Cottage food rules
Michigan Cottage Food Law Update: What Changed in 2026
What the 2025 Michigan cottage food update changed, and what to do about it before your next order.
On this page
What to remember
- The 2026 update raises the cottage food sales cap to up to $50,000 a year.
- Selling by internet or mail order is part of the change.
- Registering with MDARD is described as optional.
- Everything you sell or deliver still has to stay inside Michigan.
- MDARD can adjust the sales thresholds for inflation starting October 1, 2026.
If you bake from your own kitchen and sell at markets, from the porch, or by text message, the rules you work under have moved. Here is what the update says in plain words, and what it means for a small baking business run from home. For the short version of what shifted, see Michigan cottage food law changes.
What the update actually changes
House Bill 4122 of 2025 is now Public Act 51 of 2025. It amends sections 1105, 1111 and 4102 of the Food Law, 2000 PA 92, and it touches the requirements for cottage food operations and cottage food products. The bill analysis describes several moves at once: updated food safety definitions, higher sales limits, and a registration step with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development that a baker can choose to take or skip.
The number most bakers watch is the sales cap. Under the 2026 update, the cottage food sales cap is increased to up to $50,000 yearly. The bill also allows MDARD to adjust those gross sales thresholds for inflation, beginning October 1, 2026. That matters for planning. A cap that can be nudged upward is a cap you can build a season around, instead of one that stops you halfway through the year.
The signing was not quiet. The Michigan Farmers Market Association described the two bills becoming law as a major victory for the Michigan local food system after several years of advocacy. For a baker working alone at the kitchen counter, that history is worth knowing. The rules moved because people selling from home asked for room.
Selling online, and the line you cannot cross
The bill analysis says the change allows cottage food products to be sold by internet or mail order, and the summary of the bill describes online sales for cottage food operations that include consumer interaction. If you have been taking orders by text and wondering whether a web page is allowed, this is the part to read closely. Your label matters more than ever once a jar leaves your hands, so check what goes on a Michigan cottage food label before you list anything for sale online.
What stays the same for your kitchen
Selling and delivering only inside Michigan is the one that catches people, and it did not change. The other habits are worth keeping too. Keep a record of what you sold and when, keep your ingredient list honest on every label, and keep your work area clean and apart from the family’s dinner. Confirm the details on the state cottage food page before you add a new product to your list.
If you are new to selling from home, or the update has you second guessing what you already know, the Michigan cottage food law class walks through what it covers. It is a short step compared with the cost of getting it wrong in front of a customer.
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The short version: more room to sell, a possible online door, and an optional registration. Read the state pages yourself before you change how you sell, and keep your labels and your records tidy while you grow into the new cap.
Common questions
How much can I sell under the updated Michigan cottage food rules?
Under the 2026 Michigan Cottage Food exemptions update, the cottage food sales cap is increased to up to $50,000 yearly.
Can I sell cottage food online in Michigan?
The bill analysis says cottage food products may be sold by internet or mail order, and the bill summary describes online sales for cottage food operations that include consumer interaction. Sales and deliveries still have to stay within Michigan.
Do I have to register with MDARD?
The bill introduces optional registration with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. It is described as optional, not as a step you must take before you sell.
When can the sales cap change with inflation?
The bill allows MDARD to adjust the cottage food gross sales thresholds for inflation, beginning October 1, 2026.
Can I ship a box of bakes to another state?
No. A cottage food product may only be sold or delivered within Michigan.
Sources
This is general information about Michigan cottage food rules, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the current rules with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development before you sell.