Cottage food rules
Michigan Cottage Food Law Labels: What Goes on Yours
A plain walk through Michigan cottage food labeling so your bakes are ready to sell.
On this page
What to remember
- Labeling rules still apply even though you do not need a food establishment license.
- Your label has to start with the business name and address statement that applies to you.
- Food must be made, packaged and labeled in your primary residence.
- Sales and deliveries have to stay within Michigan.
The good news is that there is nothing to file to get started. Operators who qualify for the cottage food exemptions do not complete an application and do not register with the state. That means the label is often the first thing a new baker has to get right, so it is worth slowing down before your first order goes out the door. If you are still working out whether you qualify at all, the cottage food law class walks through what the rules cover.
What the law asks of your label
The Michigan Food Law says a cottage food operation shall place the required information on the label of any food it produces or packages, and that the list begins with one of the applicable business name and address statements. Rather than guessing at the rest, read the labeling guidance published by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development before you print anything. Their page is the place to confirm the full wording, because it is the version that gets updated when the rules move.
Confirm you qualify
Check that your bakes fall under the cottage food exemptions before you build a label around them.
Read the state labeling guidance
Go to the MDARD labeling page and read the current list of required information.
Write your name and address statement
Use the business name and address statement that applies to how you operate.
Build the label at home
Print or write your labels in your own kitchen, since packaging and labeling have to happen in your primary residence.
Do a test run
Label one finished bake the way you plan to sell it, then compare it against the state guidance line by line.
Cakes and bakes that are hard to label
Not every bake takes a sticker. MDARD’s labeling guidance covers how to meet the requirements when a label cannot be stuck on a cake, and it names wedding cakes, birthday cakes and other specialty cakes that are not easily packaged as the situations it is written for. If decorated cakes are a big part of your income, read that section before your next wedding quote, and keep a copy of what you decided so every cake goes out the same way.
Before your first sale
MDARD publishes a Cottage Foods Checklist as a resource for anyone starting a cottage food business in Michigan, and it is a sensible last read before you take money. Work through it once with your label in hand. Rules do get adjusted from time to time, so it helps to know what has changed in the Michigan cottage food law and to check again if you add a new product, such as honey, to your table.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
Once the label is settled, the next question is usually price. Work out what a batch truly costs, set a price that leaves you something, and keep your label and your pricing notes together so a busy week does not turn into guesswork.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Michigan?
Operators who qualify for the cottage food exemptions are exempt from obtaining a food establishment license under the Food Code. There are no application forms to complete and no registration required.
Where does the required label information go?
The law says a cottage food operation must place the required information on the label of any food it produces or packages. That list begins with one of the applicable business name and address statements, and MDARD's labeling guidance covers the rest.
Can I label my bakes somewhere other than my kitchen?
Cottage foods must be made, packaged and labeled in the operator's primary residence. Plan to print or write your labels at home rather than at the market or a friend's house.
How do I label a wedding cake or a birthday cake?
MDARD's labeling guidance addresses how to meet the requirements when a label cannot be stuck on a cake, specifically for wedding cakes, birthday cakes and other specialty cakes that are not easily packaged. Read that guidance before you quote the cake.
Can I ship my cottage food to another state?
No. A Michigan cottage food product may only be sold or delivered within Michigan, so out of state shipping is not an option under these rules.
Sources
This is general information about Michigan cottage food labeling, not legal advice. Confirm the current requirements with MDARD before you sell.