Cottage food rules
Does Michigan Have Cottage Food Laws? What Home Bakers Can Sell
What Michigan lets you sell from your home kitchen, and what you still have to do.
On this page
What to remember
- Michigan’s Food Law exempts cottage food operations from licensing and inspection provisions.
- There are no application forms to complete to operate under the cottage food exemption.
- Shelf-stable bakes like breads, cookies, and shelf-stable cakes and pies can be sold this way.
- Labeling rules still apply, and the label has to carry your name and address in some cases.
If you have been selling to neighbors and wondering whether you are allowed to, this is the answer you were hoping for. You do not need a license, and you do not fill out a form to get started. What you do need is to stay inside the list of foods the exemption covers, and to label your bakes properly. Get those two things right and you can take orders with a clear head.
What you can sell under the exemption
The law is built around shelf-stable foods, meaning bakes that do not need refrigeration to stay safe. Breads, cookies, shelf-stable pies and cakes, jams and jellies in glass jars, dried mixes, popcorn, and granola all fit. That covers most of what a home baker sells in a week. If you are still working out what to charge for those bakes, our guide on how to price your bakes walks through the math.
If you bake in a state with different rules, or you are comparing how neighboring states handle this, our guide on Indiana cottage food laws and the one on Illinois cottage food laws both cover what home bakers can sell there.
No license, no paperwork
This is the part that surprises most bakers. There are no application forms to complete to operate under the cottage food exemption. Operators who qualify under the Food Law cottage food exemptions are exempt from obtaining a food establishment license under the Food Code. So there is no waiting period and no fee standing between you and your first order.
Getting your first orders out the door
Check your bakes against the list
Breads, cookies, shelf-stable pies and cakes, jams and jellies in glass jars, dried mixes, popcorn, and granola are all covered. Leave out anything that needs refrigeration.
Write your label
Include the name and address of your cottage food operation unless you register with the MSU Product Center.
Set your prices
Work out what each recipe actually costs you before you quote a price to a customer.
Start taking orders
Tell people what you are baking this week and how to reach you.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
When you are ready to sell online instead of by text message, our guide on the Cottage CMS app covers what that option does and who it fits, and our home bakery app roundup compares a few others fairly.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell bakes from my Michigan kitchen?
No. Operators who qualify under the Food Law cottage food exemptions are exempt from obtaining a food establishment license under the Food Code.
Do I have to fill out an application?
No. There are no application forms to complete to operate under the cottage food exemption.
Can I sell cake that needs refrigeration?
The exemption covers shelf-stable items such as breads, cookies, shelf-stable pies and cakes, jams and jellies in glass jars, dried mixes, popcorn, and granola.
What has to be on my label?
A cottage food operation that does not register with the MSU Product Center must include the name and address of the cottage food operation on its label, and labeling requirements still apply.
Can I sell jam?
Yes, jams and jellies in glass jars are among the shelf-stable items that can be sold under Michigan's cottage food law.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change. Check the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development pages linked above, or talk to a lawyer, before you rely on anything here for your own kitchen.