the louisiana cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in louisiana, who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.

by tommy + omarchecked october 14, 2026

louisiana: no registration, a $100,000 sales cap, sell online, unclear on shipping within the state. tap any state to see its rules.

on this page

1at a glance 2what you can sell 3how to start 4where you can sell 5labels 6what’s changed 7good to know 8questions 9sources

the short answer

yes, you can sell homemade food from your home kitchen in louisiana without a license, permit or inspection. the cottage food law covers low-risk foods like breads, cakes, cookies, pies, candy, jams and pickles, as long as your sales stay under $100,000 a year. label each item to say it wasn’t made in a licensed or regulated facility, and register to collect sales tax with your parish. foods made with meat or seafood aren’t allowed.

louisiana cottage food rules at a glance

louisiana cottage food rules at a glance
the law	louisiana cottage food law (louisiana revised statutes 40:4.9 (low-risk foods; preparation in home for public consumption))
who runs it	louisiana department of health, office of public health (retail food program)
registration	no no state registration
kitchen inspection	no
training	no
yearly sales cap	under $100,000 a year
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yesthe law doesn’t limit where you sell.
selling online orders	yesthe law doesn’t mention online orders, and it doesn’t ban them.
selling delivering it yourself	yesthe law doesn’t limit delivery.
selling shipping within the state	unclearthe law doesn’t mention shipping. ask the louisiana department of health before you mail orders.
selling shipping to other states	unclearthe law doesn’t address it, and the state you ship to may not allow homemade food.
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedbreads, cakes, cookies and pies can’t be sold to stores or anyone who resells them. the law doesn’t say the same for other foods, like jams or candy.

what can you sell from home in louisiana?

you can sell

breads, cakes, cookies and pies
candy
cane syrup
dried mixes
honey and honeycomb
jams, jellies and preserves
pickles and acidified foods
sauces, syrups and spices

you can’t sell

meat pies
boudin, jerky or anything made with meat
seafood dishes like crawfish pies or seafood gumbo
foods made with cbd

these are examples, not the full list. check the louisiana department of health, office of public health (retail food program) before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in louisiana?

no state registration. louisiana doesn’t ask cottage food sellers to register with the state. check your city or county for local rules, like zoning or a business license.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways louisiana allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in louisiana?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yesthe law doesn’t limit where you sell.
online orders	yesthe law doesn’t mention online orders, and it doesn’t ban them.
delivering it yourself	yesthe law doesn’t limit delivery.
shipping within the state	unclearthe law doesn’t mention shipping. ask the louisiana department of health before you mail orders.
shipping to other states	unclearthe law doesn’t address it, and the state you ship to may not allow homemade food.
to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedbreads, cakes, cookies and pies can’t be sold to stores or anyone who resells them. the law doesn’t say the same for other foods, like jams or candy.

on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.

what goes on a cottage food label in louisiana?

the label also needs:

a clear statement that the food wasn’t made in a licensed or regulated facility
raw honey that hasn’t been pasteurized or filtered doesn’t need this label

what’s changed in louisiana, and what’s coming?

when	what
august 1, 2026	the sales cap went from $30,000 to $100,000 (act 801 of 2026)
august 1, 2022	the sales cap went from $20,000 to $30,000 (act 357 of 2022)

what else should you know in louisiana?

you need a current sales tax certificate from the parish sales tax collector where your sales happen.
if you bake breads, cakes, cookies or pies, you can’t hire anyone to help make them, and your kitchen has to meet a few basics: screens on outside openings, no pets where you bake, and perishable ingredients kept at 45 degrees or below.
for custard or cream-filled baked goods, the law says to use pasteurized milk, cook the filling to the equivalent of 145 degrees for 30 minutes, then chill it to 45 degrees or below.
the louisiana department of health has no cottage food guide. if you’re not sure a food qualifies, ask your regional sanitarian.

questions people ask

do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in louisiana?

no state registration is needed for cottage food in louisiana. check your city or county for local rules, like zoning or a business license.

can i sell cottage food online in louisiana?

yes. the law doesn’t mention online orders, and it doesn’t ban them.

can i ship cottage food in louisiana?

the rules aren’t clear on shipping within louisiana: the law doesn’t mention shipping. ask the louisiana department of health before you mail orders.

how much can i sell from home in louisiana?

up to under $100,000 a year.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in louisiana?

with limits: breads, cakes, cookies and pies can’t be sold to stores or anyone who resells them. the law doesn’t say the same for other foods, like jams or candy.

what can’t i sell from home in louisiana?

the usual no’s: meat pies, boudin, jerky or anything made with meat, seafood dishes like crawfish pies or seafood gumbo, foods made with cbd. check with the louisiana department of health, office of public health (retail food program) before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against louisiana’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the louisiana department of health, office of public health (retail food program) (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.

written by tommy + omar

we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story