the minnesota cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in minnesota, who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.

by tommy + omarchecked october 14, 2026

minnesota: register first, a $78,000 sales cap, sell online, no shipping within the state. tap any state to see its rules.

on this page

1at a glance 2what you can sell 3how to start 4where you can sell 5labels 6what’s changed 7good to know 8questions 9sources

the short answer

yes, you can run a bakery from your home kitchen in minnesota. register as a cottage food producer with the minnesota department of agriculture (mda): it’s free if you sell $7,665 or less a year, and $50 a year up to $78,000. take the food safety training for your tier, label everything, and sell straight to the people who’ll eat it: from home, at farmers markets and events, or online, as long as you or your employee hands each order over in person. foods that have to stay cold, like cheesecake or cream pies, aren’t allowed.

minnesota cottage food rules at a glance

minnesota cottage food rules at a glance
the law	minnesota cottage food law (minnesota statutes, section 28A.152 (cottage foods exemption))
who runs it	minnesota department of agriculture (mda)
registration	yes cottage food producer registration (free if you sell $7,665 or less a year (tier 1), $50 a year from $7,666 to $78,000 (tier 2)). renewed every year (registrations expire march 31)
kitchen inspection	no
training	yestier 1: mda’s free online course and exam, every year. tier 2: an mda-approved food safety course, like the university of minnesota extension course, every 3 years.
yearly sales cap	$78,000 a year
selling from your home	yesonly if your city or county zoning allows home sales.
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets and community events. you or your employee must be there to sell.
selling online orders	yestake orders and payment online, then hand each order over in person. post the required statement on your site.
selling delivering it yourself	yesyou or your employee must hand it over in person in minnesota. no couriers or delivery services until august 1, 2027.
selling shipping within the state	nonot for human food until august 1, 2027. cottage pet treats can be shipped now.
selling shipping to other states	nohuman cottage food can’t be shipped. home-canned foods can never be sold outside minnesota.
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	noyou can’t sell to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale.

what can you sell from home in minnesota?

you can sell

breads and rolls
cookies, bars and cakes
jams and jellies
pickles and canned fruits or vegetables with a ph of 4.6 or lower
baked or dehydrated dog and cat treats

you can’t sell

cheesecake and cream pies
meat, jerky and fish
cheese, yogurt, butter and other dairy
cream cheese and flavored butters
tamales and egg rolls
chocolate-covered fresh fruit
foods with thc or cbd

these are examples, not the full list. check the minnesota department of agriculture (mda) before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in minnesota?

register: a cottage food producer registration from the minnesota department of agriculture (mda). it’s free if you sell $7,665 or less a year (tier 1), $50 a year from $7,666 to $78,000 (tier 2). you renew it every year (registrations expire march 31). start here.
take the training: tier 1: mda’s free online course and exam, every year. tier 2: an mda-approved food safety course, like the university of minnesota extension course, every 3 years.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways minnesota allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in minnesota?

from your home	yesonly if your city or county zoning allows home sales.
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets and community events. you or your employee must be there to sell.
online orders	yestake orders and payment online, then hand each order over in person. post the required statement on your site.
delivering it yourself	yesyou or your employee must hand it over in person in minnesota. no couriers or delivery services until august 1, 2027.
shipping within the state	nonot for human food until august 1, 2027. cottage pet treats can be shipped now.
shipping to other states	nohuman cottage food can’t be shipped. home-canned foods can never be sold outside minnesota.
to stores, cafes and restaurants	noyou can’t sell to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale.

on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.

what goes on a cottage food label in minnesota?

“These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.”
the statement minnesota requires on your label

the label also needs:

your full name or business name
your registration number or the address on your registration
the date it was made
ingredients, including major allergens
the same statement on a sign where you sell and on your website

what’s changed in minnesota, and what’s coming?

when	what
august 1, 2027	one tier for everyone: $30 a year, and everyone takes the approved food safety course every 3 years (coming)
august 1, 2027	you can ship within minnesota and use mail or commercial delivery (coming)
august 1, 2027	mda will adjust the $78,000 cap for inflation every 2 years (coming)
august 1, 2027	only individuals, sole proprietors, one-owner llcs and two-owner llcs whose owners live together can register, and you can’t also hold a food handler license (coming)
2021	a new law raised the sales cap from $18,000 to $78,000, tied the free tier to inflation (now $7,665), let producers form an llc or other business, and added dog and cat treats

what else should you know in minnesota?

your registration runs out march 31 each year. renewing tier 2 online adds a $2.50 processing fee.
check with your city or county first: local zoning can ban home sales, and some places need a business license.
you can’t sell from a store, even at a pop-up table, unless a farmers market or community event is happening there.
your sales may be subject to sales tax. the minnesota department of revenue can tell you what’s taxable.
pet treats: registered producers can make baked or dehydrated dog and cat treats, and can ship them by mail or delivery service.

questions people ask

do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in minnesota?

yes. you need a cottage food producer registration from the minnesota department of agriculture (mda). it’s free if you sell $7,665 or less a year (tier 1), $50 a year from $7,666 to $78,000 (tier 2).

can i sell cottage food online in minnesota?

yes. take orders and payment online, then hand each order over in person. post the required statement on your site.

can i ship cottage food in minnesota?

not within minnesota: not for human food until august 1, 2027. cottage pet treats can be shipped now. shipping to other states isn’t allowed either.

how much can i sell from home in minnesota?

up to $78,000 a year.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in minnesota?

no. you can’t sell to stores, cafes or restaurants for resale.

what can’t i sell from home in minnesota?

the usual no’s: cheesecake and cream pies, meat, jerky and fish, cheese, yogurt, butter and other dairy, cream cheese and flavored butters, tamales and egg rolls. check with the minnesota department of agriculture (mda) before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against minnesota’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the minnesota department of agriculture (mda) (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.

written by tommy + omar

we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story