibit making pet food at home, but a home maker who distributes it needs the firm license, product registration, compliant labeling and current good manufacturing practices | IDOA, Pet Food as a Business, FAQ 'Can I make pet food at home?' |
| Small or home exemption | NoNo size, revenue, premises or home-kitchen exemption; the only carve-outs are the three commodity exceptions in 505 ILCS 30/3(d)(1)-(3), customer-formula feed from registration in 30/4(a) and the tonnage exceptions in 30/6(a)(1)-(3) | IDOA, Pet Food as a Business — A Regulatory Guide for the Cottage Industry (intro paragraph) |
| Retail or direct sales carve-out | DependsThe license duty reaches only a person who manufactures feed in Illinois or whose name appears on the label, so a shop reselling another firm labeled feed is outside it; a maker who manufactures and labels their own treats is inside it whatever the channel, and giving the product away is still distribution | 505 ILCS 30/4(a) (Product Registration and Firm License), the licence trigger |
| Product registration | YesEach commercial feed is registered before distribution, customer-formula feed excepted, so the same recipe sold in a two pound bag and a six pound bag is one registered product either way; the package size changes only the money, the 10 pound or less package paying the $90 annual fee in lieu of tonnage and the larger package paying tonnage | 505 ILCS 30/4(a) (Product Registration and Firm License) |
| Pet food is commercial feed | YesPet food is defined as a kind of commercial feed, with three commodity exceptions that do not reach a baked or dehydrated dog treat | 505 ILCS 30/3(d) (Definitions of words and terms) |
More for Illinois
Illinois questions on this topic
Are dog treats cottage food in Illinois?
No. A cottage food operation is defined as producing or packaging food or drink in a kitchen in the person primary domestic residence, and 410 ILCS 625 contains no occurrence of pet, pet food or animal feed; homemade dog treats fall under the Commercial Feed Act instead. Source: 410 ILCS 625/4(a) (Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act, Sec. 4 'Cottage food operation'), definition of "Cottage food operation".
Is there a home or small-scale exemption for dog treats in Illinois?
No. No size, revenue, premises or home-kitchen exemption; the only carve-outs are the three commodity exceptions in 505 ILCS 30/3(d)(1)-(3), customer-formula feed from registration in 30/4(a) and the tonnage exceptions in 30/6(a)(1)-(3). Source: IDOA, Pet Food as a Business, A Regulatory Guide for the Cottage Industry (intro paragraph).
Does selling only at a farmers market change the Illinois answer?
It depends. The license duty reaches only a person who manufactures feed in Illinois or whose name appears on the label, so a shop reselling another firm labeled feed is outside it; a maker who manufactures and labels their own treats is inside it whatever the channel, and giving the product away is still distribution. Source: 505 ILCS 30/4(a) (Product Registration and Firm License), the licence trigger.
What does a dog treat maker need in Illinois instead?
Yes. Illinois Commercial Feed License, a firm license under 505 ILCS 30/4(a), applied for on form IL406-0039. Source: IDOA Feed Frequently Asked Questions, Q1 'Who is required to obtain an Illinois Commercial Feed License?'.
Keep reading
DogTreatLicense is an informational reference about state commercial feed laws as they apply to people who make and sell pet treats in the United States. It reprints instrument names, fees, thresholds, label items and citations from state statutes, rules, fee schedules and agency forms, together with the date each state was last verified. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and fees and rules change. Confirm with the state feed control office before you register or sell.
Read the terms before you rely on any figure here.