Why this matters
What Mississippi actually allows — and what it doesn't.
Mississippi permits cottage food sales under Mississippi Code § 75-29-951 (enacted 2013; HB 326 increased cap to $35K in 2020). Annual sales are capped at $35,000. No state registration is required; optional ID programs may be available for label privacy.
Annual revenue cap
$35,000 a year.
Annual gross cap
$35,000
Required label language
Every package carries a statutory disclaimer.
The disclaimer below must appear on every package, in the exact casing the statute specifies:
Required on every label
Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations
— Mississippi Code § 75-29-951 (enacted 2013; HB 326 increased cap to $35K in 2020)
Sales channels
Where you can sell in Mississippi — and where you can't.
Online ordering
NoNoShipping
NoFederal restriction on uninspected food crossing state lines.
Seller delivery
YesYesThird-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
NoNoInterstate sales
NoNoWholesale to retail stores
NoNoLicense, permit & registration
Mississippi does not require state registration.
Do you need a cottage food license or permit in Mississippi? For basic cottage foods, Mississippi does not require a separate license or permit — but other rules can still apply.
- Registration
Not required
- Labeling standard
Standard
- Inspection
None
- Food safety certification
Not required
- Address privacy
Not available
Food categories
Foods the basic cottage food rules usually do not cover.
- Tcs
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Dairy
- Custard Pies
- Eggs
- Cooked Vegetables
- Cooked Potatoes
- Cooked Rice
- Cooked Beans
- Raw Sprouts
- Sliced Melons
- Garlic In Oil
- Nut Butters
- Beverages
- Low Acid Canned Foods
- Cannabis Cbd
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in Mississippi.
Confirm your products qualify
Compare your menu against Mississippi's cottage food rules. Temperature-controlled, meat, seafood, and low-acid canned items often require a different path; check the state-specific food categories above.
Label every product correctly
Every label must include your name (or registered ID), product name, ingredients, allergens, and the statute-required disclaimer verbatim.
Start taking orders
Mississippi allows seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels — third-party couriers are not permitted here.
Frequently asked
Mississippi cottage food — your questions answered.
How much is a food permit in Mississippi?
Mississippi charges no permit fee because it requires no license, permit, or registration from the Mississippi State Department of Health, and food safety training is not required either. Your gross sales are capped at $35,000 a year, so your only real costs are ingredients, packaging, and labels.
Can you sell plate lunches from home in Mississippi?
Plate lunches are hot, ready-to-eat meals, which fall outside cottage food. The path to yes is a licensed or commissary kitchen, or catering under a food-service permit. Shelf-stable baked goods, candies, and jams you can sell directly under the cottage food law.
Can I sell cottage foods online or ship them in Mississippi?
Mississippi prohibits online sales and transactions and bans mail-order shipping, though internet advertising, including social media, is allowed. You can sell directly at your home, farmers markets, roadside stands, and special events, and you may personally deliver to consumers within Mississippi.
What label disclaimer does Mississippi require on cottage foods?
Every label must carry the disclaimer "Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations" in at least 10-point font and a high-contrast color. Alongside it, list your operation's name and address, the product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, the net weight or volume, and federal allergen information.
Which foods are off-limits under Mississippi's cottage food law?
Potentially hazardous foods are excluded — meat in any form including jerky, fish, poultry, dairy such as custard pies, cooked vegetables, potatoes, beans and rice, nut butters, garlic or fresh herbs in oil, and kombucha. Two nuances help: air-dried hard-cooked eggs with an intact shell are allowed, and acidified foods qualify if their pH is below 4.2 and water activity is tested.
Mississippi cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Mississippi does not require state registration for basic cottage food sales. The annual gross sales cap is $35,000. Mississippi allows seller delivery for cottage food sellers.
Do I need a cottage food license or permit in Mississippi?
Not for the basic cottage food path, based on the state sources cited on this page. Mississippi may still have label, food-category, local zoning, or other business rules, so check the official source before you sell.
What foods can I sell from home in Mississippi?
Mississippi's cottage food rules mainly cover foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Common no-go categories include tcs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish.