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Cottage food laws · MN
Selling homemade food in Minnesota
Minnesota requires an annual registration before you sell shelf-stable homemade foods, with a two-tier system: a lighter Tier 1 for sales under $7,665, and Tier 2 up to the $78,000 annual cap. Human cottage food currently can't be shipped and must be handed to the buyer in person inside Minnesota, though in-state shipping is set to open up starting August 2027.
Program
Minnesota Cottage Food Law
Registration
Annual registration with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, renewed by April 1 each year. Tier 1 (gross annual sales ≤ $7,665): free registration, must complete an online training + exam. Tier 2 (sales $7,666–$78,000): $50 registration fee, must complete an approved food safety course once every 3 years
Annual sales cap
$78,000 gross annual sales (the Tier 1 / Tier 2 split is at $7,665)
Online sales
Allowed (see notes)
You can sell
- Baked goods, including those with dairy ingredients like butter, milk or eggs mixed in (but not refrigerated)
- Jams, jellies, preserves
- Candy & chocolate
- Dry mixes & granola
- Popcorn
- Pickled/acidified foods with pH ≤ 4.6 or water activity ≤ 0.85
- Baked or dehydrated pet treats (dogs/cats only)
You can't sell
- Potentially hazardous/perishable foods requiring refrigeration
- Meat & poultry products
- Standalone dairy products (cheese, yogurt, butter, ghee) and pickled eggs/meats
- Home-canned low-acid vegetables (pH > 4.6) without testing
- Chocolate-covered fresh fruit
- Edible cannabinoid (THC/CBD) products
Where you can sell
- Direct in-person sales from home
- Farmers markets
- Roadside stands
Selling online
Online ordering/marketing is allowed, but human cottage food must be delivered in person to the customer inside Minnesota — no shipping by mail or courier (in-state shipping is scheduled to become allowed starting August 1, 2027). Registered pet-treat producers are the one current exception allowed to ship by mail/carrier
What your labels must include
- Registrant's full name or business name
- Registration number or address
- Production date
- "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection" statement
- Full ingredient list with major allergens identified
- Net weight