Home food business guide · Last reviewed October 2026
Cottage Food Laws in Michigan
Michigan caps home food sales at $50,000 ($75,000 for items $250+). No state food permit is required for cottage food, though local requirements may still apply. Foods that need refrigeration have to be made in a commercial kitchen. Of the 40 common products in our finder, 12 can be made in a home kitchen in Michigan, many with conditions.
Michigan keeps paperwork to a minimum, with no license and no inspection, but it caps sales at $50,000 a year, or $75,000 for items that sell for $250 or more. Sales can happen online, by mail, and through delivery apps within Michigan, with one condition: the buyer must have a chance to talk with the producer, in person or by video, before the sale.
Products must be shelf-stable. A buttercream cake qualifies, while cream cheese frosting does not, because it needs refrigeration. Acidified foods such as pickles and salsa are excluded. Registering with the MSU Product Center provides an ID number that can be printed on labels instead of a home address.
Quick facts
Sales cap
$50,000 ($75,000 for items $250+)
Permit or registration
None; optional MSU Product Center registration
Online & shipping
Online, mail, and delivery apps within Michigan after direct contact
Sell through stores
No wholesale or consignment
Refrigerated & TCS foods
No
Quick facts are summarized from 50-state trackers (Ardent Seller, reviewed October 1, 2026, cross-checked with PermitDeck and Food Business Pros). Where the details below differ, follow the state sources listed at the bottom of this page and confirm with the agency.
How 40 common products are treated in Michigan, with the condition or reason for each. Items marked "general rule" weren't specifically addressed in the state's guidance.
Allowed from a home kitchen
Sourdough bread. Baked goods that don't need refrigeration are allowed.
Cookies & brownies. Baked goods that don't need refrigeration are allowed.
Garlic or herb-infused oil. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Garlic or herbs in oil carry a botulism risk and need a validated commercial process.
Home-cooked meals. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Prepared meals need refrigeration, so they're made in a permitted commercial kitchen.
Kombucha. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Fermented beverages need a commercial kitchen, and producers monitor alcohol, since at 0.5% ABV or more it is treated as an alcoholic beverage.
Beef jerky. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Meat products need USDA or state meat inspection, regardless of kitchen.
Cheese & yogurt. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Dairy products are licensed separately, through the state's dairy program.
Cold-pressed juice. General rule, not specifically addressed in this state's guidance; ask the agency to confirm. Juices aren't home-kitchen foods. Wholesale juice needs a Juice HACCP plan with a 5-log pathogen reduction.
Ask the agency first
Macarons. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Fruit tamales. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Roasted coffee. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Marshmallows. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Nut butter. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Pure honey. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Infused honey. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Fruit-infused vinegar. Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
Mustard (no egg). Not clearly addressed in the state's guidance; ask the agency.
How to start selling from home
Check that the product doesn't need refrigeration and isn't an excluded food like meat, dairy, or acidified or canned vegetables.
No license or inspection is required. Optional registration with the MSU Product Center gives you an ID number.
Sell directly to Michigan consumers. Online and mail orders need a chance for the buyer to talk with you, in person or by video, before the sale.
Label every product (see the checklist below).
Legal paths
Cottage food
Where
Your home kitchen
Sell
Directly to Michigan consumers: in person, online, mail order, or delivery app, after direct contact with the buyer. No wholesale or consignment.
Sales cap
$50,000 gross per year, or $75,000 if items sell for $250 or more; inflation-adjusted from late 2026
Paperwork
None required; optional MSU Product Center registration
Commercial kitchen
Where
A licensed commercial kitchen
Sell
Wholesale and retail, including refrigerated foods
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
MDARD food establishment license; usually FDA registration
Commercial canning
Where
Licensed commercial facility
Sell
Pickles, salsas, sauces, and canned foods
Sales cap
None
Paperwork
MDARD license, process authority review, FDA scheduled-process filing
Label requirements
Required on Michigan cottage food labels.
“Made in a Home Kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development” in 11-point type
Business name, address, and phone number. If you register with the MSU Product Center, you can use your name, phone, and registration number instead.
Product name
Ingredients in descending order by weight
Net weight or volume
Allergen declaration
Turning a recipe into a product?
Mendocino Food Consulting helps food entrepreneurs with food science, formulation, and process questions. We are food scientists, not attorneys, and we don't provide legal advice.