Cottage food rules
Arkansas Cottage Food Law: What Home Bakers Need
What Arkansas asks of home bakers, and what it does not.
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What to remember
- The Cottage Food Act (Act 399 of 2017) was removed and replaced by the Food Freedom Act (Act 1040 of 2021).
- Selling homemade non-refrigerated food directly to an informed consumer needs no permit and no license.
- Arkansas sets no dollar cap on cottage food sales.
- You must disclose specific information to the consumer, so read the current guidelines before your first sale.
If you have been baking for neighbors and taking orders by text, the law in Arkansas is friendlier than most bakers expect. This guide walks through what the Food Freedom Act changed, what it lets you sell, and what you still have to hand your customer. For a wider view of how Arkansas compares, see states with the best cottage food laws.
What changed when the Food Freedom Act replaced the Cottage Food Act
During the 93rd Session of the Arkansas General Assembly, the Cottage Food Act, Act 399 of 2017, was removed and replaced by the Food Freedom Act, Act 1040 of 2021. With that change, home-based food entrepreneurs gained the ability to make and sell homemade food in Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Health publishes the Arkansas Homemade Food Production Guidelines covering how homemade food may be produced in the state, and that document is the one to read before you start selling.
What you can sell, and to whom
The Food Freedom Act lets home producers sell homemade non-refrigerated food directly to an informed consumer. The rules for Arkansas home bakers cover what can legally be sold, permit and license rules, sales caps, and labeling requirements, so the details matter more than the headline. Read the current guidelines for the exact list of foods and the exact wording you owe your buyer.
No permit, no license, no sales cap
Under the Food Freedom Act, selling homemade non-refrigerated food directly to an informed consumer requires no permit and no license. Arkansas also sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so growth is limited by your own kitchen and your own hours rather than by a statutory cap. That means the thing standing between you and more orders is usually time, not paperwork.
Telling your customer what they need to know
Arkansas requires the seller to disclose specific information to the consumer when selling homemade food under the Food Freedom Act. Build that disclosure into how you hand over every order, whether that is a printed label on the box or a card tucked in with the cookies. The guidelines spell out the wording, so copy it exactly rather than paraphrasing. If you are also weighing a licensed home bakery setup for other kinds of sales, our walkthrough on how to apply for a home bakery license covers that separate path.
Rules shift from state to state, and if you bake near a border or sell to family across one, it helps to see how a neighbor handles it. Our guide to the Missouri cottage food law is a useful comparison.
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Once the rules are clear, the next question is usually money. Price your bakes so the batch pays you, keep track of what each recipe actually costs, and let the law side stay simple: no permit, no license, no cap, just a disclosure you never skip.
Common questions
Do I need a permit or license to sell baked goods from my Arkansas kitchen?
Under the Food Freedom Act, selling homemade non-refrigerated food directly to an informed consumer requires no permit and no license.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell?
No. Arkansas sets no dollar limit on cottage food sales, so your own kitchen capacity and time are the practical limits.
What do I have to tell my customers?
Arkansas requires the seller to disclose specific information to the consumer when selling homemade food under the Food Freedom Act. The Arkansas Homemade Food Production Guidelines give the exact requirements.
Is the Cottage Food Act still the law in Arkansas?
No. During the 93rd Session of the Arkansas General Assembly, the Cottage Food Act (Act 399 of 2017) was removed and replaced by the Food Freedom Act (Act 1040 of 2021).
Where do I find the official Arkansas guidelines?
The Arkansas Department of Health publishes the Arkansas Homemade Food Production Guidelines, which cover how homemade food may be produced in the state. Read the current version before you sell.
Sources
This is general information about Arkansas rules, not legal advice. Requirements change, so confirm details with the Arkansas Department of Health before you sell.