Why this matters
What Missouri actually allows — and what it doesn't.
Missouri permits cottage food sales under RSMo § 196.298 (Home Sales); Missouri Food Code (Individual Stands). The statute sets no revenue cap on cottage food sales. No state registration is required; optional ID programs may be available for label privacy.
Annual revenue cap
Missouri sets no cap on cottage food revenue.
Annual gross cap
Unlimited
Sales channels
Where you can sell in Missouri — and where you can't.
Online ordering
YesYesShipping
NoFederal restriction on uninspected food crossing state lines.
Seller delivery
YesYesThird-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
NoNoInterstate sales
NoNoWholesale to retail stores
NoNoRegistration & permits
Missouri does not require state registration.
- Registration
Not required
- Labeling standard
Standard
- Inspection
None
- Food safety certification
Not required
- Address privacy
Not available
Food categories
What usually sits outside this cottage food lane.
- Tcs
- Meat
- Poultry
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Cut Produce
- Fermented Foods
- Acidified Foods
- Canned Goods
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in Missouri.
Confirm your products qualify
Compare your menu against Missouri's cottage food lane. 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, and allergens per Missouri rules.
Start taking orders
Missouri allows online orders, seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels — third-party couriers are not permitted here.
Frequently asked
Missouri cottage food — your questions answered.
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Missouri?
No. Missouri's home sales framework under RSMo § 196.298 requires no permit and no registration. There is no revenue cap.
What can I not sell?
All TCS foods (meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish), cut produce, fermented foods, acidified foods, and canned goods. Missouri's prohibited list includes both acidified AND fermented items, which rules out pickles, sauerkraut, and salsas unless you operate under a separate food establishment license.
Can I sell at a community stand?
Yes. Missouri's framework separates home sales (RSMo § 196.298) from individual stand sales, which are covered under the Missouri Food Code. Rules for an on-property stand may differ from at-home direct sales — verify with your local health department before setting up a stand.
Is there address privacy protection?
Not directly. Missouri does not offer a state ID-number system to replace your home address on labels. Check current Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services guidance for current labeling practice.
Missouri cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Missouri does not require state registration for the cottage food lane. There is no state revenue cap in the current data. Missouri allows online orders, seller delivery for cottage food sellers in the current data.
Do I need a cottage food license in Missouri?
Not for the cottage food lane in the current data. Missouri 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 Missouri?
Missouri's cottage food lane is mainly for foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Common no-go categories include tcs, meat, poultry, dairy, eggs.