Cottage food rules
New Louisiana Cottage Food Laws: What to Check First
How to confirm the current Louisiana cottage food rules and get your home baking ready for them.
On this page
What to remember
- Read the rule text itself, not a summary from a group post or an old blog.
- Write down the web address and the date you read it.
- Ask about three things: what you may sell, where you may sell it, and what goes on the label.
- Ask whether a permit, license, or inspection applies to what you plan to bake.
- Keep every answer in writing, with a name and a date.
This page will not guess at the current wording for you. What it will do is walk you through the check, in order, so you know what to look for and what to write down. If you want to see how other states word the same ideas, our guides to Arkansas and Mississippi show the shape of these rules, and the Nebraska labeling guide shows how a label is usually laid out. None of those replace your own state’s text.
Start with the rule text, not a summary
The fastest way to get this wrong is to trust the first answer you find. Rules get rewritten, dates get missed, and a post that was right two years ago can send you down the wrong path. Go to the source and read it slowly, with a pen.
Find the state page for food sold to the public
Search for the state agency that handles food sold to the public, then look for the page about food made in a home kitchen. Bookmark the page rather than saving a screenshot, so you always land on the newest version.
Read the section that applies to you
Write down the exact words about what you may sell, where you may sell it, and what must go on the label. Do not skim past the list of items that are not allowed.
Note the date and the address
Copy the web address and the date the page was last updated into a note on your phone. If anyone questions you later, you can show exactly what you read and when.
Ask your exact questions in writing
Email or call with questions that match your baking: breads, cakes, jams, or anything with cream or meat. Ask directly whether a permit, license, or inspection applies to what you plan to sell.
Keep the reply
Save the email, or write down the name of the person you spoke to and the date. A written answer is worth far more than a memory of a phone call.
What to write down before you take an order
Before your first paid order, you want four answers on one page: what you may sell, where you may sell it, what goes on the label, and whether there is a yearly sales limit. Ask about the limit even if you think you are small. Knowing the number before you set your prices for the season keeps you from overshooting in a good month.
Set up your shop so a rule change does not stop you
You cannot control when a rule gets rewritten, but you can make sure your shop is not built on top of one detail. Keep your recipes costed, keep your label wording in one note you can copy, and keep your customer list somewhere you own. Brevl does the costing for you, with real ingredient costs and inventory, so a price you set today still makes sense after a busy week.
When you are ready to take orders properly, we set your shop up with you and move your old one over: products, photos, reviews, and dates. A real person answers, usually within minutes, so you are not left reading a help page at midnight.
Common questions
Did Louisiana's cottage food rules change this year?
We cannot confirm the current wording from here, and a summary written last year may already be out of date. Read the state's own page and note the date it was last updated before you plan a season of baking.
Can I sell at a farmers market under the cottage food rules?
That depends on the current rule text and on the market's own rules. Ask both: the state agency about where sales are allowed, and the market manager about what they accept from home bakers.
What should go on my label?
Ask the state agency for the exact list, then copy it word for word onto your label. A labeling guide from another state, like our [Nebraska label guide](/blog/nebraska-cottage-food-law-labeling/), can show you the shape of a label, but only your state's list counts.
Do I need a license or a permit?
Ask directly whether a permit, license, or inspection applies to what you plan to sell. Get the answer in writing, with the name of the person who gave it.
How much am I allowed to sell in a year?
Ask whether there is a yearly sales limit and what happens when you pass it. Knowing the number before you set prices keeps you from overshooting in a strong month.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Cottage food rules change, so confirm the current wording with the state agency that regulates food sold to the public before you sell.