Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law Michigan: Do You Need a License?
Know exactly what Michigan asks of you before you sell your first bake.
On this page
What to remember
- No cottage food license or registration is required in Michigan.
- There are no application forms to fill out under the exemption.
- You are exempt from the food establishment license under the Food Code if you qualify.
- Labeling rules and the rest of the Michigan Food Law still apply to you.
- Your city or township may still want a basic business license or zoning approval.
If you have been putting off selling because you assumed there was a permit to chase, this is good news. The rules are short, and most of what you need to do is about your labels and your local town, not a state office. Here is the plain version, and a look at the label side in our Michigan label guide.
No license, no application, no state fee
Michigan’s Food Law exempts cottage food operations from the licensing and inspection provisions, and the statute says a cottage food operation is exempt from the licensing and evaluation provisions of the act. The state’s own getting started answers say the same thing in plain words: operators who qualify for the cottage food exemptions are exempt from getting a food establishment license under the Food Code, and there are no application forms to complete.
That means no license number to wait on, no inspector visit to schedule, and no state paperwork standing between you and your first order. The exemption is not a loophole you have to apply for. It applies to you when you qualify, and you simply follow the rules that come with it.
The labeling rules still apply
The exemption covers licensing and inspection. It does not cover labels. A cottage food operation must still comply with the labeling requirements and the other provisions of the Michigan Food Law, so the label on your bread, granola, or cookies is where your attention should go. Our walkthrough of cottage food label requirements covers the pieces that go on every label, and the Michigan label guide goes state by state detail.
Check with your city or township
The state does not require a cottage food license, but some local governments may require a basic business license or zoning approval. This is the part bakers get caught on, because it varies from one town to the next and nobody sends you a letter about it. Call your city or township office, say you sell baked goods from your home kitchen under the Michigan cottage food exemption, and ask two questions: do I need a basic business license, and does my address allow this under zoning.
Once you know where you stand locally, the rest is presentation. A clean, correct label makes you look like the professional you are, and you can borrow the wording from our cottage food label template rather than starting from a blank page.
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Selling legally is one half of a home baking business. The other half is knowing what a batch costs you so the price on the tag actually pays you, and that is worth sorting out before your first market day rather than after.
Common questions
Do I need a cottage food license in Michigan?
No. No license or registration is required to operate a Michigan cottage food operation, and the Food Law exempts cottage food operations from the licensing and inspection provisions.
Is there an application form or a state fee?
There are no application forms to complete for cottage food operations under the exemption. The only optional paid step is registering with the MSU Product Center for $50, which is only relevant if you want a label ID number and photos.
Do I still get inspected?
The Food Law exempts cottage food operations from the licensing and inspection provisions, and qualifying operators are exempt from the food establishment license under the Food Code. You still have to follow the labeling requirements and the other provisions of the Michigan Food Law.
Do I need a business license from my city?
Possibly. The state does not require a cottage food license, but some local governments may require a basic business license or zoning approval. Ask your city or township directly so you are not guessing.
What should I focus on instead of a license?
Your labels. A cottage food operation must still comply with the labeling requirements, so getting the wording right on every package is the part that actually needs your attention.
Sources
This is general information for home bakers, not legal advice. Rules can change and local requirements vary. Confirm the details with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and your own city or township before you sell.