Cottage food rules
Tennessee Cottage Food Laws: What Home Bakers Need
A plain language look at what Tennessee's home food law says and what to confirm before you sell.
On this page
What to remember
- The law is called the Tennessee Food Freedom Act.
- The state page says it is also called the Tennessee Cottage Food Law or the Cottage Food Industry Act.
- The bill text describes an exemption from state licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling, except where the department is involved.
- The bill text ties covered sales to homemade food items without dairy, meat, or poultry.
- Sales can be in person or remote, from the producer to the consumer.
Tennessee’s law is often called by a few names. The state page calls it the Tennessee Food Freedom Act. The same page notes it is also commonly called the Tennessee Cottage Food Law or the Cottage Food Industry Act. That matters when you search for rules, because you may see all three names for the same law. The Cottage Food Law Library describes Tennessee as one of the most open home food laws in the country, with food made in a home kitchen exempt from state licensing, permitting, and inspection.
What the exemption covers
The bill text says the production and sale of homemade food items are exempt from all licensing, permitting, inspecting, packaging, and labeling laws of the state, except in cases where the department is involved. That is a broad exemption. The material we reviewed describes an exemption, not a state license you apply for. Read the exact wording on the state page and in the bill before you decide what it means for your kitchen.
If you are comparing Tennessee with other states, the permit guide walks through the general steps home bakers ask about. In Tennessee, the state material points to an exemption, so the first question is not which form to file. The first question is whether your food and your sale fit the wording of the law.
The dairy, meat, and poultry line
The bill text we reviewed specifies that homemade food items that do not contain dairy, meat, or poultry must be sold by the producer to the consumer, whether in person or remotely, including by other specified means. That wording puts a clear focus on items without dairy, meat, or poultry. If your bakes use dairy, meat, or poultry, do not assume they are covered. Check the current state material first.
The guide on foods that cannot be sold under the cottage food law is a useful next read if you are sorting recipes. Keep your recipe list tight. Know which bakes use dairy and which do not. Then check the Tennessee wording for each one before you take a paying order.
How the sale has to happen
The bill text says covered homemade food items must be sold by the producer to the consumer, whether in person or remotely, including by other specified means. In plain words, the person who makes the food sells it to the person who eats it. The material we reviewed does not describe a reseller in the middle. If you take orders by text, phone, or your own shop, keep the sale between you and your customer.
That is also where a simple order page helps. You can show what you sell, take requests, and get paid without handing your customer to someone else. If you want a plain walk through the license question, read do I need a license to sell baked goods from home. It covers the general question, and this page covers the Tennessee wording.
What to confirm before you take orders
Start with the state page and the bill text linked below. Read the words that apply to your food, your kitchen, and the way you hand over the sale. The state page gives the common name of the law. The bill text gives the exemption wording and the dairy, meat, and poultry line. The Cottage Food Law Library page gives a short summary of how open the law is.
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When you are ready to price your bakes, the guide on baking ahead or later can help you think through timing. Keep your orders and your costs in one place, and keep a copy of the state material with your business notes. That way, when a question comes up, you can go straight to the source.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from home in Tennessee?
The material we reviewed describes homemade food items as exempt from state licensing, permitting, and inspection, except where the department is involved. Read the state page and bill text to confirm your own case.
What is the Tennessee Food Freedom Act?
It is the state's home food law. The state page says it is also called the Tennessee Cottage Food Law or the Cottage Food Industry Act.
Can I sell food with dairy, meat, or poultry?
The bill text we reviewed focuses on homemade food items that do not contain dairy, meat, or poultry. If your recipe uses any of those, check the current state material before you sell it.
Can I sell remotely in Tennessee?
The bill text says covered homemade food items must be sold by the producer to the consumer, whether in person or remotely, including by other specified means.
Is there a Tennessee cottage food license?
The law is described as an exemption from state licensing, permitting, and inspection, except where the department is involved. The material we reviewed does not describe a state cottage food license you apply for.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Read the state page and bill text for your own situation.