Start a home kitchen in Tennessee

The steps, the costs, where to apply, and how to get inspection-ready — in Tennessee's own program terms.

Food freedom act

Sales cap: No sales cap — Tennessee law sets no gross-sales limit on homemade food items, and no cap change is scheduled.

Allowed foods: Allowed: essentially all foods made at the producer's private residence — non-TCS foods (baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, pickles, dried goods, etc.) AND time/temperature-controlled (TCS/perishable) foods, including pasteurized dairy products (butter, yogurt, cheese, cheesecake). Not allowed: alcoholic beverages and foods containing alcohol; unpasteurized milk and foods containing it; fish and shellfish products; meat, meat byproducts, and meat food products. Poultry products allowed only under the federal 1,000-bird exemption (9 C.F.R. 381.10(c)) or from a federally/state-inspected source (9 C.F.R. 381.10(d)).

The permit steps

1. No permit, license, or inspection is required — the Tennessee Department of Agriculture does not issue permits or inspect homemade-food kitchens.
2. No food-safety training is mandated by the statute.
3. The TN Department of Health may access your kitchen only during a reported foodborne-illness investigation.
4. Comply with applicable local business licenses and tax laws (the act does not exempt producers from tax law).

How it works, start to finish

1. Confirm production happens at your private residence, by you or under your direct supervision.
2. Check your product against the exclusions — no alcohol, no unpasteurized milk, no fish/shellfish, no meat; poultry only under the federal exemptions.
3. If making perishable (TCS) foods, keep them at safe temperatures during transport and plan to sell them in person (by you or your agent).
4. Label every item with your name, home address, and phone number; the product's common name; ingredients in descending order of predominance; and the statement: 'This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.'
5. Sell only within Tennessee — no sales across state lines.
6. Handle any local business license and sales-tax obligations (the act does not exempt you from tax law).
7. There is no state permit, license, inspection, or training to obtain — you can start once labeled.

Where to apply in Tennessee

Official sources — start with the agency or department that runs Tennessee's program:

• Tennessee Department of Agriculture — Tennessee Food Freedom Act
• TN General Assembly — HB 130/SB 484 bill text, 114th General Assembly (amends TCA 53-1-102 and 53-1-118)
• UT Extension — current text of T.C.A. § 53-1-118 (via tncourts.gov Tennessee Code, current through 2025 Regular Session)

Inspection prep (general)