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Cottage food laws · MO
Selling homemade food in Missouri
Missouri doesn't require a permit to sell shelf-stable homemade foods, and as of 2022 there's no annual sales cap. The tradeoff is a narrower allowed-foods list than most states — just non-refrigerated baked goods, traditional jams/jellies, and dried herbs — with candy and other cottage-food staples falling outside this particular statute.
Program
Missouri Cottage Food Law
Registration
No permit, license, registration, inspection, or food-safety training required under RSMo §196.298
Annual sales cap
No cap — the former $50,000 annual limit was removed effective Aug 28, 2022 (HB 1697); sales are now unlimited
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods that don't require refrigeration (breads, cookies, cakes, pastries, pies, etc.)
- Canned jam or jelly (traditional recipes only — no sugar-free or hot-pepper varieties)
- Dried herbs & herb mixes
You can't sell
- Potentially hazardous/perishable foods requiring refrigeration
- Meat & poultry products
- Dairy-based products
- Home-canned low-acid vegetables
- Candy, popcorn, dry mixes & other items not covered by this statute (may require a separate license or venue, e.g. an Individual Stands permit)
Where you can sell
- Direct in-person sales from home
- Farmers markets
- Roadside stands
Selling online
Online sales are permitted only when both the seller and the buyer are located in Missouri; no shipping or sales across state lines
What your labels must include
- Business name & address of the cottage food production operation
- Ingredient list
- Allergen declaration
- Net weight
- Statement that the food is not inspected by the department or local health department