Registration
- Required
- No
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ProvinceModerate
British Columbia cottage food rules
Review sales limits, online sales, registration, labeling, venues, shipping, foods, and source notes for this jurisdiction.
Sales limit
None specified
Online sales
No
Registration
Not required
Training
Not required
Current law details
Start with the summary, then verify locally.
British Columbia allows lower-risk foods prepared at home to be sold at temporary food markets when the market operates under the provincial temporary food market guidelines and a market manager. The pathway is market-focused rather than a broad home, online, or mail-order cottage food law. Higher-risk foods generally require an approved or permitted commercial kitchen and health authority review.
Setup requirements
Registration, training, and labeling details.
These are the common operating requirements sellers check before launching or changing sales channels.
Training
- Required
- No
Labeling
"No specific cottage food disclaimer required in the provincial temporary market guideline; market and federal labelling rules still apply."
- Common name of the food
- Producer or business name and contact information
- Ingredient list when required for prepackaged products
- Priority allergen, gluten source, and added sulphites declaration when present
- Net quantity for consumer prepackaged products when required
Sales channels
Allowed venues and fulfillment methods.
Confirm how customers are allowed to buy, receive, or pick up products before opening a sales channel.
Sales venues
Home sales
Not allowed
Farmers markets
Allowed
Roadside stands
Not allowed
Events
Limited
Retail stores
Not allowed
Restaurants
Not allowed
Online
Not allowed
Lower-risk home-prepared foods are limited to temporary food markets that meet the provincial guideline. Where there is no market manager or the venue is not a temporary market, home-prepared lower-risk foods may not be allowed.
Shipping and delivery
- In-province/territory
- In-person only
- Out-of-province/territory
- Not allowed
- Commercial carriers
- Not allowed
- Third-party delivery
- Not allowed
Temporary market sales are in-person. Shipping, online ordering, and resale are outside the lower-risk temporary market pathway.
Product categories
Allowed food categories.
Allowed and limited categories are only a planning aid. Check official guidance before selling a specific recipe.
Baked goods
Allowed
Candy and confections
Allowed
Jams and jellies
Allowed
Acidified foods
Limited
Canned goods
Limited
Dried goods
Allowed
Perishables
Not allowed
Meat products
Not allowed
Dairy products
Not allowed
The BCCDC temporary food market guideline lists lower-risk foods that may be acceptable for home preparation, including breads without dairy or cheese fillings, cookies, brownies, jams and jellies meeting pH or water activity limits, dried fruits, honey, pickled vegetables, relish, salsa meeting acidity requirements, syrup, and similar shelf-stable foods. Higher-risk foods require an approved facility.
Updates and cautions
Check these notes before making changes.
Recent updates and warnings are included to help you spot issues that may need extra verification.
Important warnings
- Canadian federal law still applies to food safety, labelling, allergens, net quantity, traceability, import/export, and interprovincial trade.
- A Safe Food for Canadians licence is generally required to manufacture, process, package, or label food for interprovincial or export trade.
- Province and territory summaries below focus on local home-based or low-risk food pathways and do not replace municipal business, zoning, market, or tax requirements.
- This is a temporary-market pathway, not a general home-to-consumer online sales law.
- Local health authority interpretation and market manager screening matter for products not clearly listed as lower risk.
Research sources
Sources used for this summary.
Last updated: 2026-05-07. Use these sources as a starting point for current verification.
- BCCDC - Guideline for the Sale of Foods at Temporary Food Markets
- Island Health - Planning Guide for Temporary Events and Food Markets
- BCCDC - Food Premises Guidelines
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Food business activities that require a licence under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Industry Labelling Tool
- Health Canada - Food allergen labelling
Important legal disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Cottage food rules change frequently and vary by local jurisdiction. Always verify current regulations with your province and local health departments before starting your business.
Next step
Turn British Columbia rules into a clear ordering experience.
Use Cottage CMS to publish products, pickup windows, forms, disclosures, and order workflows after you verify the current local requirements.