Home food business guide · Last reviewed October 2026
Cottage Food Laws in Tennessee
Tennessee has no annual sales cap on most home food sales (No cap). No state food permit is required for cottage food, though local requirements may still apply. Some foods that need refrigeration are allowed, with conditions, which is less common. Of the 40 common products in our finder, 31 can be made in a home kitchen in Tennessee, many with conditions.
Tennessee's Food Freedom Act takes a very hands-off approach: no license, no permit, no inspection, and no sales cap. Since July 2025, most foods that need refrigeration can also be sold in person, as long as they are kept below 41°F.
With less oversight, more of the responsibility for food safety falls on the producer, and the state cannot advise on specific products. Canned goods are allowed, but tomato products sit near pH 4.6, the threshold for botulism risk, so a tested recipe is essential. Garlic in oil is not specifically excluded here, but it carries the same risk. In Tennessee, the law sets few limits, which makes understanding the chemistry of a product even more important.
Quick facts
Sales cap
No cap
Permit or registration
None
Online & shipping
Online for non-TCS foods; Tennessee only
Sell through stores
Non-TCS foods through stores; no restaurants
Refrigerated & TCS foods
Yes, most TCS foods since July 2025, sold in person
Quick facts are summarized from 50-state trackers (Ardent Seller, reviewed October 1, 2026, cross-checked with PermitDeck and Food Business Pros). Where the details below differ, follow the state sources listed at the bottom of this page and confirm with the agency.
How 40 common products are treated in Tennessee, with the condition or reason for each. Items marked "general rule" weren't specifically addressed in the state's guidance.
Allowed from a home kitchen
Sourdough bread. Non-TCS foods like baked goods are allowed.
Home-cooked meals. Meals without meat or seafood can qualify as TCS food sold in person. Poultry is allowed only from inspected sources or small exempt flocks.
Cheese & yogurt. Raw milk is excluded. Products from pasteurized milk are TCS foods, sold in person only.
Cold-pressed juice. Not excluded, but fresh juice is a TCS food with special federal rules.
How to start selling from home
Make sure the product isn't excluded: alcohol, fish and shellfish, meat, or raw milk. Poultry is allowed only under narrow rules.
No license, permit, or inspection is needed. TDA can't advise on specific products.
Make and package food in your own home and sell only in Tennessee.
TCS foods must stay below 41°F and be sold in person, directly to the consumer. Non-TCS foods can also be sold online or through stores.
Label every product or post a placard (see the checklist below).
Legal paths
Food Freedom Act
Where
Your private residence
Sell
In Tennessee only. Non-TCS foods: in person, online, or through stores. TCS foods: in person, directly to consumers. Not to restaurants, food trucks, or caterers.
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
None
Commercial kitchen
Where
A permitted commercial kitchen
Sell
Wholesale, restaurants, and meat or seafood products
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
TDA food manufacturing permit; usually FDA registration
Commercial canning
Where
Licensed commercial facility
Sell
Canned foods sold wholesale or out of state
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
TDA permit, process authority review, FDA scheduled-process filing
Label requirements
Required under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act. Use a label or placard; for online sales of non-TCS foods, post it on the website.
“This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”. Plus a statement that the product may contain allergens.
Producer's name, home address, and phone number
Common or usual name of the product
Ingredients in descending order by weight. Include sub-ingredients.
The nine major allergens identified. Milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame.
TCS foods: “Keep Refrigerated”. Recommended.
No health claims
Turning a recipe into a product?
Mendocino Food Consulting helps food entrepreneurs with food science, formulation, and process questions. We are food scientists, not attorneys, and we don't provide legal advice.