Cottage food laws in Franklin County, MO
Franklin County, Missouri — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
Franklin County is a county in Missouri (pop. 104,858). Under Missouri's Great-tier cottage food law (sales cap: None), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: No. Start with Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Franklin County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Franklin County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. State baseline governs. Franklin County is in the St. Louis exurban area. No county-specific overrides found. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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Franklin County cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in Missouri, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Franklin County.
County PDFTier: Great
Missouri's cottage food law is permissive (Great tier) — high or no sales cap, broad product list, and multiple sales channels allowed. The state baseline is workable for full-time operations; the county still controls zoning and inspection.
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 Franklin County
State baseline: Mo. Rev. Stat. §196.298
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Missouri primary statute (§196.298) allows only: nonperishable baked goods (cookies, cakes, breads, danish, donuts, pastries, pies), canned jams and jellies, and dried herbs and herb mixes. No sales cap. No registration required. Direct-to-consumer at home and via online/in-state shipping permitted. Missouri prohibits local health departments from regulating cottage food.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- No specific state restriction.
- Water supply
- No specific state requirement beyond standard sanitation.
- Handwashing
- Standard handwashing practices required.
- Food storage
- Only baked goods, canned jams/jellies, and dried herbs under §196.298. All other food types prohibited.
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No routine inspections. Missouri statute prohibits local health departments from regulating cottage food operations.
- Home occupation permit
- Conditional
- Permit details
- Union and other municipalities in Franklin County may have home occupation zoning requirements. No specific Franklin County cottage food ordinance identified.
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct-to-consumer at home and via online/in-state shipping. Farmers markets, events, restaurants, retail stores, roadside stands prohibited under §196.298.
- Max employees in home
- Not specified in state statute.
- Relevant code section
- No specific Franklin County code section identified. State law governs: Mo. Rev. Stat. §196.298.
State baseline governs. Franklin County is in the St. Louis exurban area. No county-specific overrides found.
Missouri Revised Statutes §196.298 - Definitions; Cottage Food Production Operation Not Deemed Food Service Establishment; No State or Local Regulation (Title XII, Chapter 196)
Full Missouri state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt196.298. Definitions — operation not deemed food service establishment, when — no state or local regulation. — 1. As used in this section, the following terms shall mean: (1) "Baked good", includes cookies, cakes, breads, danish, donuts, pastries, pies, and other items that are prepared by baking the item in an oven. A baked good does not include a potentially hazardous food item as defined by department rule; (2) "Cottage food production operation", an individual operation out of the individual's home who: (a) Produces a baked good, a canned jam or jelly, or a dried herb or herb mix for sale at the individual's home; and (b) Sells the food produced under paragraph (a) of this subdivision only directly to consumers; (3) "Department", the department of health and senior services; (4) "Home", a primary residence that contains a kitchen and appliances designed for common residential usage. 2. A cottage food production operation is not a food service establishment and shall not be subject to any health or food code laws or regulations of the state or department other than this section and rules promulgated thereunder for a cottage food production operation. 3. (1) A local health department shall not regulate the production of food at a cottage food production operation. (2) Each local health department and the department shall maintain a record of a complaint made by a person against a cottage food production operation. 4. The department shall promulgate rules requiring a cottage food production operation to label all of the foods described in this section which the operation intends to sell to consumers. The label shall include the name and address of the cottage food production operation and a statement that the food is not inspected by the department or local health department. 5. A cottage food production operation shall not sell any foods described in this section through the internet unless both the cottage food production operation and the purchaser are located in this state. 6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the authority of the department of health and senior services or local health departments to conduct an investigation of a food-borne disease or outbreak.
Source: revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=196.298 →
Franklin County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Franklin County, Missouri?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Missouri primary statute (§196.298) allows only: nonperishable baked goods (cookies, cakes, breads, danish, donuts, pastries, pies), canned jams and jellies, and dried herbs and herb mixes. No sales cap. No registration required. Direct-to-consumer at home and via online/in-state shipping permitted. Missouri prohibits local health departments from regulating cottage food.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Franklin County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No routine inspections. Missouri statute prohibits local health departments from regulating cottage food operations..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Franklin County?
Home occupation permit: Conditional. Union and other municipalities in Franklin County may have home occupation zoning requirements. No specific Franklin County cottage food ordinance identified.
What is the Missouri cottage food sales cap?
Missouri state law caps cottage food sales at None. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Franklin County rules
Franklin County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Franklin County This county | Jefferson County | St. Charles County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Conditional |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | No specific state restriction. | No explicit state-level pet restriction for cottage food operations under Missouri law. Standard sanitation practices recommended. | No specific state restriction; standard food safety practices apply. |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct-to-consumer at home and via online/in-state shipping. Farmers markets, events, restaurants, retail stores, roadside stands prohibite… | Missouri cottage food law allows direct-to-consumer sales from home, online (in-state shipping as of 2022 amendment, HB 1697), and at event… | Direct sales only from home under §196.298 (no farmers markets, events, restaurants, or retail stores). Online/in-state shipping permitted … |
| Home occupation permit | Conditional | Yes | Yes |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Yes |
| Restrictions | Missouri primary statute (§196.298) allows only: nonperishable baked goods (cookies, cakes, breads, danish, donuts, pastries, pies), canned… | Missouri state law (§196.298) permits home kitchen production of nonperishable baked goods, canned jams/jellies, and dried herbs. Jefferson… | Missouri cottage food law (Mo. Rev. Stat. §196.298) allows nonperishable baked goods (cookies, cakes, breads, danish, donuts, pastries, pie… |
| Food storage | Only baked goods, canned jams/jellies, and dried herbs under §196.298. All other food types prohibited. | Products must be properly stored to prevent contamination. No state-mandated specific storage requirements for cottage food. | Non-perishable baked goods, canned jams/jellies, dried herbs only. No TCS foods. |
| Population | 104,858 | 226,984 | 406,262 |
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