Which laws apply

• Cottage food law

Allowed foods

Allowed: Only non-potentially-hazardous (shelf-stable, no time/temperature control for safety) foods, per MDARD's official list. Includes: baked goods and breads (cookies, celebration cakes, shelf-stable pies, breads; only lab-tested buttercream or shelf-stable frostings), fruit jams/jellies (regular-sugar, fruit-based, 21 CFR 150), candy/confections (no alcohol), dry mixes (granola, herbs, dry soup/dip/baking mixes), dehydrated/freeze-dried fruits and vegetables (except melon, tomato, leafy greens), popcorn, roasted coffee, dry tea, nuts and nut butters, flavored vinegars, shelf-stable flavored oils (no garlic), chocolate-covered shelf-stable items. Not allowed: All potentially hazardous/TCS foods - no meat or jerky, fish/smoked fish, dairy (cheese, yogurt, cream cheese frosting), eggs as a product, fresh pasta, cooked vegetables, baked potatoes; no beverages (juice, kombucha, cider, lemonade), no canned/pickled/acidified foods (pickles, salsa, canned peaches, fruit butters), no fermented foods (kombucha, sourdough starter), no sauces/condiments/salad dressings/hummus/garlic-in-oil, no caramel apples, no elderberry/simple syrups, no CBD/cannabis foods, no dietary supplements, no pet food, no raw sprouts, no cut tomatoes or leafy greens, no refrigeration-required pies (banana cream, pumpkin, custard, cheesecake).

Sales caps

$50,000 gross sales per year per operation (computed per person per domestic residence) until 10/1/2026; $75,000/year if products are sold at $250 or more per unit. Beginning 10/1/2026 the caps adjust annually for inflation using the 3-year average Detroit Consumer Price Index (factor may not be less than 1.00). Prior cap was $25,000. Set by 2025 PA 51 (HB 4122), signed 12/23/2025, in effect now (MCL 289.4102(5)). MDARD may request written documentation to verify annual gross sales.

Permit steps

1. No permit, license, application, or fee is required - cottage food operations are exempt from MDARD licensing and inspection under MCL 289.4102.
2. No routine inspections of the home kitchen are conducted under this exemption (MDARD retains enforcement authority for violations).
3. Optional: voluntary registration with the MSU Product Center (MCL 289.4102(8)) - one-time fee of up to $50 - which issues a unique registration number you may use on labels instead of your home address.
4. No food-safety training is legally required to operate (MSU Extension offers optional cottage-food and 'Cooking for Crowds' courses).

How to start in Michigan

1) Confirm your food qualifies: use MDARD's official 'What Can I Make?' list - only non-potentially-hazardous, shelf-stable foods; if in doubt, contact MDARD. 2) Set up production in your primary home kitchen - products must be made and stored only in the home kitchen of your primary residence. 3) Design compliant labels: business name + home address (or MSU Product Center registration number + phone), product name, ingredients in descending weight order, net weight/volume (metric included), allergens per federal rules, and the 'Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan department of agriculture and rural development' statement in at least 11-point contrasting type. 4) Optionally register with the MSU Product Center (voluntary; one-time fee max $50) to replace your home address on the label with a registration number. 5) Track gross sales so you stay under the annual cap ($50,000, or $75,000 if products are priced $250+/unit), computed per person per residence. 6) Sell directly to Michigan consumers only - farmers markets, craft shows, roadside stands, or internet/mail/third-party delivery once the customer has a chance to meet you face-to-face or by virtual meeting first; no wholesale or consignment. 7) Check local zoning, DBA, and other local rules - the state exemption does not override local ordinances. 8) Consider (voluntary) food-safety training such as MSU Extension's courses, even though it is not legally required.

Recent changes

2025-2026: HB 4122 of 2025 (2025 PA 51) - the biggest change in years - approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State 12/23/2025, effective immediately. It raised the annual gross-sales cap from $25,000 to $50,000 per operation; created a $75,000 cap tier for operations selling products priced at $250 or more per unit; authorized internet/mail-order sales and third-party delivery if the consumer can directly interact with the operation (face-to-face or virtual 2-way meeting) before the sale (sales still limited to Michigan consumers); allowed more than one cottage food operation per residence; created the voluntary MSU Product Center registration program (one-time fee max $50) letting producers use a registration number instead of their home address on labels; and set annual inflation adjustments to the caps beginning 10/1/2026 based on the Detroit CPI. Also: SB 93 of 2025 (2025 PA 42), signed 12/23/2025, raised the unlicensed honey/maple syrup gross-sales cap and tied its future increases to the cottage-food cap (per legislature bill history; exact amended figure could not be verified from a primary source in this session). No pending cottage-food bills were found on the legislature's official bill search for the 2025-2026 session.

Official sources

• MCL 289.4102 - Cottage food operation (Michigan Legislature)
• HB 4122 of 2025 (2025 PA 51) - bill history (Michigan Legislature)
• MDARD Cottage Food program page
• MDARD - What Can I Make? (official allowed-foods list)
• MDARD cottage food Getting Started / FAQ