Missouri's Cottage Food Law

Missouri allows home-based food production under its cottage food law, which permits individuals to prepare and sell certain low-risk, non-potentially-hazardous foods from a residential kitchen. You don't need a commercial kitchen or a food handler's license to qualify. The law covers shelf-stable baked goods, jams, jellies, and similar products that don't require refrigeration to stay safe. Your operation must be home-based and run by you as an individual producer.

You can sell your products directly to consumers through farmers markets, roadside stands, fairs, and similar in-person venues. Missouri also allows online orders, so you can take sales through a website or social media. However, you cannot ship products, meaning all transactions must result in local, in-person pickup or delivery. There are no restrictions on selling at multiple venues across the state.

Your annual gross revenue from cottage food sales cannot exceed $50,000. No permit, license, or state registration is required before you start selling. Missouri's $50,000 revenue cap is relatively generous compared to many other states, giving your business meaningful room to grow before additional regulations apply. If you're ready to start baking for profit, Missouri's framework gives you a practical path to do it.