Cottage Food Law /US
A structured reference to state cottage food rules

Guide · Selling from home

Can I sell candy & confections from home in Missouri?

Informational only, not legal advice.

It's unclear from Missouri's official list. Confirm with the state agency before producing.

This answer comes from Missouri's official guidance on candy & confections, summarized below, rather than from its food lists alone.

Candy is not one of the foods covered by Missouri's Cottage Law; DHSS says baked goods, canned jams or jellies, and dried herbs and herb mixes are the only items, and other foods cannot be sold under it. DHSS says freeze-dried, non-potentially hazardous foods (example: candy) may fall under the separate exemption in the Missouri Food Code, but only where local laws allow, as determined by the local public health agency.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Source: Missouri Food Code (19 CSR 20-1.025), as published by DHSS, Ch. 1, "Food establishment" (3)(h) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Selling candy & confections in Missouri: permit, cost, and where to sell

Do I need a permit to sell candy & confections from home in Missouri?

Missouri does not require a state-issued permit for cottage food.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

The program is run by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Bureau of Environmental Health Services.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

How much does a Missouri cottage food license cost?

Missouri does not charge a state cottage food license fee.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Is there a limit on how much I can sell in Missouri?

Missouri sets no overall annual sales cap for cottage food.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Where can I sell candy & confections in Missouri?

In person: Yes; farmers markets: Not addressed; online orders within Missouri: Yes; shipping to other states: No; delivery within Missouri: Not addressed; sales to stores or for resale: No.

Source: RSMo § 196.298 (Missouri Cottage Law), as amended by 2022 H.B. 1697, subsecs. 1 and 5 · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Sales must be made only directly to consumers. Internet sales are allowed only when both the operation and the purchaser are in Missouri (§ 196.298(5)); DHSS: "A cottage food producer may not sell their products across state lines." Wholesale takes a product out of the Cottage Law. The statute defines the operation as producing food "for sale at the individual's home"; neither source addresses farmers markets or delivery. Asked about selling cottage foods from a mobile establishment, DHSS points to the Food Code individual-stand exemption, available only if local laws allow.

Source: RSMo § 196.298 (Missouri Cottage Law), as amended by 2022 H.B. 1697, subsecs. 1 and 5 · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Do I need training or a kitchen inspection in Missouri?

Missouri does not require food safety training.

Source: RSMo § 196.298 (Missouri Cottage Law), as amended by 2022 H.B. 1697, subsec. 2 · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Missouri does not require a home kitchen inspection.

Source: Missouri DHSS — Missouri Home-Based Kitchen Food Production Guidance (Aug. 2023) · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Labeling candy & confections in Missouri

Missouri's cited labeling rules list 6 requirements. The full list is in the Missouri labeling guide.

Source: RSMo § 196.298 (Missouri Cottage Law), as amended by 2022 H.B. 1697, subsec. 4 · Verified Oct 21, 2026

Other foods in Missouri