Guide
Mississippi cottage food law for home bakers
What a home baker in Mississippi needs before the first sale: Cottage Food Operations exemption (the "Cottage Food Law"), the sales cap, online orders, delivery, and the exact label line, each with its source.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Laws change; check the linked source for your state before you sell. Last reviewed September 19, 2026.
The short version
Mississippi's cottage food law is a single comprehensive code section (§ 75-29-951), not a multi-section article, and MSDH's own FAQ (revised September 2023) is the most current, detailed primary explanation available.
The defining restriction next to other states' laws: no online or mail-order sales at all, and no out-of-state sales. The sale itself must be in person, producer to customer, within Mississippi.
Registering
The rule is administered by Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Food Protection Division; the guide reads Miss. Code Ann. § 75-29-951 (Title 75, Chapter 29, Article 21, "Cottage Food Operations"). Originally enacted 2013; amended by H.B. 326 (2020 Regular Session), effective July 1, 2020, which permitted internet advertising of cottage food products (sales still may not be completed online) and is widely reported, though not independently confirmed against the enrolled bill text here, as also the bill that raised the annual gross-sales ceiling to $35,000.
There is no state cottage food registration, permit, or fee of any kind; a local city/county business license may still apply and is a separate question from the cottage food exemption.
Where you can sell, and whether online counts
The internet may only be used to advertise; completing a sale online, by mail order, at wholesale, to a retail store, or on consignment is explicitly prohibited.
A baker who wants to deliver, ship, or sell out of state, wholesale, or as a caterer needs a different, regulated food-establishment permit; none of that is available under the cottage food exemption.
What goes on the label
The federal-allergen and ingredient-order rules track FDA labeling norms; tree nuts must be named individually (e.g., "almonds," rather than just "nuts").
"Made in a Cottage Food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations."
- Name and address of the cottage food operation
- Name of the cottage food product
- Ingredients, in descending order of predominance by weight (sub-ingredients of a listed ingredient, e.g. allergens inside "butter," must also be captured through the allergen statement)
- Net weight or volume of the product
- Allergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements (the 9 major allergens, tree nuts named individually)
- Nutritional information, only if a nutritional claim is made
- The disclosure statement in at least 10-point contrasting type
What you can bake and sell
The allowed/not-allowed lines track FDA's non-time/temperature-control-for-safety (non-TCS) concept, plus Mississippi-specific calls (e.g., banning cooked potatoes, rice, and nut butters that some other states allow).
- Allowed: Shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods only: baked goods without cream/custard/meat fillings (breads, biscuits, cookies, pastries, tortillas), fruit pies, candy, chocolate- or candy-coated nonperishable foods (except melon), dried fruit (except melon), dried pasta, dried spices, dry baking mixes, granola/cereal/trail mix, dry rubs, compliant jams/jellies/preserves, nut mixes, popcorn, vinegar and mustard, waffle cones, and compliant acidified products (pH 4.6 or below, per 21 CFR Part 114).
- Not allowed: Meat, fish, poultry; dairy products including custard pies; eggs (other than air-dried hard-cooked eggs in the shell); cooked vegetables or potatoes; raw seed sprouts; sliced melon; garlic or fresh herbs in oil; legumes/beans; nut butters; fruit or vegetable juices; rice; low-acid canned foods; smoked fish; pasteurized or pre-cooked foods; sugar-free/reduced-sugar jams and jellies; any beverage or other liquid food (kitchens are uninspected, so water potability can't be verified); caramel/candy apples sold pre-skewered (the stick must be added by the buyer after purchase).
The sales cap
Mississippi caps cottage food sales at $35,000 a year, counted as Total annual gross revenue of the whole cottage food operation, not per product or per location: "annual gross sales of cottage food products that do not exceed Thirty-five Thousand Dollars ($35,000.00)... at any location, regardless of the types of products sold or the number of persons involved in the operation".
Work out how much room you have left this year with the cottage food sales cap checker.
Questions people ask
Do I need to register to sell cottage food in Mississippi?
No, Mississippi does not require registration. Nothing to register, permit, or file with the state. A city or county business license may separately apply depending on where her home is located; that is a general local business matter, not a cottage-food-specific requirement. Fee: Not stated. MSDH's FAQ and § 75-29-951 impose no cottage-food permit, registration, or fee at the state level.
Has the cottage food sales cap in Mississippi changed over time?
$35,000 a year from July 1, 2020, counted as Total annual gross revenue of the whole cottage food operation, not per product or per location: "annual gross sales of cottage food products that do not exceed Thirty-five Thousand Dollars ($35,000.00)... at any location, regardless of the types of products sold or the number of persons involved in the operation".
Can I take orders online in Mississippi?
No, online orders are not allowed. The handover has to happen in person.
Can I deliver or ship cottage food in Mississippi?
The rule does not address delivery. Shipping inside the state is not allowed.
What does my Mississippi cottage food label need to say?
The label must say: Made in a Cottage Food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.
Sources
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