Selling homemade food in Tennessee
Tennessee's Food Freedom Act is about as hands-off as it gets - no permit, no license, no inspection, and no sales cap. A 2025 amendment expanded it to allow pasteurized dairy, meat, and poultry (under conditions) plus TCS foods. You can sell in person, by phone, or online and deliver within Tennessee; just don't ship across state lines, since that triggers federal rules. Dairy, meat, and poultry must be sold and delivered by the producer directly to the buyer.
You can sell
- Baked goods
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy
- Dried herbs & mixes
- Pasteurized dairy, meat, and poultry (2025 expansion, with conditions)
- TCS / time-and-temperature-control foods (2025 expansion)
You can't sell
- Alcoholic beverages
- Unpasteurized (raw) milk
- Fish and shellfish
- Sales in interstate commerce (out-of-state shipping not protected; falls under FDA rules)
Where you can sell
- Direct to consumer (in person, phone, or internet)
- Third-party vendors / retail shops (non-dairy/meat/poultry items only)
- Farmers markets
- Dairy/meat/poultry items: producer must sell and deliver directly to the consumer only
Selling online
The statute explicitly permits sale by telephone or internet. In-state delivery is allowed; the law does not exempt sellers from federal law prohibiting sale of food in interstate commerce, so out-of-state shipping is not protected. Dairy, meat, and poultry items must be delivered by the producer directly to the consumer (no third-party carrier).
What your labels must include
- Producer name, home address, and phone number
- "This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens." statement
- Common name of the food
- Ingredients in descending order by weight
- Production date (for TCS / time-and-temperature-control foods)