Mississippi cottage food law

Selling home-baked goods in Mississippi

How home bakers in Mississippi can sell what they make: the sales limit, permits, training, where you can sell and the statement your labels must carry.

At a glance

Sales limit: Up to $35,000 a year in sales.
License or permit: No state permit or registration is required.
Food safety training: No food safety training is required by the state.
Online orders: Online sales not allowed: may not sell over the Internet or by mail order.
Label statement: “Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.”

About this information. Mississippi’s rules are summarized from the latest publicly available state laws, regulations and agency guidance, last checked November 3, 2026. Laws change, and county and city health departments may have their own requirements. This is not legal advice. Before you sell, confirm the rules with your state or local health department.

Cottage food operation

Miss. Code Ann. 75-29-951 · SB 2553 (2013), Laws 2013, ch. 481, approved 2013-04-01; amended by HB 326 (2020), Laws 2020, ch. 383, effective 2020-07-01 (cap raised from $20,000 to $35,000; Internet advertising allowed)

Yearly sales limit

$35,000
Annual gross sales of cottage food products may not exceed $35,000, counting all sales at any location (75-29-951(1)). Must give MSDH written proof of annual gross sales on request (75-29-951(1)(b)). Above the cap, a food permit under 41-3-18 is needed. Not adjusted for inflation.

Permit or registration

Not required by the state

Food safety training

Where you make it

The statute does not say. MSDH: made in the kitchen of your private home (the place where you live, owned or rented) and stored in your home; no outbuildings, sheds, or rented kitchens (MSDH Q&A, Sept. 2023, Q1, Q2, Q14, Q15). Commercial equipment is not required (Q6).

Selling in person

Allowed: person to person, producer present (MSDH Q&A Q20). The statute names no venues. MSU Extension (P3286): from the home, farmers markets, municipal and county fairs, and similar settings.

Phone and online orders

Online sales not allowed: may not sell over the Internet or by mail order (75-29-951(2)). Advertising online, including social media, is allowed. Phone orders: not addressed.

Delivery and shipping

Not addressed by statute. MSDH: sale must be person to person with the producer present (Q20); whether the producer may hand-deliver to the buyer is not stated (see open questions)

Selling out of state

Stores and wholesale

Not allowed: no wholesale and no sales to a retail establishment (75-29-951(2)); no sales to restaurants or stores (MSDH Q19)

Examples you can sell

Nonpotentially hazardous food products as defined by MSDH (75-29-951(2)); foods that do not need time/temperature control for safety (MSDH Q&A Q1, Q4)

Baked goods without cream, custard, or meat fillings, such as breads, biscuits, cookies, pastries and tortillas
Fruit pies
Candy
Chocolate-covered nonperishable foods such as pretzels, nuts, and fruit (not melons)
Whole, uncut chocolate- or caramel-covered apples; stick inserted by the buyer after sale (Q25)
Dried fruit (not melons)
Dried pasta
Dried spices and dry rubs
Dry baking mixes
Granola, cereal, and trail mixes

Not allowed

Meat, fish, poultry (MSDH Q&A Q7)
Dairy products, including custard pies; baked goods with cream, custard, or meat fillings
Eggs (other than air-dried hard cooked eggs with intact shell)
Cooked vegetables, cooked potatoes, legumes, beans, rice
Raw seed sprouts, sliced melons, garlic and fresh herbs in oil
Nut butters
Fruit and vegetable juices and other beverages or liquid foods (Q22)
Low-acid canned foods (pH above 4.6); canned fruits and vegetables except acidified ones at pH 4.6 or below (Q23)
Smoked fish; pasteurized and pre-cooked foods
Sugar-free jams and jellies made with sugar substitutes (Q24)

The statement your labels must carry

Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.

In type at least 10 point.

Common questions about Mississippi’s cottage food law

Can I sell baked goods from home in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi lets home bakers sell food made in their own kitchen as a cottage food operation. Most baked goods that don’t need refrigeration qualify; see the examples on this page.

Do I need a license or permit to sell baked goods in Mississippi?

No state permit or registration is required.

How much can I sell from home in Mississippi?

Up to $35,000 a year in sales.

Do I need food safety training in Mississippi?

No food safety training is required by the state.

Can I sell online or ship my baked goods in Mississippi?

Online and phone orders: Online sales not allowed: may not sell over the Internet or by mail order. Delivery and shipping: Not addressed by statute. Selling to other states is not allowed.

What must a cottage food label say in Mississippi?

Labels must carry this statement: “Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.”, in type at least 10 point. Most states also require the product name, ingredients in order of weight, allergens, net weight, and your name and address.

Home and Hearth Baker knows Mississippi’s rules

The program puts Mississippi’s required wording on every label for you, tracks your sales against any yearly limit, and updates for free when the rules change.

Try it free for 30 days See what it does