Why this matters
What Montana actually allows — and what it doesn't.
MCA § 50-50-117 (Traditional Cottage Food); Montana Local Food Choice Act (SB 199, 2021 - "Food Freedom")
Two-Path System:
Path 1: Traditional Cottage Food
$40 one-time registration fee with local health department
Annual revenue cap
Montana sets no cap on cottage food revenue.
Annual gross cap
Unlimited
Sales channels
Where you can sell in Montana — 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
NoNoLicense, permit & registration
Montana does not require state registration.
Do you need a cottage food license or permit in Montana? For basic cottage foods, Montana does not require a separate license or permit — but other rules can still apply.
- Registration
Not required
Type: registration
- Registration cost
$40
- Timeline
About 30 days
- 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
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Cut Produce
- Custard Meringue
- Certain Frostings
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in Montana.
Confirm your products qualify
Compare your menu against Montana'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, and allergens per Montana rules.
Start taking orders
Montana allows online orders, seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels — third-party couriers are not permitted here.
Frequently asked
Montana cottage food — your questions answered.
Do you need a cottage food license in Montana?
Montana's cottage food program uses a small registration (about $40). Separately, the Local Food Choice Act (SB 199, 2021) allows direct producer-to-informed-consumer sales with no license and a broader menu, including some meats. Which path fits depends on what you sell.
What is the food freedom law in Montana?
It is the Montana Local Food Choice Act (SB 199, 2021). It permits direct sales of many homemade foods to an informed end consumer without licensing or inspection, going further than the traditional cottage food registration.
What kind of food can I sell from home in Montana?
Traditional cottage food is limited to an approved list — baked goods, jams, honey, dried goods, and certain preserves — and it prohibits meat, dairy as standalone products, custard and meringue pies, certain frostings, and jams or jellies from unapproved fruits. The Local Food Choice Act path allows almost all foods, including perishables, dairy, and prepared meals, except meat, with an exception for home-raised poultry under 1,000 birds a year.
Where and how can I sell food under Montana's Local Food Choice Act?
Sales must be direct producer-to-consumer and face-to-face — you can coordinate orders online, but there is no mail order or shipping, only in-person delivery, and sales stay in-state with no wholesale to restaurants or stores. Food Choice Act items must be consumed in a home or at a "traditional community social event" such as a farmers market, wedding, funeral, church event, or potluck.
What has to go on a Montana cottage food label?
Traditional cottage food labels must show the product name, ingredients, net quantity, the producer's name, address, and phone number, a specified disclaimer, and a list of common allergens.
Montana cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Montana does not require state registration for basic cottage food sales. The cited state sources do not list a revenue cap. Montana allows online orders, seller delivery for cottage food sellers.
Do I need a cottage food license or permit in Montana?
Not for the basic cottage food path, based on the state sources cited on this page. Montana 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 Montana?
Montana's cottage food rules mainly cover foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety. Common no-go categories include tcs, meat, dairy, eggs, fish.