No, your homemade pickle isn’t inherently illegal in Washington state, but selling it faces strict cottage food regulations that often exclude standard pickles.
Cottage Food Rules
Washington’s cottage food law (RCW 69.22) permits low-risk home-produced foods like certain jams with a permit, but bans canned pickled products such as pickles, sauerkraut, or corn relish without commercial licensing. Pickles require pH testing below 4.6 by a certified authority (costing $500–$2,000 per recipe) to qualify as acidified foods, which most home producers skip.
Making vs. Selling
You can legally make and consume pickles at home without issue. Sales are limited to $35,000 annually, direct to consumers only (no shipping or stores), with mandatory labeling and a food worker card. Violations risk fines for food safety reasons, not a “bizarre pickle ban.”
Bizarre Law Myth
Lists of “weird food laws” exaggerate; this stems from botulism-prevention standards, not absurdity. Refrigeration-needing or low-acid foods like cream pies are similarly restricted.
