Cottage food rules
New Cottage Food Laws Michigan: What Home Bakers Need
Know exactly what Michigan asks of you before you sell your first bake from home.
On this page
What to remember
- No license and no inspection for cottage food operations that sell direct to Michigan consumers.
- Your bakes must be made, packaged, and labeled in your primary residence.
- Labels are still required, and the rest of the Michigan Food Law still applies.
- Sell and deliver inside Michigan only.
- Selling wholesale or on consignment takes you outside the exemption.
If you have been holding off on selling because you assumed a license was coming, this is the part worth reading twice. The state treats your home kitchen differently from a commercial one, but only as long as you stay inside the lines. For a closer look at how the state explains this to home bakers, see MSU and the Michigan Cottage Food Law.
No license, no inspection, no forms to file
The state says operations that qualify under the cottage food exemptions are exempt from getting a food establishment license under the Food Code, and there are no application forms to complete. Michigan statute MCL 289.4102 states that a cottage food operation is exempt from the licensing and evaluation provisions of the act. In plain terms, you are not waiting on approval from anyone before you bake and sell.
What still applies to your home bakery
Labeling is the big one. A cottage food operation must still follow the labeling requirements and the other provisions of the Michigan Food Law, so every loaf, jar, and box needs the information the state asks for. If you want a plain walkthrough of what typically goes on a cottage food label, this labeling guide breaks it down piece by piece.
The other line is location. Cottage foods must be made, packaged, and labeled in your primary residence, which means a rented commercial kitchen or a friend’s house does not fit this exemption. Your home kitchen is the whole operation.
Set up your kitchen and your labels the right way
Keep every step at home
Make, package, and label your bakes in your primary residence. Production, packing, and labeling all belong in your own kitchen.
Label every single item
Labeling requirements still apply to cottage food. Put the required information on each package before it leaves your hands.
Sell direct and stay in Michigan
A cottage food product may only be sold or delivered within Michigan. Sell straight to consumers rather than through wholesale or consignment.
Skip the license application
If you qualify under the cottage food exemptions, there is no food establishment license to apply for and no forms to complete.
Read the state pages before you add a product
The state publishes its cottage food guidance and a one page summary. Check them before you branch into something new.
Try the free Brevl bake pricing calculator
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Keep selling simple and inside the rules
Most home bakers get into trouble by growing sideways rather than forward. A shop that takes direct orders from Michigan customers keeps you squarely inside the cottage food exemption, while a big wholesale deal or a shelf at a resale shop does not. Staying direct is also the easier business to run from your phone between school pickup and dinner.
When you are ready to take orders without chasing texts, Brevl keeps your recipes with real costing, your ingredient inventory, and a weekly planner in the same place as your shop. We set it up with you and move your old shop over, products, photos, reviews, and dates included, and a real person answers, usually within minutes.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my Michigan home?
If your operation qualifies under the cottage food exemptions and you sell directly to Michigan consumers, you do not need a food establishment license and there are no application forms to complete.
Will my kitchen be inspected?
Cottage food operations are exempt from the licensing and evaluation provisions of the Michigan Food Law. The state describes them as food establishments that do not have to meet the licensing and inspection requirements.
Can I sell my bakes in another state?
No. A cottage food product may only be sold or delivered within Michigan.
Can I sell wholesale or on consignment?
Selling wholesale or on consignment takes you outside the exemption described by the state. The exemption covers selling allowable, properly labeled homemade food directly to Michigan consumers.
Do I still have to label my packaging?
Yes. A cottage food operation must still comply with the labeling requirements and the other provisions of the Michigan Food Law.
Sources
This is general information about Michigan cottage food rules, not legal or tax advice. Rules can change, so check the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development pages listed in the sources before you sell.