Kansas has one of the most permissive cottage food frameworks in the country: no license, no permit, no registration, and no sales cap. But there's one thing you can't skip, and a lot of vendors miss it: you still have to collect and remit Kansas sales tax. Here's how Kansas works.
The short version: Kansas lets you sell home-produced non-perishable foods with no license, no permit, no registration, no sales cap, and no required training. You can even ship within the rules. The one requirement people overlook: cottage food vendors must register with the Kansas Department of Revenue and collect sales tax, even though the food itself needs no permit. Temperature-controlled and prepared foods need a Kansas Department of Agriculture food establishment license. Vendors inside Kansas City, Missouri limits deal with a separate city permit.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking Kansas orders, pickups, and payments easy.
Kansas sits alongside Wyoming as having the broadest cottage food framework in the country. You can sell home-produced, non-potentially-hazardous foods with no license, no permit, no registration, and no sales cap. There's no required food safety training under state law, and you can sell any amount.
You can sell direct to consumers at farmers markets, roadside stands, home pickup, delivery, pop-ups, events, fairs, and online, and internet sales including shipping are allowed (subject to the receiving state's rules). Selling wholesale to retailers is the one step up that requires a Kansas Department of Agriculture food processor license. Products need a label with the product name, your name and address, ingredients, net quantity, and allergen disclosures. For the full list and rules, see our Kansas cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in Kansas.
Here's the requirement that catches Kansas vendors off guard. Even though the food needs no permit, cottage food vendors must collect Kansas sales tax and register with the Kansas Department of Revenue. All retail sellers must register regardless of volume.
Food and food ingredients are taxed at a reduced state rate, while prepared foods are taxed at the full rate, plus local rates on top. So the food side is permit-free, but the tax side isn't optional. Handle your sales tax registration before your first market.
If you sell temperature-controlled or specially processed foods (meats, dairy, prepared hot foods, cream-filled items), you need a Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) food establishment license. Kansas doesn't have a state temporary food permit for market vendors who need a license; they need the full food establishment license. Vendors inside Kansas City, Missouri city limits get their permit from the KCMO Health Department instead.
There's no separate statewide sampling permit for farmers markets. Local cities and counties may have their own rules, so check locally if you plan to offer samples.
Start at the official sources: the KDA farmers markets page for the food rules, and the Kansas Department of Revenue sales tax guide for the tax registration.
No food permit, license, or registration is required for cottage food, and there's no sales cap. But you must register with the Kansas Department of Revenue and collect sales tax. Temperature-controlled and prepared foods need a KDA food establishment license.
No. Kansas has no sales cap, no license, no permit, and no registration for cottage food, making it one of the most permissive states alongside Wyoming. You can sell any amount.
Yes, and this is the step people miss. Even though the food needs no permit, cottage food vendors must register with the Kansas Department of Revenue and collect sales tax. All retail sellers register regardless of volume.
Yes. Kansas allows internet sales including shipping, subject to the receiving state's rules. Selling wholesale to retailers, however, requires a KDA food processor license.
For temperature-controlled or specially processed foods (meats, dairy, hot prepared foods, cream-filled items), you need a KDA food establishment license. Cottage foods need no license.
Kansas is about as permissive as it gets for cottage food: no license, no cap, no registration, and you can even ship. Just don't skip the sales tax registration, which applies even to permit-free food. Temperature-controlled foods need a KDA license, and Kansas City has its own city layer. Once you're cleared to sell, a simple storefront makes pickups and payments easy. Set up a Homegrown storefront for $10/month at 0% commission, and check other states on our farmers market vendor permits by state guide.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules change. Verify current requirements with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Department of Revenue before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
