Cottage food rules
Minnesota Cottage Food Regulations: What Home Bakers Follow
A plain walk through what Minnesota asks of home bakers before they sell.
On this page
What to remember
- The Cottage Food Exemption law took effect in 2015 and covers training, registration, allowed foods, labeling, sales locations, and the sales amount.
- You register with the commissioner every year, not once.
- The commissioner must register you within 30 days of a complete registration.
- Any sample or demonstration product needs a legible sign listing ingredients and major food allergens.
Minnesota’s version of a cottage food law is called the Cottage Food Exemption, and it is the document that decides most of your day to day questions. What you may bake, what goes on the label, where you may set up, and how much you may sell in a year all trace back to it. If you want the short version of the paperwork first, start with Minnesota cottage food license rules.
What the exemption law covers
The law is broader than most bakers expect. It covers prior training and registration, the types of food allowed, food labeling, the types of sales locations, and the amount that may be sold. Read that list as your own checklist. Training and registration are the two items you handle before your first sale. Food types and labeling are the two that decide what you can put on a table. Sales locations and the sales amount are the two that shape how you grow.
Register with the state every year
Registration is annual. A person who prepares and sells exempt cottage food must register with the commissioner each year, and the commissioner must register that person within 30 days of receiving a complete registration. That 30 day window matters when you are planning a first market date. Build the wait into your calendar instead of assuming you can sell the weekend you decide to start. Cottage food license in Minnesota walks through the paperwork side in more detail.
Labels, samples, and the sign on your table
Labeling is one of the areas the exemption law covers, so confirm what the state expects on your packaging before you print a run of stickers. Sampling has its own clear rule. A food product provided through food product sampling or food product demonstrations must be accompanied by a legible sign or placard that lists the product’s ingredients and major food allergens. If you set out a plate of samples at a market, that sign goes next to the plate, not in a binder under the table.
Where you may sell, and how much
The law also sets the types of sales locations and the amount that may be sold. Those two items are the ones bakers ask about most, so check the current wording before you commit to a large order or a new venue. Your county or city may add a layer on top of the state rules, which is why it helps to read local cottage food laws alongside the state law.
Once you know your sales limit, price with it in mind. A batch that looks profitable on ingredients alone can eat your margin once packaging and your own time are counted, and how to price your bakes shows how to work that out before the season starts.
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Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my Minnesota home kitchen?
Minnesota handles home bakers through the Cottage Food Exemption law, which took effect in 2015. It sets the training and registration you need, along with the types of food allowed, food labeling, the types of sales locations, and the amount that may be sold.
How often do I have to register?
Every year. A person who prepares and sells exempt cottage food must register annually with the commissioner, and the commissioner must register that person within 30 days of receiving a complete registration.
What has to be on my label?
Food labeling is one of the things the Cottage Food Exemption law covers, so confirm the current requirements with the state before you print packaging. What the law spells out clearly is sampling, which has its own sign rule.
Do I need a sign when I hand out samples?
Yes. A food product provided through food product sampling or food product demonstrations must be accompanied by a legible sign or placard that lists the product's ingredients and major food allergens.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell?
The law covers the amount that may be sold, so there is a ceiling to plan around. Check the current figure with the state before you take on a big order or plan a full season.
Where am I allowed to sell?
The law sets the types of sales locations allowed for exempt cottage food. Check the current list, then check whether your city or county adds anything on top.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the state before you sell.