This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permit and tax rules change, and your situation may differ. Always confirm current requirements with the official state agency linked in this guide, and consult a licensed attorney or tax professional for advice about your specific business.Last verified against official state sources: 2026-06-12
No permit, license, registration, or fee; no routine inspection (MSDH may enter only on a complaint). Products must be made and stored in the kitchen of your private home; outbuildings and rented kitchens are not allowed, and home equipment is fine.
None required, though MSDH highly encourages it for anyone making acidified or pickled products because of botulism risk.
Non-potentially-hazardous foods on MSDH's list: cream-free baked goods, candy, chocolate-covered pretzels and nuts, dried fruit (no melons), dried pasta, spices, dry mixes, granola, fruit pies, standard jams and jellies, popcorn, vinegar and mustard, waffle cones, and acidified pickled products at pH 4.6 or below. A genuine Mississippi quirk: chocolate-covered strawberries and caramel apples are allowed only with whole uncut fruit sold without the stick inserted (the customer adds it after purchase).
Meat, fish, poultry, dairy (including custard pies), cooked vegetables, sliced melons, garlic in oil, nut butters, juices, rice, low-acid canned foods, sugar-free jams, and all beverages and liquid foods (home water sources cannot be verified as potable). Catering is not permitted.
In-person, producer-to-end-consumer sales within Mississippi only: craft fairs, farmers markets, festivals, roadside stands, and home pickup, with you present to sell. Since 2020 you may advertise online including social media, but the sale itself must complete in person; internet sales, mail order, shipping, wholesale, retail, and consignment are all prohibited.
Annual sales cap: $35,000 in gross annual sales (raised from $20,000 in 2020; bills to raise it further died in 2024, 2025, and 2026, so it remains current).
Prepackaged with a label: operation name and address, product name, ingredients by weight, net weight or volume, federal allergen info (tree nuts by specific type), nutrition info if claims are made, and in at least 10-point contrasting type: 'Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.'
Mississippi taxes groceries, though the rate dropped from 7 to 5 percent in July 2025 for SNAP-eligible foods (7 percent otherwise). The useful break: Mississippi-made food products sold at farmers markets certified by the Department of Agriculture and Commerce are sales-tax exempt, so check a market's certification; craft fair sales generally need DOR registration and tax collection.
Check your city (or county if outside city limits) for business license requirements; the state law does not preempt local zoning, licensing, or tax rules.
Non-compliant operations are treated as illegal food establishments subject to closure plus fines up to $1,000, and refusing MSDH entry for a complaint inspection is grounds for action.
Selling non-food crafts too? See the Mississippi craft fair permit and sales tax guide.
Yes, under Mississippi Cottage Food Law (Miss. Code 75-29-951, amended by HB 326 effective July 1, 2020). No permit, license, registration, or fee; no routine inspection (MSDH may enter only on a complaint). Products must be made and stored in the kitchen of your private home; outbuildings and rented kitchens are not allowed, and home equipment is fine.
Non-potentially-hazardous foods on MSDH's list: cream-free baked goods, candy, chocolate-covered pretzels and nuts, dried fruit (no melons), dried pasta, spices, dry mixes, granola, fruit pies, standard jams and jellies, popcorn, vinegar and mustard, waffle cones, and acidified pickled products at pH 4.6 or below. A genuine Mississippi quirk: chocolate-covered strawberries and caramel apples are allowed only with whole uncut fruit sold without the stick inserted (the customer adds it after purchase). Meat, fish, poultry, dairy (including custard pies), cooked vegetables, sliced melons, garlic in oil, nut butters, juices, rice, low-acid canned foods, sugar-free jams, and all beverages and liquid foods (home water sources cannot be verified as potable). Catering is not permitted.
Yes: $35,000 in gross annual sales (raised from $20,000 in 2020; bills to raise it further died in 2024, 2025, and 2026, so it remains current).
In-person, producer-to-end-consumer sales within Mississippi only: craft fairs, farmers markets, festivals, roadside stands, and home pickup, with you present to sell. Since 2020 you may advertise online including social media, but the sale itself must complete in person; internet sales, mail order, shipping, wholesale, retail, and consignment are all prohibited.
Prepackaged with a label: operation name and address, product name, ingredients by weight, net weight or volume, federal allergen info (tree nuts by specific type), nutrition info if claims are made, and in at least 10-point contrasting type: 'Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations.'
Mississippi taxes groceries, though the rate dropped from 7 to 5 percent in July 2025 for SNAP-eligible foods (7 percent otherwise). The useful break: Mississippi-made food products sold at farmers markets certified by the Department of Agriculture and Commerce are sales-tax exempt, so check a market's certification; craft fair sales generally need DOR registration and tax collection.
Browse upcoming craft fairs and markets in Mississippi with booth fees and application deadlines, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan a profitable season.
Last verified: 2026-06-12. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.