Cottage food laws in St. Tammany Parish, LA
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
St. Tammany Parish is a parish in Louisiana (pop. 266,168). Under Louisiana's Okay-tier cottage food law (sales cap: 30000), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this parish. Registration path: No. Start with Louisiana Department of Health (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm St. Tammany Parish health and planning requirements. Local notes for St. Tammany Parish: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit required. St. Tammany Parish follows Louisiana state cottage food law (La. Parish requires home occupation permit and business license. CityRuleLookup references RS 40:4.14 which may reflect a newer section number. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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St. Tammany Parish cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in Louisiana, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for St. Tammany Parish.
County PDFTier: Okay
Louisiana has an Okay-tier cottage food law — meaningful sales caps and/or limited channels. Operable for a side business, but you'll likely outgrow the rules if you want to go full-time.
View state law →Health department
Many states delegate cottage food registration and inspection to the county health department. Contact theirs for the local process.
Home occupation rules
The county or city zoning code governs whether you can run a home-based food business — customer visits, signage, employees, floor area.
Home kitchen, inspection, and zoning rules for St. Tammany Parish
State baseline: La. R.S. §40:4.13
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Low-risk non-TCS foods only; $30,000 annual sales cap (raised from $20,000 by HB 828, Act 357, 2022). Sales tax certificate from parish of sale required before selling. Pets must be excluded from food preparation areas. No employees may assist in production of certain baked goods categories.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- Pets must be excluded from preparation areas during production
- Water supply
- Potable water supply required
- Handwashing
- Basic food safety handwashing practices required
- Food storage
- Non-TCS; refrigerated ingredients must be held at 45°F or below; finished products must be shelf-stable
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No routine inspection required; state law does not require inspection for cottage food
- Home occupation permit
- Yes
- Permit details
- St. Tammany Parish allows home occupations as accessory use in residential zones. Business license and home occupation permit typically required. Business must be secondary to residential use. No external signage, typically no on-site employees, limited customer visits. Cities of Covington, Slidell, and Mandeville have city-specific rules that may differ.
- Local business license
- Yes
- On-site customer pickup
- Conditional
- On-site signage
- No
- Delivery / pickup
- Some indirect sales allowed for most low-risk foods; the four named baked-goods categories (breads/cakes/cookies/pies) have stricter direct-only rules. Sales tax certificate required.
- Max employees in home
- No employees may assist in production of breads, cakes, cookies, or pies categories
- Relevant code section
- La. R.S. §40:4.9 (cottage food statute); St. Tammany Parish Zoning Ordinance (home occupation provisions)
St. Tammany Parish follows Louisiana state cottage food law (La. Parish requires home occupation permit and business license. CityRuleLookup references RS 40:4.14 which may reflect a newer section number.
Louisiana Revised Statutes §40:4.9 — Low-Risk Foods; Preparation in Home for Public Consumption (operative provision; §40:4.13 citation in input may reference a related or renamed section)
Full Louisiana state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt§4.9. Low-risk foods; preparation in home for public consumption A.(1)(a) No provision of the state Sanitary Code or any provision of any other law or regulation that requires any equipment, design, construction, utensils, supplies, preparation, or services shall apply to the preparation of low-risk foods, as defined in Subsection E of this Section, in the home for sale. [...] This Section shall not be construed to allow the sale or distribution of any unwholesome food. B. This Section shall not apply to any preparer of low-risk foods made at a home for sale, whose gross annual sales equal thirty thousand dollars or more. C. No individual who prepares breads, cakes, cookies, or pies in the home for sale to the public pursuant to this Section shall sell such foods to any retail business or individual for resale. D.(1)(a) [...] any individual who prepares low-risk foods in the home for sale, as authorized by this Section, shall affix to any such food offered for sale a label which clearly indicates that the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility. (2) No individual who prepares low-risk foods in the home shall sell such foods unless he is registered to collect any local sales and use taxes [...] E. For purposes of this Section, "low-risk foods" shall include all of the following, none of which shall consist of any animal muscle protein or fish protein: (1) Baked goods, including breads, cakes, cookies, and pies. (2) Candies. (3) Cane syrup. (4) Dried mixes. (5) Honey and honeycomb products. (6) Jams, jellies, and preserves. (7) Pickles and acidified foods. (8) Sauces and syrups. (9) Spices. F. No preparer of low-risk foods pursuant to this Section shall sell any food containing cannabidiol unless the United States Food and Drug Administration approves cannabidiol as a food additive.
Source: legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=98431 →
St. Tammany Parish cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Low-risk non-TCS foods only; $30,000 annual sales cap (raised from $20,000 by HB 828, Act 357, 2022). Sales tax certificate from parish of sale required before selling. Pets must be excluded from food preparation areas. No employees may assist in production of certain baked goods categories.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in St. Tammany Parish?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No routine inspection required; state law does not require inspection for cottage food.
Do I need a home occupation permit in St. Tammany Parish?
Home occupation permit: Yes. St. Tammany Parish allows home occupations as accessory use in residential zones. Business license and home occupation permit typically required. Business must be secondary to residential use. No external signage, typically no on-site employees, limited customer visits. Cities of Covington, Slidell, and Mandeville have city-specific rules that may differ.
What is the Louisiana cottage food sales cap?
Louisiana state law caps cottage food sales at 30000. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify St. Tammany Parish rules
St. Tammany Parish vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | St. Tammany Parish This county | Orleans Parish | Jefferson Parish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Conditional | Conditional |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | Pets must be excluded from preparation areas during production | Pets excluded from bakery area during production of breads, cakes, cookies, and pies. | Pets excluded from bakery area during production of breads, cakes, cookies, and pies. |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Conditional | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | No | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Some indirect sales allowed for most low-risk foods; the four named baked-goods categories (breads/cakes/cookies/pies) have stricter direct… | Direct-to-consumer sales. Most low-risk foods (except baked goods) may also be sold indirectly. Baked goods (breads/cakes/cookies/pies) are… | Direct-to-consumer sales. Most low-risk foods (except baked goods) may also be sold indirectly. Baked goods (breads/cakes/cookies/pies) are… |
| Home occupation permit | Yes | Conditional | Conditional |
| Local business license | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Restrictions | Low-risk non-TCS foods only; $30,000 annual sales cap (raised from $20,000 by HB 828, Act 357, 2022). Sales tax certificate from parish of … | Louisiana allows low-risk foods prepared at home for sale under La. R.S. §40:4.9. No state permit required. Annual gross sales cap $30,000.… | Louisiana allows low-risk foods prepared at home for sale under La. R.S. §40:4.9. No state permit required. Annual gross sales cap $30,000.… |
| Food storage | Non-TCS; refrigerated ingredients must be held at 45°F or below; finished products must be shelf-stable | Perishable ingredients refrigerated at 45°F or below. Non-TCS finished products. | Perishable ingredients refrigerated at 45°F or below. Non-TCS finished products. |
| Population | 266,168 | 380,408 | 436,171 |
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