Last verified 2026-09-15. Regulator: Minnesota Department of Agriculture. This page is not legal advice.
What must a cottage food label show in Minnesota?
A Minnesota cottage food label must show these 5 items:
- The name of the person who prepared the food, or the cottage food business name given on the registration
- The MDA registration number or the address of the person who prepared the food
- The date on which the food was prepared (for home-canned goods, the date processed and canned)
- The ingredients and any possible allergens; the MDA lists milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame
- The statement: "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection."
What disclaimer must a Minnesota cottage food label have?
Yes. A Minnesota cottage food label must carry this statement, word for word:
These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.
Does Minnesota require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food?
No. Minnesota does not require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food. Federal rules also exempt most small producers, unless the label makes a nutrient or health claim. If you want to add one, the Nutrition Label Maker prints it in the FDA layout for free.
What foods can you sell under the Minnesota cottage food law?
Food that is not potentially hazardous under Minnesota Rules part 4626.0020, subpart 62, such as baked goods, candy, jams, and dried goods with a pH of 4.6 or below or a water activity of 0.85 or less. 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, canned in Minnesota. No meat, dairy, cheese, jerky, tamales, chocolate-covered fruit, or cannabinoid products.
Where can you sell cottage food in Minnesota?
Direct to the ultimate consumer at a community event or farmers' market, from the producer's home where local ordinance allows, or by donation to a fundraising event. Orders may be taken over the Internet, but the producer must deliver the food in person; mail and commercial shipping of human food are not allowed until August 1, 2027. No wholesale and no sales from stores. Home-canned goods may not be sold outside Minnesota.
Do you need a permit to sell cottage food in Minnesota?
Annual registration with the MDA is required before selling; registrations expire March 31. The fee is $50 for annual sales above $7,665 and $0 at $7,665 or less. Training is required before registering: a free online course and exam each year for the lower tier, or an approved safe food handling course every three years for the upper tier.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Minnesota?
$78,000 in gross receipts from exempt food sales in a calendar year.
What else should you know about the Minnesota rules?
You must post a sign at the point of sale with the same statement that is on the label. A website that sells your food must show the statement too. A QR code cannot replace any required label item. Free samples of up to 3 ounces are allowed at farmers’ markets and community events under section 28A.151, with a sign that lists ingredients and major allergens. Cities and counties may restrict home sales through zoning or business licensing. The 2025 amendments take effect on August 1, 2027: one $30 fee tier, shipping within Minnesota, and advanced training for all registrants.
How accurate is this page?
The label items, the disclaimer, the sales cap, the sales channels, and the registration rule were read from Minnesota Statutes section 28A.152 (2024 edition, in effect until August 1, 2027) on 2026-09-15. The allowed foods, fee threshold, allergen list, training tiers, and sampling rule were read from the MDA Cottage Food Law Guidance page the same day. The $7,665 fee threshold is the MDA figure; the statute gives $5,000 adjusted for inflation. A 2023 amendment was not confirmed; the statute history lists 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2025.