What has to be on the carton label in Mississippi?

Name and address of the egg producer, "Keep Refrigerated", Safe handling instructions, with 'SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS' in bold, The word "eggs", Numerical count, Date of pack, No USDA grade shield or wording suggesting USDA grading on reused cartons, Graded eggs outside the exemptions: grade and size in letters at least 3/8 inch, and the grading date as the day of the year. The rule reads: "A. name and address of the egg producer; B. the wording, “Keep Refrigerated;” … D. the word “eggs,” E. the numerical count of the contents; and F. the date of pack" The federal safe handling statement applies as well; our carton label maker prints all of it.

State rules

Can you sell backyard eggs in Mississippi?

Yes. Selling on your own farm needs no license. To sell off the farm straight to consumers (500 or fewer hens) you need a $10 yearly state license, NPIP-tested hens and eggs kept at 45°F.

Read from 6 official sources33 passages quotedChecked October 6, 2026

License

Depends how you sell

Small-flock line

500 or fewer hens off the farm

Farmers markets

License needed

Cartons

Reuse with conditions

In plain English

Mississippi splits the answer by where you sell. Selling your own eggs on your own premises is exempt from the state egg marketing law, and so is selling fewer than six dozen eggs a week; no license is mentioned for farm sales. Selling off the farm directly to consumers, for example at a farmers' market, is covered by an MDAC regulation adopted in 2011 for producers with 500 or fewer laying hens or pullets: you need a Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs from MDAC's Consumer Protection Division ($10, renewed every year, displayed where you sell), and your layers must be NPIP-tested by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health before the license is issued. Those 'unclassified' eggs must meet at least USDA Grade B quality, be refrigerated within 36 hours of lay and held at 45°F or below under mechanical refrigeration (with a thermometer in the cooler), carry the producer's name and address, 'Keep Refrigerated', the safe handling statement, the word eggs, the count and the pack date, and be sold within 30 days of packing. A separate $50 Egg Marketing Board license applies to owners of more than 3,000 hens and to businesses selling eggs to retailers, but that article does not apply to producers with fewer than 3,000 laying hens.

A sourced reading of Mississippi's rules, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) (601-359-1148) before you sell.

Do you need a license?

Depends on how and how much you sell500 or fewer hens off the farm

On the farm: producers selling eggs of their own production on their own premises, or selling less than six dozen eggs per week, are exempt from the egg marketing article.Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321
Off the farm, directly to consumers: 500 or fewer laying hens or pullets, selling only eggs of your own production.MDAC regulation 2(c), adopted May 3, 2011
Obtain a Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs from MDAC by application and a $10.00 fee, renewed annually, and display a copy where the eggs are sold.MDAC regulation 3; Miss. Code Ann. § 69-1-18(3)
Layers selling off the farm must have NPIP testing by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health, completed before the license is issued.MDAC regulation 4(f); Egg Vendor Checklist
Eggs must meet at least USDA Grade B quality ('unclassified eggs') and be cleaned by Department guidelines or industry-accepted methods.MDAC regulation 2(a), 4(a)
Refrigerate clean dry eggs within 36 hours of lay and hold them at or below 45°F ambient under mechanical refrigeration, with an NSF-approved thermometer in the cooler; dry ice or commercial ice packs only during transport.MDAC regulation 4(b)
Label with name and address, 'Keep Refrigerated', the safe handling instructions, the word eggs, the count and the date of pack.MDAC regulation 4(d)
Do not sell eggs more than 30 days from the date of pack.MDAC regulation 4(e)
Outside these exemptions, eggs sold must meet U.S. Grade AA, A or B, carry grade, size, count, name and address, a Julian grading date and 'keep refrigerated', and be kept at 45°F.Miss. Code Ann. §§ 69-7-323 to 69-7-329

The exact wording

“Egg Producer - A Mississippi egg producer, with 500 or less laying hens or pullets, who sells “unclassified eggs” from his/her own production directly to the consumer off the farm.”

Where you can sell

From home or the farm

Allowed

Selling your own eggs on your own premises is exempt from the egg marketing article (Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321), and MDAC's egg license and NPIP rule are written only for eggs sold off the farm. No MDAC page was found that states directly that farm sales need no license; this is read from the statute and the license's scope.

Farmers markets

License needed

MDAC's farmers' market vendor guide: a Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs from MDAC's Consumer Protection Division is required ($10 a year, copy displayed at the stand), the layers must be NPIP-tested, and eggs must be held at or below 45°F under mechanical refrigeration with proper labels. The license covers producers with 500 or fewer hens selling their own eggs directly to consumers.

Stores and restaurants

Not stated

Not settled in the sources read. The MDAC egg license is valid only for sales directly to consumers. § 69-7-267 requires a $50 Egg Marketing Board license of anyone 'engaged in the business of selling eggs to a retailer', but § 69-7-275 says that article does not apply to producers with fewer than 3,000 laying hens. Unless under six dozen a week, eggs sold to stores would need U.S. grade, size and full labels (§§ 69-7-323 to 69-7-327). Ask MDAC before selling to stores or restaurants.

Also check with: Mississippi Board of Animal Health, 601-359-1170 (NPIP flock testing required before the egg license)

Cartons, labels and handling

Cartons

Reused cartons are allowed, with conditions.

“If egg cartons are to be used that were previously labeled and used by an egg company, all labeling of the previous company shall be obscured or blackened out where this information is not visible to the consumer.”

Refrigeration

45°F or colder where the rule applies.

“keep the eggs at an ambient temperature no greater than forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit.”

The label must show

Name and address of the egg producer
"Keep Refrigerated"
Safe handling instructions, with 'SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS' in bold
The word "eggs"
Numerical count
Date of pack
No USDA grade shield or wording suggesting USDA grading on reused cartons
Graded eggs outside the exemptions: grade and size in letters at least 3/8 inch, and the grading date as the day of the year

The carton label maker prints these lines with the federal safe handling statement.

Grading

Ungraded sales are allowed only in some cases.

Grading is not required for sales on your own premises or under six dozen a week (§ 69-7-321), and licensed small producers selling off the farm to consumers sell 'unclassified eggs', which must meet at least USDA Grade B quality. Otherwise Mississippi law bars selling shell eggs that do not meet U.S. Consumer Grade AA, A or B and requires grade and size on the container (§§ 69-7-323, 69-7-327).

Washing

MDAC's regulation says eggs must be cleaned 'in accordance with Department guidelines or other cleaning methods accepted by industry'; the Department guidelines themselves were not found. Clean, dry eggs must be refrigerated within 36 hours of lay.

Federal rules apply on top of Mississippi's: the four federal egg rules. Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Mississippi?: Yes. Selling on your own farm needs no license. To sell off the farm straight to consumers (500 or fewer hens) you need a $10 yearly state license, NPIP-tested hens and eggs kept at 45°F. Small-flock line: 500 or fewer hens off the farm. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Mississippi?: Needs a license or isn't exempt. MDAC's farmers' market vendor guide: a Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs from MDAC's Consumer Protection Division is required ($10 a year, copy displayed at the stand), the layers must be NPIP-tested, and eggs must be held at or below 45°F under mechanical refrigeration with proper labels. The license covers producers with 500 or fewer hens selling their own eggs directly to consumers. Also check with Mississippi Board of Animal Health, 601-359-1170 (NPIP flock testing required before the egg license).
Can I reuse egg cartons in Mississippi?: With conditions. The rule reads: "If egg cartons are to be used that were previously labeled and used by an egg company, all labeling of the previous company shall be obscured or blackened out where this information is not visible to the consumer."
What has to be on the carton label in Mississippi?: Name and address of the egg producer, "Keep Refrigerated", Safe handling instructions, with 'SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS' in bold, The word "eggs", Numerical count, Date of pack, No USDA grade shield or wording suggesting USDA grading on reused cartons, Graded eggs outside the exemptions: grade and size in letters at least 3/8 inch, and the grading date as the day of the year. The rule reads: "A. name and address of the egg producer; B. the wording, “Keep Refrigerated;” … D. the word “eggs,” E. the numerical count of the contents; and F. the date of pack" The federal safe handling statement applies as well; our carton label maker prints all of it.
Do eggs I sell in Mississippi have to be refrigerated?: Yes, at 45°F or colder. The rule reads: "keep the eggs at an ambient temperature no greater than forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit."

Sources

Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · Producers selling their own eggs on their own premises, or under six dozen a week, are exempt from the egg marketing article
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 69-7-323 to 69-7-329 · Egg marketing: minimum U.S. Grade AA, A or B; USDA sizes; container labeling; carton reuse; 45°F
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 69-7-267, 69-7-275 · Egg Marketing Board license ($50) for owners of over 3,000 hens or sellers to retailers; article does not apply to producers with fewer than 3,000 laying hens
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-1-18 · Retail food establishment sanitation rules and $10 license (authority for the egg vendor license)
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · 500-or-fewer-hen producers selling off the farm to consumers: Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs ($10), 45°F mechanical refrigeration, labeling, 30-day limit, NPIP testing
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · Temperature, packing, labeling, NPIP and licensing checklist for egg vendors
MDAC Application for Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs · License application: valid only for 500 or fewer hens selling their own eggs off the farm directly to consumers
MDAC Permit Requirements for Farmers Market Vendors · Eggs at farmers' markets need the Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs, 45°F mechanical refrigeration and NPIP-tested layers
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) · Consumer Protection Division: Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs

Read the 33 passages this page is built on

“Producers selling eggs of their own production, when offered on their own premises, or selling less than six (6) dozen eggs per week, are exempt from the provisions of this article.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“The name and address of the producer, packer or distributor shall appear on the container.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“No person, firm, organization or corporation shall sell, offer for sale, or advertise for sale shell eggs that do not meet the minimum requirements for U. S. Consumer Grade AA, Grade A, or Grade B.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“(a) The applicable consumer grade provided for in this article. (b) The applicable size or weight class provided for in this article. (c) The word "eggs." (d) The numerical count of the contents. (e) The name and address of the producer, packer or distributor.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“The date the eggs were graded applied legibly to the carton or on the tape used to seal the carton. Such date shall be expressed as the consecutive day of the year. (g) The words "keep refrigerated" or words of similar meaning.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“Any person intending to reuse a carton shall obscure any inappropriate labeling thereon and relabel the carton in accordance with this section prior to refilling the carton with eggs.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“keep the eggs at an ambient temperature no greater than forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“Article 7. EGG MARKETING Current through 3/27/2018”
Miss. Code Ann. § 69-7-321 · read 2026-10-06
“Every person owning over three thousand (3,000) hens, or who is engaged or who engages in the business of selling eggs to a retailer who retails eggs in the State of Mississippi shall prior to offering for sale or selling eggs to a retailer, secure a license for such business from the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce,”
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 69-7-267, 69-7-275 · read 2026-10-06
“The provisions of this article shall not apply to any egg producer who has less than three thousand (3,000) laying hens,”
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 69-7-267, 69-7-275 · read 2026-10-06
“Each retail food establishment, before engaging in business, shall obtain a license from the commissioner.”
MDAC Application for Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs · read 2026-10-06
“This license is only valid for an egg producer with 500 or less laying hens or pullets who offers eggs from his/her own production for sale off the farm directly to consumers.”
MDAC Application for Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs · read 2026-10-06
“If you have any additional questions, please contact the Consumer Protection Division at 601-359-1148.”
MDAC Application for Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs · read 2026-10-06
“Egg Producer - A Mississippi egg producer, with 500 or less laying hens or pullets, who sells “unclassified eggs” from his/her own production directly to the consumer off the farm.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“Unclassified eggs – Eggs that meet, as a minimum, the U.S.D.A. Grade B Quality Standards.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“Licenses shall be renewed annually.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“Egg producers must sell eggs that are cleaned in accordance with Department guidelines or other cleaning methods accepted by industry.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“Clean dry eggs shall be refrigerated within 36 hours after the time of lay. … Eggs offered for sale to the consumer shall be stored under mechanical refrigeration.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“During transportation, only, the use of dry ice or commercial ice packs may be used, provided there is no leakage or melting. The use of ice or gel packs is prohibited.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“A small NSF approved thermometer shall be kept in the cooler with the eggs to assure that the correct ambient temperature is being maintained at all times.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“A. name and address of the egg producer; B. the wording, “Keep Refrigerated;” … D. the word “eggs,” E. the numerical count of the contents; and F. the date of pack”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“If egg cartons are to be used that were previously labeled and used by an egg company, all labeling of the previous company shall be obscured or blackened out where this information is not visible to the consumer.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“No labeling shall indicate that the eggs are graded by U.S.D.A.; therefore, the shield must also be obscured, removed or blackened out.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“No eggs that have exceeded 30 days from the date of pack, including the date of pack, shall be sold by egg producers in the Mississippi channels of trade.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“For any eggs sold by an egg producer off the farm at another location, the layers are required to have NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Program) testing by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“(Adopted May 3, 2011.)”
MDAC regulation: Egg Producers Selling 'Unclassified Eggs', of Their Own Production Off the Farm, Directly to Consumers (adopted May 3, 2011) · read 2026-10-06
“Egg vendors must obtain a “Retail Food Sanitation License-Eggs” from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce by completing the appropriate application and paying the $10.00 license fee annually.”
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“A copy of the “Retail Food Sanitation License-Eggs” shall be displayed and made available to the purchaser at the location where the eggs will be offered for sale.”
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“To schedule testing, contact the Board of Animal Health by phone at 601-359-1170. Testing must have occurred prior to receiving “Retail Food Sanitation License-Eggs.””
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“When storing and transporting, the eggs shall always be maintained at or below 45oF ambient temperature until sold to the consumer.”
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“Eggs should be packed no later than 7 days from the date of lay.”
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“Revised March 2017”
MDAC Egg Vendor Checklist (revised March 2017) · read 2026-10-06
“A Retail Food Sanitation License - Eggs from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection Division is required.”
MDAC Permit Requirements for Farmers Market Vendors · read 2026-10-06

What we couldn't confirm

Official code not read: Mississippi's official code is hosted by LexisNexis for the legislature (a JavaScript app) and was not opened. Statute text was read from MDAC-posted copies of the code marked 'Current through 3/27/2018' (§§ 69-7-301 to 69-7-339), and § 69-1-18 marked 'Current through 4/19/2019' (effective 7/1/2019). A scan of the legislature's all-measures lists (billstatus.ls.state.ms.us) for 2018-2026 found no bill with 'egg' in its short title other than Egg Marketing Board appropriations; bills amending these sections under other titles would not show up. Rechecked 2026-10-07: the enacted agriculture bills of 2019-2026 with broad titles (HB 1566 of 2020, HB 363 of 2023, HB 1357 of 2024) amend other chapters of Title 69 and do not mention eggs, so no change to these sections was found; the official code itself was still not opened.
Regulation currency: the small-producer rule was read from the Secretary of State's filing PDF (ACProposed 00017730b, 'Adopted May 3, 2011', citing § 69-1-18). Its current location and text in the Mississippi Administrative Code (believed to be Title 2, Part 1, Subpart 4) were not confirmed; the SOS code search is an interactive app. MDAC's current license form, March 2017 checklist and farmers'-market guide match it, so it appears to be in force.
Producers with more than 500 but fewer than 3,000 hens selling off the farm to consumers: the egg license is 'only valid' for 500 or fewer, and no rule read says what they need instead.
Sales to stores and restaurants: § 69-7-267 requires an Egg Marketing Board license of anyone selling eggs to a retailer, but § 69-7-275 exempts producers with fewer than 3,000 laying hens from that article; whether MDAC requires any other license, candling or grading facility for small producers selling to retailers or restaurants was not found.
Six-dozen exemption vs the license: § 69-7-321 exempts sales under six dozen a week from the egg marketing article, but the 2011 license rule rests on a different statute (§ 69-1-18) and has no volume floor; this record treats the license as required for any off-farm direct sales by small producers.
Ice: the regulation and checklist allow 'dry ice or commercial ice packs' during transport but then say 'The use of ice or gel packs is prohibited'; the wording is MDAC's and was not clarified.
Temperature text appears as '45oF' in the PDFs (a degree sign lost in extraction).
MDAC's 'Department guidelines' for cleaning eggs were not found. Local (city/county) rules for markets were not checked.

Selling across the state line?

The rules change at the border. Here's where Mississippi's neighbors draw the line.

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FLGAHI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

No license for small salesDepends how you sellRegistration or licenseNot stated or rechecking

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Colored by the small-flock license rule. Tap a state to read it, or compare them all side by side.

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