Can you sell backyard eggs in Benin?
Benin's 2022 hygiene law bans selling food not controlled by the competent services; opening a food establishment needs a salubrity certificate (unclear for home egg sellers). No egg licence rule was found.
Read from 3 official sources19 passages quotedChecked October 30, 2026
At a glance
License
Not stated
Small-flock line
No small-seller rule found in the national texts read
Farmers markets
Not stated
Cartons
Not stated
In plain English
No licence, registration or small-seller rule specific to eggs was found in the national texts read. Under the 2022 public hygiene law, any application to open an establishment for producing, handling or storing food must include a public salubrity certificate issued by the competent services, on conditions set by a regulatory act (Art. 104); that act was not found, and whether a household selling eggs is such an establishment was not established. Anyone assigned to handling food is subject to medical visits every half-year (Art. 88).
A sourced reading of the rules in Benin, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the services of the ministries in charge of health, agriculture, livestock and fisheries before you sell.
Do you need a license?
Where you can sell
From home or the farm
No rule specific to selling eggs from home was found in the national texts read. The 2022 public hygiene law prohibits producing, marketing or distributing spoiled, expired or falsified food, or food not controlled by the competent services (Art. 90); which controls apply to eggs was not found. Under the 2005 zoosanitary decree, eggs from farms contaminated with avian pseudo-plague may not be marketed (Art. 69), and eggs from farms contaminated with plague or highly pathogenic avian influenza may be neither eaten nor marketed (Art. 73).
Farmers markets
No market rule specific to egg sellers was found in the national texts read. The Art. 90 ban in the 2022 hygiene law is not limited to any place of sale. Under the 2021 territorial administration code, the commune organises the management and control of markets (Art. 250) and sees to food hygiene (Art. 41). Local market rules were not surveyed.
Stores and restaurants
No rule on shops or restaurants buying eggs from small sellers was found in the national texts read.
Also check with: The commune, which organises the management and control of markets (Law 2021-14, Art. 250)
Cartons, labels and handling
Cartons
The sources we read don't set a carton rule.
Refrigeration
No storage temperature for eggs was found in the national texts read. The 2022 public hygiene law requires the preparation, packing, transport, storage, display and keeping of food to avoid any contamination or spoilage (Art. 92), without giving a figure.
The label must show
The sources we read don't list label items for small producers.
Grading
Not stated in the sources we read.
Washing
Not stated in the sources we read.
Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.
Common questions
- Can I sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Benin, and do I need a license?
- Benin's 2022 hygiene law bans selling food not controlled by the competent services; opening a food establishment needs a salubrity certificate (unclear for home egg sellers). No egg licence rule was found. Small-flock line: no small-seller rule found in the national texts read. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
- Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Benin?
- Not stated in the sources we read. No market rule specific to egg sellers was found in the national texts read. The Art. 90 ban in the 2022 hygiene law is not limited to any place of sale. Under the 2021 territorial administration code, the commune organises the management and control of markets (Art. 250) and sees to food hygiene (Art. 41). Local market rules were not surveyed. Also check with the commune, which organises the management and control of markets (Law 2021-14, Art. 250).
- Can I reuse egg cartons in Benin?
- The sources we read do not say; ask the services of the ministries in charge of health, agriculture, livestock and fisheries before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
- What has to be on the carton label in Benin?
- The sources we read do not list label items for small producers.
- Do eggs I sell in Benin have to be kept cold?
- In short: No storage temperature for eggs was found in the national texts read. The 2022 public hygiene law requires the preparation, packing, transport, storage, display and keeping of food to avoid any contamination or spoilage (Art. 92), without giving a figure.
- Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2022-04 du 16 février 2022 sur l'hygiène publique en République du Bénin
- Loi n° 2021-14, Arts 41, 250 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2021-14 du 20 décembre 2021 portant code de l'administration territoriale en République du Bénin
- Loi n° 2018-20, Art. 3 (Government Secretariat copy; read for its scope only) · Loi n° 2018-20 du 23 avril 2019 portant code pastoral en République du Bénin
- Loi n° 2022-14, Arts 1, 59, 60 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · Loi n° 2022-14 du 19 juillet 2022 portant orientation agricole, sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle en République du Bénin
- Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · Décret n° 2005-637 du 13 octobre 2005 portant règlement zoosanitaire des maladies animales à déclaration obligatoire en République du Bénin
- Services of the ministries in charge of health, agriculture, livestock and fisheries · Food hygiene control (Law 2022-04 on public hygiene)
Read the 19 passages this page is built on
“LOI N° 2022 – 04 DU 16 FEVRIER 2022”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“sur l'hygiène publique en République du Bénin.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Fait à Cotonou, le 16 février 2022”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 85 : La surveillance et le contrôle de l'hygiène des denrées alimentaires sont assurés par les services compétents des ministères en charge de la santé, de l'agriculture, de l'élevage et de la pêche et d'autres services techniques publics ou privés concernés.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 88 : Toute personne affectée à la manipulation des denrées alimentaires est soumise à des visites médicales semestrielles.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 90 : Il est interdit d'importer, de produire, de commercialiser ou de distribuer des denrées alimentaires avariées, périmées, falsifiées ou contenant des substances pouvant nuire à la santé des populations ou des denrées alimentaires non contrôlées par les services compétents.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 92 : La préparation, l'emballage, le transport, le stockage, l'étalage et la conservation des denrées alimentaires s'effectuent de manière à éviter toute contamination ou avarie.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 104 : Toute demande d'ouverture d'un établissement destiné à la production, à la manipulation ou au stockage des denrées alimentaires comporte un certificat de salubrité publique dûment établi par les services compétents.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Un acte réglementaire précise les conditions de délivrance du certificat et de son retrait.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 186 : La présente loi, qui abroge la loi n° 87-015 du 21 septembre 1987 portant code de l'hygiène publique, sera exécutée comme Loi de l'Etat.”
Loi n° 2022-04, Arts 21, 85, 88, 90, 92, 104, 116, 182, 186 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“DECRET N° 2005-637 DU 13 OCTOBRE 2005”
Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“portant règlement zoosanitaire des maladies animales a déclaration obligatoire en République du Bénin.”
Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 69 : Les sujets contaminés ne peuvent être vendus.”
Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Les animaux malades doivent être aussitôt abattus et détruits. Les œufs provenant des élevages contaminés ne peuvent être commercialisés.”
Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 73 : Les animaux malades doivent être aussitôt abattus et détruits. Les œufs provenant des élevages contaminés ne peuvent être ni consommés ni commercialisés.”
Décret n° 2005-637, Arts 2, 3, 69, 71, 73, 74 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“LOI N° 2021 – 14 DU 20 DECEMBRE 2021”
Loi n° 2021-14, Arts 41, 250 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 41 : La commune veille à la préservation des conditions d'hygiène et de la salubrité publique, notamment en matière :”
Loi n° 2021-14, Arts 41, 250 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“- d'hygiène des aliments et des lieux et établissements accueillant du public ;”
Loi n° 2021-14, Arts 41, 250 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
“Article 250 : La commune organise la gestion et le contrôle des marchés, des gares routières et des autres services marchands.”
Loi n° 2021-14, Arts 41, 250 (Government Secretariat copy; later amendments not checked) · read 2026-10-30
What we couldn't confirm
- The regulatory act on issuing the public salubrity certificate (Law 2022-04, Art. 104) was not found, so it was not established whether a household selling eggs needs one.
- No national rule on egg grading, cartons, labels or a storage temperature was found in the texts read. The ministry of agriculture's website showed a maintenance page on 30 October 2026, and its food-hygiene orders were not read.
- Ordinance 72-31 of 27 September 1972 on animal health police and inspection of animal-origin foodstuffs, cited by the 2005 decree, was not read.
- No national animal-welfare or cruelty provision was read: the Penal Code was not found in the pages of the Government Secretariat's list of laws read (laws of 2016 to 2026), and the hygiene law sections read set no welfare duty.
- No definition of a developed urban zone ('zone urbaine aménagée', Law 2022-04, Art. 116) was found in the law as read, and local rules on raising animals were not surveyed.
- Current bird-flu measures are not asserted here, and no official page showing current measures was identified in the sources read.
- All texts are read as published by the Government Secretariat; later amendments were not checked.
- The laws and regulations under which family farms and agricultural enterprises are constituted (Law 2022-14, Art. 59) and the procedure for registering agricultural enterprises (Art. 60) were not read, so whether a household keeping a few hens is an agricultural enterprise that must be registered was not established.
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