Missouri Cottage Food Laws

Missouri is state-permissive but locally variable — St. Louis and Kansas City area health departments are stricter than rural counties.

Important information: Cottage food laws vary by state and may change. This guide is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your state's official regulatory agency before selling homemade food.

Checked against official Missouri sources on November 2, 2026: sales cap and online sales. Anything not marked as checked is our summary — check with the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / local health.

Fast facts

Permit
No permit for most cottage foods (summary)
Annual sales cap
No limit (checked)
Online sales
Limited (checked)
Shipping
Not allowed (summary)

What makes Missouri different

  • Missouri removed its old $50,000 cap
  • No state permit for non-potentially-hazardous foods
  • Local health departments can impose additional requirements

Where you can sell in Missouri

  • Direct to consumer
  • Farmers markets
  • Home pickup
  • Events

What you can and can't make

These lists describe what most cottage food laws allow and prohibit. They aren't Missouri's official product list: check the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / local health for the foods Missouri actually allows.

Generally allowed

  • Breads, rolls, biscuits and buns
  • Cakes, cupcakes and brownies (without cream-cheese or custard fillings)
  • Cookies, bars and biscotti
  • Fruit pies and fruit-filled pastries
  • Candy, brittle, fudge and chocolate-covered items
  • Dry mixes, granola, popcorn and roasted nuts
  • Jams, jellies and preserves made from high-acid fruit

Generally prohibited

  • Cheesecake and cream-cheese frostings or fillings
  • Custard, meringue, pudding and Bavarian-cream pies
  • Anything containing meat, poultry or seafood
  • Fresh-dairy items, ice cream and buttercream that requires refrigeration
  • Canned vegetables, salsas and other low-acid canned goods
  • Garlic-in-oil, pickled goods and fermented foods (in most states)
  • Kombucha, juices and other beverages requiring a process authority

Missouri labeling requirements

Most states require the elements below. Missouri's exact list may differ, so confirm it with the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / local health.

  1. The name and physical address of your home kitchen business
  2. The common name of the product
  3. A full ingredient list in descending order by weight
  4. Allergen declaration for the major allergens (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame)
  5. Net weight or volume
  6. A cottage food disclosure such as "Made in a home kitchen that is not subject to routine state inspection"

Official source for Missouri

The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / local health administers cottage food rules in Missouri. Their page is the authoritative, current version of everything summarized here.

Visit the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / local health

Sources we checked on November 2, 2026:

Running a Missouri home bakery?

Whisk Manager keeps your orders, customers, recipes and revenue in one place — so you always know where you stand against your state's rules.

Start free today

Cottage food laws in other states