Minnesota updated its food licensing in 2025 and has more changes coming in 2027, so it's worth getting the current picture before you sell. The good news for home food makers: cottage food is a free or low-cost registration, sampling is specifically exempt, and the sales cap is one of the more generous in the country. Here's how Minnesota works.
The short version: Minnesota cottage food makers register with the state Department of Agriculture (MDA) on a tiered system. If you sell under about $7,665 a year, registration and the required training are free. Above that, up to a $78,000 cap, registration is $50. Farmers who sell their own farm products need no license at all, and sampling at markets is specifically exempt from licensing by statute. As of August 2025, other food vendors use a single MDA Food Handler License. Almost everyone registers (free) with the Department of Revenue for sales tax. More changes are coming in 2027.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking Minnesota orders, pickups, and payments easy.
Minnesota treats cottage food as a registration with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), not a full license, and it's tiered by how much you sell. Through July 2027, the tiers are:
The sales cap is $78,000 gross annually, which is more generous than many states. Allowed foods are non-temperature-controlled items like baked goods, jams and jellies, pickles (pH at or below 4.6), and dried herbs. You can sell at farmers markets, community events, from home, and online. For the full list and labeling rules, see our Minnesota cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in Minnesota.
If you sell products you grew or raised on your own land (fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, maple syrup) with no off-farm added ingredients, you need no license at all. This is separate from cottage food and covers a lot of traditional market vendors.
As of August 1, 2025, MDA consolidated its food licenses into a single Food Handler License. For farmers market vendors who need a license (beyond cottage food and the farm exemption), this replaced the old seasonal and temporary stand categories. The application fee is $50 plus a 5 percent technology surcharge, with ongoing fees per the MDA schedule.
Here's a vendor-friendly detail: Minnesota law (Minnesota Statutes section 28A.151) specifically exempts food sampling at farmers markets from licensing. You don't need a license to hand out small samples for promotional or educational purposes. That's clearer than most states, where sampling rules are left to local interpretation.
Separate from any food rules, register for free with the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Sales tax may apply depending on what you sell, so confirm your situation.
Minnesota passed a cottage food overhaul (HF 2446) that takes effect in 2027. It replaces the tiered system with a single registration tier at $30 a year for everyone, and it will allow shipping. If you're planning ahead, keep that change in mind.
Start at the official sources: the MDA cottage food registration page, and the MDA food licenses page for the Food Handler License.
It depends. Farmers selling their own farm products need no license. Cottage food makers register with MDA (free under about $7,665/year, or $50 above that, up to a $78,000 cap). Other food vendors need a Food Handler License. Sampling is specifically exempt. Almost everyone registers for sales tax.
It's tiered. Under about $7,665 a year, registration and the required training are free (Tier 1). From $7,666 to $78,000 a year, it's $50 plus a food safety course every three years (Tier 2). In 2027, this becomes a flat $30 a year for everyone.
No. Products you grew or raised on your own land with no off-farm added ingredients (produce, eggs, honey, meat, maple syrup) are exempt from licensing.
Yes, without a license. Minnesota law specifically exempts small food samples at farmers markets from licensing, which is clearer than most states.
A 2025 law (HF 2446) replaces the tiered system with a single registration at $30 a year for everyone and will allow shipping. The $78,000 cap and the tiered fees apply through July 2027.
Minnesota is reasonable for home food makers: cottage food is a free or $50 registration with a generous $78,000 cap, farm products are exempt, and sampling is specifically allowed without a license. Other vendors use the 2025 Food Handler License, and a flat $30 registration arrives in 2027. Register for sales tax too. Once you're cleared to sell, a simple storefront makes pickups and payments easy. Set up a Homegrown storefront for $10/month at 0% commission, and check other states on our farmers market vendor permits by state guide.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules change, with Minnesota updates effective in 2025 and 2027. Verify current requirements with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Department of Revenue before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
