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Cottage food laws

Tennessee Cottage Food Law

Can you sell homemade food from your home kitchen in Tennessee? Here are the sales cap, allowed foods, where you can sell, and the point where you must move into a licensed commercial kitchen.
Educational summary, not legal advice — cottage food rules change; confirm with the state before you sell.
Program
Food Freedom Act (Domestic Kitchen)
Annual sales cap
No cap
Where you can sell
Direct/in-personFarmers marketsHome pickupOnlineEvents
Registration / to start
None (no license, permit, registration, or inspection)
Allowed foods
Very broad: baked goods incl. cream pies/cheesecakes/cream-filled pastries, candies/fudge/chocolates, jams/jellies/preserves/marmalades/fruit butters, applesauce, chutneys, acidified AND low-acid canned foods, pickles, fermented vegetables, sauces, dried fruits, granola, nuts, nut butters, honey, maple syrup
Not allowed
Raw milk/raw-milk products, red meat and meat byproducts, fish/shellfish, alcoholic beverages, cannabis/THC
When you need a commercial / commissary kitchen
Selling raw milk, meat, or fish requires a licensed/inspected facility
Administered by
Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) · Tenn. Food Freedom Act, HB 813 (2022); amended HB 130 (2025)

Source: Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). Cottage food laws change often — confirm current rules before selling.

Good to know

2022 food-freedom law (amended 2025) is one of the most permissive: no license/cap/inspection, and allows nearly everything including low-acid canned goods and cream-filled baked goods.

Outgrowing cottage food? When you need a licensed kitchen, see Tennessee food-business requirements, estimate the build with the cost-to-open calculator, and check whether you need a hood.

Frequently asked

Can I sell homemade food in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee has a cottage food framework (Food Freedom Act (Domestic Kitchen)) that lets individuals make and sell certain non-hazardous foods from a home kitchen. There is no sales cap. You still must follow the state's rules on allowed foods, labeling, and where you can sell. Administered by Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA).
What foods can I sell under Tennessee's cottage food law?
Very broad: baked goods incl. cream pies/cheesecakes/cream-filled pastries, candies/fudge/chocolates, jams/jellies/preserves/marmalades/fruit butters, applesauce, chutneys, acidified AND low-acid canned foods, pickles, fermented vegetables, sauces, dried fruits, granola, nuts, nut butters, honey, maple syrup Not allowed: Raw milk/raw-milk products, red meat and meat byproducts, fish/shellfish, alcoholic beverages, cannabis/THC
When do I need a commercial or commissary kitchen in Tennessee?
Selling raw milk, meat, or fish requires a licensed/inspected facility At that point, see the requirements and permit fees for your area.
Do I need a license or registration for cottage food in Tennessee?
None (no license, permit, registration, or inspection)

Food-business permits in Tennessee's biggest counties

Local food-permit cost, plan review and the health-department contact for the counties people look up most.

Rutherford County
Polk County
Shelby County
Washington County
Cannon County
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Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified October 2026