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Home kitchen laws in Minnesota

The plain-English guide to selling food from home in Minnesota.

🏢️ State-run program.
In Minnesota, one statewide agency sets the home-kitchen rules — the same requirements apply wherever you live in the state.

Which laws apply

  • Cottage food law

Allowed foods

Only exempt foods under Minn. Stat. § 28A.152: (1) non-potentially hazardous foods such as baked goods and certain jams and jellies; (2) home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less (home-canned products in this category may not be sold outside Minnesota); and (3) home-processed pet treats for dogs and cats under Minn. Stat. § 25.391 (baked or dehydrated, safe for human consumption and the intended species). Everything else — potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meat, dairy, cut produce, low-acid canned goods), food sold for resale/wholesale, and food from a holder of a food handler license — is not allowed. Labels must show the producer's name and registration number or address, date of preparation, ingredients and possible allergens, and the statement: "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection."

Cottage track — shelf-stable foods in Minnesota

🥧 Cottage Food — Shelf-Stable Cottage food law — the shelf-stable track in Minnesota: foods are made at home and sold by preorder / pickup, not as restaurant-style reservations.

Allowed foods: Only exempt foods under Minn. Stat. § 28A.152: (1) non-potentially hazardous foods such as baked goods and certain jams and jellies; (2) home-processed and home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less (home-canned products in this category may not be sold outside Minnesota); and (3) home-processed pet treats for dogs and cats under Minn. Stat. § 25.391 (baked or dehydrated, safe for human consumption and the intended species). Everything else — potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meat, dairy, cut produce, low-acid canned goods), food sold for resale/wholesale, and food from a holder of a food handler license — is not allowed. Labels must show the producer's name and registration number or address, date of preparation, ingredients and possible allergens, and the statement: "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection."

Sales cap (cottage track): $78,000 in gross receipts per calendar year (current; per Minn. Stat. § 28A.152, subd. 3 and the MDA). A lower Tier 1 threshold of $7,665 separates the no-fee training tier from the $50-fee Tier 2 tier under current rules. FUTURE: effective August 1, 2027 (2025 Session Law ch. 34, art. 5), the commissioner must adjust the cap every two years for CPI inflation using July 2025 as the base month, and the single-tier $30 registration fee applies regardless of sales volume.

Labeling rules (from the published permit steps):

  • Maintain required labeling and the "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection" sign/placard at the point of sale and on any sales website.

Where sales are allowed (from the published rules):

  • Receive your registration card with a unique registration number by mail (allow 3–4 weeks)
  • Complete training: if expected gross sales are $7,665 or less, take the free MDA Tier 1 online training and exam each year
  • Receive your registration card and unique registration number by mail (allow 3–4 weeks)
  • Sell only directly to ultimate consumers (farmers' markets, community events, from home, online with producer delivery/pickup) and stay under the $78,000 annual cap.

Street track — sidewalk & mobile vendors in Minnesota

🌮 Street Food — Sidewalk & Mobile

Street and mobile vendors do not cook from home kitchens — they sell in public places under different permits, and on this site they are walk-up only (no bookings).

Sales caps

$78,000 in gross receipts per calendar year (current; per Minn. Stat. § 28A.152, subd. 3 and the MDA). A lower Tier 1 threshold of $7,665 separates the no-fee training tier from the $50-fee Tier 2 tier under current rules. FUTURE: effective August 1, 2027 (2025 Session Law ch. 34, art. 5), the commissioner must adjust the cap every two years for CPI inflation using July 2025 as the base month, and the single-tier $30 registration fee applies regardless of sales volume.

Permit steps

  1. No license or permit is required — the Cottage Foods Exemption replaces licensing under Minn. Stat. §§ 28A.01–28A.16, but ANNUAL REGISTRATION with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is mandatory before selling.
  2. Tier 1 (gross annual sales of $7,665 or less): complete the MDA online training and exam each year before registering; no registration fee.
  3. Tier 2 (gross annual sales of $7,666 to $78,000): complete an MDA-approved safe food handling course once every three years; pay the $50 annual registration fee.
  4. Receive your registration card with a unique registration number by mail (allow 3–4 weeks); post it where customers can see it.
  5. Maintain required labeling and the "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection" sign/placard at the point of sale and on any sales website.

How to start in Minnesota

1. Confirm your products qualify: only non-potentially hazardous foods, qualifying home-canned pickles/vegetables/fruits (pH ≤4.6 or water activity ≤0.85), or qualifying pet treats. 2. Check with your city, county, or township about business licensing or zoning restrictions on home sales. 3. Complete training: if expected gross sales are $7,665 or less, take the free MDA Tier 1 online training and exam each year; if more than $7,665, take an approved Tier 2 food safety course (e.g., UMN Extension) once every three years. 4. Register online with the MDA each year (choose "Cottage Foods Producer Registration") — or request a paper application from MDA.Licensing@state.mn.us / 651-201-6062. 5. Receive your registration card and unique registration number by mail (allow 3–4 weeks); post the card where you sell. 6. Label every product and display the "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection" sign at point of sale (and on your website). 7. Sell only directly to ultimate consumers (farmers' markets, community events, from home, online with producer delivery/pickup) and stay under the $78,000 annual cap.

Recent changes

2025 — The 2025 Agriculture omnibus budget bill (HF 2446, enacted as 2025 Session Law chapter 34, article 5; signed by the governor May 23, 2025) amends Minn. Stat. § 28A.152 with an EFFECTIVE DATE OF AUGUST 1, 2027: (a) collapses the two tiers into ONE registration tier — every registrant pays a $30 annual fee and must complete an approved safe food handling training (≤8 hours) every three years; (b) permits delivery by mail or commercial delivery, i.e., cottage food may be SHIPPED to consumers (human foods cannot currently be shipped); (c) adds a new Subd. 8 requiring the commissioner to adjust the $78,000 sales cap for CPI inflation every two years using July 2025 as the base month; and (d) conforms the home-processed pet-treat provision (§ 25.391) to the § 28A.152 rules. No changes were enacted in 2024. No pending 2026 bills amending § 28A.152 were identified; the 2025 changes are enacted law awaiting their delayed effective date, and the MDA states it will begin implementation planning in 2026.

Official sources

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Not legal advice. Rules change — confirm everything with Minnesota's health department before selling.