LegalToOpen

Cottage Food Laws in Louisiana

Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify

Yes. In Louisiana you can make certain "low-risk" foods at home and sell them without following the state Sanitary Code's rules on equipment, kitchen design and construction. Since August 1, 2026, this works only while your gross (total) sales stay under $100,000 a year. Every item needs a label saying it was not made in a licensed or regulated facility, and you need a sales tax certificate from the parish where you sell. Meat and fish are not allowed. Home bakers of breads, cakes, cookies and pies must follow the baking rules written into the law, and lose the exemption if they employ anyone to help.[1][3]

At a glance

Permit neededThe law sets up no health permit or inspection for home sellers. You do need a parish sales tax certificate.[1]
Sales capUnder $100,000 a year in gross sales (it was under $30,000 before August 1, 2026)[3]
Foods allowedBaked goods, candies, cane syrup, dried mixes, honey, jams and jellies, pickles and acidified foods, sauces and syrups, and spices. None may consist of meat or fish.[1]
Label statementA label that clearly says the food was not made in a licensed or regulated facility. The law sets no exact wording. Raw honey that is not pasteurized, filtered or processed to remove its pollen does not need it.[1]
BakersHome bakers of breads, cakes, cookies and pies must follow the law's baking sanitation rules, cannot sell to stores or anyone else for resale, and lose the exemption if they employ anyone to help[1]
AgencyLouisiana Department of Health (state Sanitary Code); your parish sales tax collector for the tax certificate[1]

Step by step

Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.

  1. Check that your food is on the low-risk list

    The law lists nine kinds of low-risk food: baked goods (breads, cakes, cookies and pies), candies, cane syrup, dried mixes, honey and honeycomb products, jams, jellies and preserves, pickles and acidified foods (foods made safe by adding acid, such as vinegar), sauces and syrups, and spices. None of them may consist of meat, poultry or fish (the law says "animal muscle protein or fish protein"). Foods containing CBD (cannabidiol) are not allowed unless the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves CBD as a food additive.[1]

  2. Get a sales tax certificate from the parish where you sell

    Before you sell, register to collect local sales tax with the sales and use tax collector for the parish where you will sell, and keep a current sales tax certificate. If you sell in more than one parish, ask each parish's collector what they need.[1]

  3. If you bake, set up your kitchen to the baking rules

    Breads, cakes, cookies and pies have extra rules. Protect all outside openings (doors, windows) against flies and pests, and keep rats, mice and roaches out of the building. Keep pets out of the area where you bake. Keep equipment clean and sanitary, keep perishable ingredients at 45°F or colder, and clean and sanitize food contact surfaces after each day's baking. For custard or cream fillings, use only pasteurized milk, cook the filling to at least 145°F for 30 minutes, move it straight into sanitized, covered containers and chill it quickly to 45°F or below, keep it there until used, don't use cloth filling bags, and do not touch it with your hands after cooking. Employing anyone to help with the baking takes you out of the exemption.[1]

  4. Label every item

    Put a label on everything you sell that clearly says the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility. The law does not give exact wording, so say it plainly, for example "Made in a home kitchen that is not licensed or regulated." Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, filtered or processed to remove its natural pollen does not need this label.[1]

  5. Sell, and keep your sales under the cap

    Keep track of your gross sales. Once they reach $100,000 in a year, the home exemption no longer applies to you. If you bake breads, cakes, cookies or pies, sell to the public only, not to shops or anyone who will resell them.[1][3]

What you can and can't sell[1]

Allowed

  • Baked goods, including breads, cakes, cookies and pies
  • Candies
  • Cane syrup
  • Dried mixes
  • Honey and honeycomb products
  • Jams, jellies and preserves
  • Pickles and acidified foods
  • Sauces and syrups
  • Spices

Not allowed

  • Foods consisting of meat, poultry or other animal muscle protein
  • Foods consisting of fish
  • Foods containing CBD (cannabidiol), unless the FDA approves it as a food additive

Local rules

These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.

Recent changes

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit or inspection from the health department?

The law sets up no health permit or inspection for home sellers of low-risk foods, and the Sanitary Code's equipment and kitchen rules do not apply to them. Home bakers must still follow the baking rules written into the law, and a baker who employs anyone to help loses the exemption. Besides labelling every item, what you must get is a sales tax certificate from the parish where you sell.[1]

What is the sales limit now?

Since August 1, 2026, your gross sales must stay under $100,000 a year. Before that the limit was $30,000. Once you reach the limit, the home exemption stops applying.[3]

Can I sell my cookies or cakes in a coffee shop or store?

No. If you make breads, cakes, cookies or pies at home, you cannot sell them to a store or to anyone who will resell them. You sell to the customer yourself.[1]

Can I hire someone to help me bake?

Not if you want to keep the home exemption. A home baker of breads, cakes, cookies or pies who employs anyone to help make them loses the exemption from the Sanitary Code's equipment and kitchen rules.[1]

Can I sell cream pies or custard-filled pastries?

Yes, as long as you follow the custard rules: use only pasteurized milk, cook the filling to at least 145°F for 30 minutes, chill it to 45°F or below right away and keep it there until you use it, and don't touch it with your hands after cooking.[1]

Can I make cane syrup outdoors in a kettle?

Yes. For cane syrup, "the home" also includes an open-sided structure on private property that shelters a cast iron kettle, evaporator or other traditional syrup equipment.[1]

Can I sell online or ship my food?

The home food law (R.S. 40:4.9) does not mention online sales, delivery or shipping. Ask the Louisiana Department of Health before you ship, especially across state lines.

Sources

  1. La. R.S. 40:4.9, Low-risk foods; preparation in home for public consumption, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026. On 2026-10-25 this codified text still showed the old $30,000 limit in Subsection B and listed amendments only up to Acts 2022, No. 357. Act 801 of 2026 replaced it with $100,000 from August 1, 2026.
  2. Act No. 801 (HB 403), 2026 Regular Session, enrolled text, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  3. Résumé Digest, Act 801 (HB 403), 2026 Regular Session, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  4. Bill history: HB 403, 2026 Regular Session, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  5. Act No. 357 (HB 828), 2022 Regular Session, enrolled text, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  6. Bill history: HB 828, 2022 Regular Session, Louisiana State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.