Home coffee business
Can you sell coffee from home in Arkansas?
Arkansas's Food Freedom Act (Act 1040) exempts most not potentially hazardous homemade food and drink from state licensing when sold directly to consumers. Black brewed coffee and nondairy drinks qualify; fresh dairy drinks fall outside the exemption.
Governing law: Arkansas Food Freedom Act (Act 1040)
How home coffee sales work in Arkansas
- Governing program
- Food Freedom Act (Act 1040)
- Who administers it
- Arkansas Dept. of Health
- What you need
- No permit for nonhazardous homemade food & drink sold direct
- Annual sales cap
- No annual cap
- Where you can sell
- Direct to consumers in Arkansas, home, farmers markets, events
- Food safety
- None required for covered direct sales
What you can sell from home
Black and nondairy drinks can be sold direct to consumers. Add fresh milk and the drink becomes “potentially hazardous,” which falls outside the exemption, so lattes still need more.
Facts reviewed July 28, 2026. Cottage food and food freedom laws change often and interact with local zoning and HOA rules. Confirm the current program, cap, and links before you sell.
What you can do
- Sell made to order black and nondairy coffee direct to Arkansas buyers
- Sell roasted beans, bags, and baked goods with no license
- Sell from home, farmers markets, and events
What you can't do
- Serve fresh dairy lattes without meeting separate dairy rules
- Sell for resale through stores or restaurants
- Sell across state lines
Read the official rules
Arkansas Dept. of Health, Cottage Food →Link last verified 2026-07-28.
General guidance only, not legal advice. Cottage food and food freedom laws change often and interact with local zoning and HOA rules. Confirm with your state agency and local zoning office before you sell.