Minnesota Cottage Food Law (2026): Registration, Labels and Where to Sell

Last verified: October 27, 2026 · Written by the UrbanAgLaw.org Editorial Team

Folded crepes on a patterned plate with cream, berry sauce and blueberries

Quick answer: Minnesota lets you sell non-hazardous homemade food, and home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit that meet acidity limits, without a food license, but you must register every year with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and take its training. Sales are capped at $78,000 a year. Registration is free for sales of $7,665 or less and costs $50 above that. You can sell from home, at farmers markets and at community events, and online orders must be delivered in person. Labels must say “These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.” The rules change on August 1, 2027.

At a glance

License or permit: Annual registration with the MDA (not a license); registrations expire March 31
Annual sales limit: $78,000 in gross receipts per calendar year
Fee: Free up to $7,665 in sales; $50 from $7,666 to $78,000
Allowed foods: Non-potentially hazardous foods, and home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit with a pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less
Where you can sell: Your home, farmers markets and community events; online orders delivered in person in Minnesota
Training required: Free online course and exam each year (up to $7,665), or an approved food handling course every three years (above $7,665)

Who the Minnesota law covers

The cottage food exemption is in Minnesota Statutes section 28A.152. It frees you from the food handler license under sections 28A.01 to 28A.16 if you sell only the foods the law allows, register with the MDA, take the required training and stay within the sales cap. The MDA runs two registration tiers. Tier 1 is for gross annual sales of $7,665 or less. Tier 2 is for $7,666 to $78,000. If your sales grow past $78,000 in a calendar year, you need a food license instead.

What you can sell

The law covers two groups of foods: foods that are not potentially hazardous, and home-processed, home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit. The MDA also publishes examples of foods that are not covered.

Is it covered by the Minnesota cottage food exemption?
Food	Allowed?
Baked goods, candy, granola, dry mixes and other non-hazardous foods	Yes
Home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit	Yes, with limits equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower, or water activity of 0.85 or less; canned in Minnesota and not sold outside the state
Meat products	No
Dairy products such as cheese or butter	No
Tamales, egg rolls, chocolate-covered fruit and charcuterie boards	No
Cannabinoid products	No
Pet treats	Yes, with limits baked or dehydrated, for dogs or cats only; the MDA has separate guidance

If your product is not on the MDA’s lists, ask the MDA Food and Feed Safety Division before you sell it.

Rolled cherry pastry arranged on a white plate — Baked goods and other shelf-stable foods are the core of the exemption.

How to register

Choose your tier by the gross sales you expect: $7,665 or less is Tier 1, and $7,666 to $78,000 is Tier 2.
Complete the training before you register. Tier 1 takes a free online course and exam, repeated every year. Tier 2 takes a food safe handling course approved by the MDA, repeated every three years or when you move up a tier.
Register with the MDA online. Tier 1 is free and Tier 2 costs $50 a year.
Re-register every year. Registrations expire on March 31, so renew by April 1.

Your registration card says that it is not a license and that products cannot be resold. Registration is required even if you sell very little.

Home rules

The exemption does not override local business licensing, sanitation, public health or zoning rules, so check with your city or county before you sell from home. Cottage food sales are also subject to income tax and may be subject to sales tax. The producer or an employee has to be present when you sell, and retail stores are not a permitted sales outlet.

Minnesota label requirements

Each item or container needs a label showing:

your name or business name;
your registration number or your address;
the date the food was made (for home-canned goods, the processing and canning date);
the ingredients and any major allergens;
the statement “These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.”

You also need a legible sign or placard with the same statement at the point of sale, and your website must show it if you sell online. A QR code may be added to a label, but it cannot replace the required information.

Product nameBlueberry Muffins

ProducerExample Home Kitchen
MDA registration no. 000000

IngredientsWheat flour, sugar, blueberries, butter (cream (milk), salt), eggs, baking powder. Contains: wheat, milk, eggs

Date madeOctober 1, 2026

Required statementThese products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.

Example label with the parts the statute lists. The business and number are made up.

Federal labeling rules also require naming major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.

Where you can sell

Direct to consumers at farmers markets and community events, and from your home to the extent local rules allow.
Online orders are allowed, but human food has to be delivered in person inside Minnesota by you or an employee. The MDA says mail and commercial shipping are allowed only for pet treats.
Donations to a community event that raises money for an individual or for an educational, charitable or religious organization.
Not in retail stores. Home-canned goods may not be sold outside Minnesota.

Dry grains in small metal bowls on a dark surface — Dry mixes and other shelf-stable foods are non-hazardous and fit the exemption.

What changes on August 1, 2027

Legislation passed in 2025 changes the program on August 1, 2027. The MDA says it will replace the two tiers with a single registration, set a $30 annual fee for everyone, allow shipping of human cottage foods within Minnesota and require advanced training for all registrants. The MDA planned to begin implementation in 2026. Until then, the tiers, fees and in-person delivery rule described above apply.

Training and insurance

Training is part of registration. Product liability coverage is also worth considering. See our guide to liability, risk and insurance.

Local rules and HOAs

Check your city or county for a home business license, zoning and any local sanitation rules. Private rules apply too, so check your HOA covenants and lease. For general background, see our planning and zoning guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell food made in my home kitchen in Minnesota?

Yes, if the food is covered, you register with the MDA, complete the training and stay within the $78,000 sales cap.

Do I need a license to sell baked goods from home in Minnesota?

You need an MDA cottage food registration, not a food license. It is free up to $7,665 in sales and $50 above that.

Is there a sales limit in Minnesota?

Yes. Gross receipts must be $78,000 or less per calendar year.

Can I sell cottage food online or by mail in Minnesota?

You can take orders online, but human food has to be delivered in person in Minnesota. Mail and commercial shipping are allowed only for pet treats until the August 2027 changes take effect.

Can I sell to grocery stores?

No. Retail stores are not a permitted outlet.

Can I sell pickles or canned goods in Minnesota?

Yes, for home-canned pickles, vegetables and fruit with a pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less, canned in Minnesota and sold only in Minnesota.

Note on conflicting sources

Several commercial guides disagree with the MDA. Some give a $5,000 Tier 1 limit, which was the statutory threshold before it was adjusted, and some say shipping is allowed now or that only a single $30 fee applies. The MDA’s current figures are $7,665, $50 and in-person delivery, and the $30 fee and in-state shipping apply from August 1, 2027. The statute as it appears online already shows the 2027 wording, while the version in force before that date shows a $50 fee and a $5,000 base for the free tier, adjusted for inflation. We followed the MDA’s guidance for the current rules.

Official sources

Minnesota Statutes, section 28A.152 (Cottage Foods Exemption)
Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA): Cottage Food Law Guidance and Cottage Food Producer Registration
Minnesota Rules, chapter 4626 (food code definition of potentially hazardous food)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Food Allergies (FASTER Act, sesame)

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the official sources above or contact the MDA before you start selling.