Tennessee Cottage Food Laws

Tennessee Cottage Food Laws: The Comprehensive Guide

Tennessee’s Food Freedom Act is one of the most permissive cottage food laws in the United States. This guide explains how home-based food entrepreneurs in Tennessee can take advantage of minimal regulation, no revenue caps, and newly expanded product allowances including poultry and pasteurized dairy (effective July 1, 2025).

Quick Facts

Requirement	Tennessee
Annual Sales Limit	None – unlimited sales allowed
License Required	No state license or registration required
Registration Required	No state registration for food, but sales tax license required
Home Inspection	No home kitchen inspection required
Food Safety Training	Not required (voluntary UT Extension programs available)
Labeling Required	Yes – name & address, product name, ingredients, net weight, allergen statement, disclaimer
Online Sales	Yes – in-state only
Delivery	Yes – in‑state only
Shipping	In‑state shipping allowed for non‑perishables, not for perishables

Overview / Introduction

Tennessee's Food Freedom Act (HB 813, effective July 1, 2022) replaced the traditional cottage food law with a highly permissive framework for home-based food entrepreneurs. As of July 1, 2025, HB 130 expanded the Act to allow poultry and pasteurized dairy in food products (standscout.com). Under the Act, most food products made at home are exempt from state licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling laws, unless needed for a foodborne illness investigation (tn.gov).

Sales Limits

Tennessee imposes no revenue cap on cottage food sales—entrepreneurs can sell unlimited amounts legally (standscout.com).

Licensing & Registration

Under the Food Freedom Act, no state-level license, permit, or registration is required for home kitchens (tn.gov). However, local jurisdictions may impose business or zoning requirements, so checking with your city or county is recommended (legalclarity.org).

Training Requirements

The law does not require food handler or food safety training (standscout.com). That said, the University of Tennessee Extension is developing education programs—funded through a USDA grant—to provide training on home-based food safety (GMP, FSMA principles, safe canning) through 2026 (portal.nifa.usda.gov).

Home Kitchen Inspection

No inspections are required for cottage food operations under Tennessee’s Food Freedom Act (tn.gov). Producers must still follow general food safety and sanitation practices, such as maintaining a clean kitchen, using food-grade equipment, and preventing cross-contamination (legalclarity.org).

Allowed Foods

Tennessee allows a broad range of non-potentially hazardous, shelf-stable, and acidified/low-acid canned foods (rare allowances) (cottagecms.com). As of July 1, 2025, poultry and pasteurized dairy incorporated into food products are permitted under specific conditions (tnhousegop.org).

Prohibited Foods

Even with the 2025 expansion, Tennessee law still prohibits:

Unpasteurized (raw) milk or dairy products(tnhousegop.org)
Meat and meat by-products (except specified poultry)(tnhousegop.org)
Fish and shellfish products(tnhousegop.org)
Alcoholic beverages(tnhousegop.org) Additionally, some sources note restrictions on refrigerated dairy-based desserts or pickled items that are not adequately shelf-stable (legalclarity.org).

Labeling Requirements

Labels must include: producer’s name & address; common name of the food; ingredients (descending order); net weight/volume; and a mandatory disclaimer: “This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection” (cottagecms.com). Allergen information must also be clearly stated (legalclarity.org). Some sources add date produced or lot number as best practice (ij.org).

Where You Can Sell

Producers may sell direct to consumers via farmers markets, roadside stands, community events, home pickup/delivery, and online (in-state only) (cottagecms.com). Non-perishable products may be sold through retail stores, co-ops, gift shops, etc. Perishable products (e.g. poultry/dairy) must only be sold in-person, not wholesale or shipped (cottagecms.com). Sales to restaurants, institutions, or across state lines are not allowed (cottagecms.com).

Sales Tax

Although no food license is required, sales tax registration is necessary. Business owners must register with the Tennessee Department of Revenue to collect and remit tax on sales. State food tax rules apply, and rates vary locally (typically 7–9.75%)—you must file returns accordingly (tn.gov). (Note: registration site confirms tax registration requirement; not explicitly on cottage law pages.)

Special Exemptions

The law preempts municipal regulation, so cities/counties cannot impose stricter rules than the state law allows (cottagecms.com). Additionally, UT Extension’s educational programs under USDA grants offer low-cost training and support for cottage food producers—especially in rural or disadvantaged communities (portal.nifa.usda.gov).

Getting Started

Practical steps to launch your cottage food business in Tennessee:

Verify local zoning/business license requirements.
Set up a clean, sanitary home kitchen (food-grade equipment, pests controlled, ingredient storage separated), following safe handling guidance (legalclarity.org).
Design compliant labels including required disclosure and allergen statements.
Register for a sales tax license via Tennessee Department of Revenue (free to register) (tn.gov).
Choose sales channels: markets, online (in‑state), retail (non-perishables), or direct in-person for perishable goods.
Keep clear records of sales for tax purposes.
Consider voluntary food safety training via UT Extension programs (portal.nifa.usda.gov).
Monitor enforcement risk, especially regarding prohibited items or mislabeling.

Official Resources

Tennessee Department of Agriculture – Food Freedom Act overview and FAQs (tn.gov)
Tennessee Department of Revenue – Business tax registration and licensing (tn.gov)
University of Tennessee Extension / NIFA project – Educational training for home-based food producers (portal.nifa.usda.gov)

Official Sources

This guide was compiled from the following official sources:

Important Notes

⚠️ Local jurisdictions may still regulate business licenses or zoning—check with city or county officials.

⚠️ Voluntary food safety training is not legally required, but strongly recommended especially when handling poultry or dairy.

⚠️ Prohibited categories (raw milk, meat, fish, alcohol) remain disallowed even after the 2025 expansion — be careful not to include these.

⚠️ Perishable products (poultry/dairy) must only be sold in person — shipping or wholesale is not permitted.

Tennessee Cottage Food Laws

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