Kansas City, MO Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

Missouri's cottage food law allows home-based producers to sell non-potentially-hazardous foods (shelf-stable baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, dried herbs, and certain honey products) directly to consumers from their home, at farmers markets, roadside stands, and online or phone order with delivery, up to 50,000 dollars in gross annual sales. Products must be labeled with producer name, address, ingredients, and a prominent statement that the food was prepared in a home kitchen not inspected by the state. No state license or kitchen inspection is required below the 50,000 dollar threshold. Kansas City imposes no additional municipal cottage food license, but operators still need a general home occupation permit if selling from the home, and must comply with zoning limits on signage and traffic. Meat, seafood, dairy, low-acid canned goods, and refrigerated items are not covered and require full commercial kitchen licensing. Farmers markets (Kansas City River Market, Brookside, Waldo) often require their own vendor agreements on top of state law.