Can you sell backyard eggs in Queensland?
Yes, but only with accreditation. Queensland has no small-flock exemption: anyone producing eggs to supply needs Safe Food Production Queensland accreditation and must stamp each egg and carton.
Read from 5 official sources16 passages quotedChecked October 7, 2026
At a glance
Licence
Licence or permit
Small-flock line
No small-flock exemption
Farmers markets
Licence needed
Cartons
Not stated
In plain English
Queensland does not exempt small flocks. The Egg Food Safety Scheme in the Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 covers producing eggs at any 'egg production farm' (premises used for the production of eggs) and off-farm sales from the farm to the public or a retailer, and the Act makes it an offence to produce under a food safety scheme without accreditation. Safe Food Production Queensland says you need accreditation for 'producing eggs for supply'; you don't if you keep birds as pets and don't sell the eggs. An accredited producer needs a management statement or food safety program, a Property Identification Code and biosecurity entity registration with Biosecurity Queensland, must mark each egg and each carton with its Safe Food egg production identification, and must not supply cracked or dirty eggs. Fees are set in fee units (application 171.60, producing activity 429.45).
A sourced reading of Queensland's rules, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) (1800 300 815) before you sell.
Do you need a licence?
- Hold Safe Food accreditation before producing eggs to supply; producing primary produce under a food safety scheme other than under an accreditation is an offence.Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 s 79; Safe Food, Egg producer (farm)
- The egg scheme covers producing eggs at an egg production farm and off-farm sales, meaning sales from the farm direct to the public or a retailer; it does not cover rearing birds as pets or for show.Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 s 96
- Prepare a food safety program or management statement and submit it with the application.s 97; Safe Food
- Mark each egg, and each carton or package, with your egg production identification as stated in your approved program or management statement.s 104(1)
- Do not supply for sale an egg whose shell is cracked or has visible faeces, soil or other matter on it, except to an accreditation holder for processing and pasteurising.s 105
- Provide a Property Identification Code and registration as a biosecurity entity with Biosecurity Queensland, plus a biosecurity map and site plan.Safe Food, Egg producer (farm)
- Pay the application fee (171.60 fee units) and the accreditation fee for an accredited producing activity (429.45 fee units); no fee if you supply only one processor under a preferred supplier arrangement.Regulation s 30, sch 1
The exact wording
Where you can sell
From home or the farm
Selling your own eggs at the farm gate is an 'off-farm sale' under the egg scheme, so you need Safe Food accreditation, stamped eggs and cartons, and no cracked or dirty eggs.
Farmers markets
A producer selling its own eggs direct to the public needs Safe Food accreditation like any egg producer. Whether the market stall also needs a council food business licence under the Food Act 2006 was not confirmed.
Stores and restaurants
Supplying a shop, café or restaurant is an off-farm sale to a retailer and needs Safe Food accreditation; each egg and carton must carry your egg production identification. The retailer itself is regulated by its local council under the Food Act 2006.
Also check with: Biosecurity Queensland (Property Identification Code and biosecurity entity registration)
Cartons, labels and handling
Cartons
The sources we read don't set a carton rule.
Refrigeration
Not stated in the sources we read.
The label must show
- egg production identification on each egg
- egg production identification on each carton or package
Grading
Ungraded eggs may be sold under the small-producer rules.
“egg producer means a person who engages in an activity mentioned in section 96 (1)(a) to (c), (e) or (h), whether or not the person also grades, packs, washes, candles, oils or stores the eggs.”
Washing
Your accreditation application must state your egg cleaning method (for example, washing or dry wiping); Safe Food publishes a guideline for egg cleaning procedures. Eggs with visible faeces, soil or other matter can't be supplied for sale except for processing and pasteurising (s 105).
National rules apply on top of Queensland's: Australia's national egg standard. Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.
Common questions
- Do I need a licence to sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Queensland?
- Yes, but only with accreditation. Queensland has no small-flock exemption: anyone producing eggs to supply needs Safe Food Production Queensland accreditation and must stamp each egg and carton. Small-flock line: no small-flock exemption. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
- Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Queensland?
- Needs a license or isn't exempt. A producer selling its own eggs direct to the public needs Safe Food accreditation like any egg producer. Whether the market stall also needs a council food business licence under the Food Act 2006 was not confirmed. Also check with Biosecurity Queensland (Property Identification Code and biosecurity entity registration).
- Can I reuse egg cartons in Queensland?
- The sources we read do not say; ask Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
- What has to be on the carton label in Queensland?
- egg production identification on each egg, egg production identification on each carton or package. The rule reads: "An accreditation holder who produces eggs must not supply the eggs unless the holder has marked each egg, and each carton or package containing the eggs, with the holder’s egg production identification in the way stated in the holder’s approved program or management statement."
- Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 (Qld), s 79 · A person producing primary produce covered by a food safety scheme must not do so other than under an accreditation (max. 2000 penalty units or 2 years' imprisonment)
- Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · Egg food safety scheme: covers producing eggs and off-farm sales; program or management statement; egg and carton marking (s 104); no cracked or dirty eggs (s 105); accreditation fees in fee units (sch 1); reprint effective 8 May 2022, expiry extended to 31 August 2027
- Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · Egg Food Safety Scheme: egg producer (farm) accreditation
Read the 16 passages this page is built on
“79 Unauthorised production of primary produce (1) This section applies only to a person engaged in the production of primary produce to which a food safety scheme applies. (2) The person must not engage in the production of the primary produce other than under an accreditation. Maximum penalty—2000 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years.”
Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 (Qld), s 79 · read 2026-10-07
“(1) The egg scheme applies to the production of egg scheme produce, including, for example, the following— (a) rearing a bird at an egg production farm for egg production; … (c) producing eggs at an egg production farm, including under a preferred supplier arrangement; … (h) off-farm sales of eggs;”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“(d) rearing a bird as a pet or for show; (e) retail sales of eggs, other than off-farm sales, for human consumption; … off-farm sale means the sale of an egg from an egg production farm direct to the public or a retailer.”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“egg producer means a person who engages in an activity mentioned in section 96 (1)(a) to (c), (e) or (h), whether or not the person also grades, packs, washes, candles, oils or stores the eggs. … egg production farm means premises used for the production of eggs.”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“An applicant for a grant or renewal of an accreditation under the egg scheme must prepare— (a) a program under the scheme; or (b) a management statement under the scheme.”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“An accreditation holder who produces eggs must not supply the eggs unless the holder has marked each egg, and each carton or package containing the eggs, with the holder’s egg production identification in the way stated in the holder’s approved program or management statement. Maximum penalty—50 penalty units.”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“(1) A person must not supply an egg for sale if the person knows, or ought reasonably know, the shell of the egg— (a) is cracked; or (b) has visible faeces, soil or other matter on the shell. Maximum penalty—50 penalty units.”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“Application fee 171.60 … Accredited producing activity dairy scheme egg scheme meat scheme seafood scheme 429.45”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“Schedule 7 Risk categories for egg scheme … Part 1 Low risk 1 producing eggs”
Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 (Qld), ch 4 (Egg scheme, ss 94–110), schs 1, 5–7 · read 2026-10-07
“exp 31 August 2027 (see SIA s 56A and SIR s 5 sch 3) [prev exp 31 August 2026 (see SIA s 56A and SIR s 5 sch 3)]”
legislation.qld.gov.au · read 2026-10-07
“You need accreditation for these activities: producing eggs for supply”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
“You do not need accreditation for these activities: keeping birds as pets and not selling the eggs … selling eggs as a retailer (except if you sell eggs directly from your farm gate). Retail egg sales are regulated by your local council under the Food Act 2006 .”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
“You must have accreditation with Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) if you produce eggs to supply. This may include activities such as production, storage, transporting, handling, washing, and grading eggs.”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
“You must successfully apply for accreditation before you start operating. … You are required to have a management statement or a food safety program (FSP) for your activity and must submit a copy with your application.”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
“You must provide us with your Property Identification Code (PIC) and registration as a biosecurity entity with Biosecurity Queensland.”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
“egg cleaning method (for example, washing or dry wiping) … unique identification applied to each egg (including stamp and use of food-grade ink).”
Safe Food Production Queensland (Safe Food) · read 2026-10-07
What we couldn't confirm
- No 2023–2026 amendments to the Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014 appear in the legislative history: the current reprint is effective 8 May 2022 (published 4 September 2026). FSANZ's P1060 SD3 says the regulation was amended in 2023 to require annual Salmonella Enteritidis testing; no such amendment is listed. Safe Food now requires SE prevention-plan biosecurity steps as part of the application (agency page, undated).
- The regulation's expiry was extended from 31 August 2026 to 31 August 2027 (legislative history); the date of that extension and any replacement regulation were not found. Check for a remade regulation before 31 August 2027.
- Refrigeration: no egg storage temperature was found in the regulation sections or Safe Food pages read; the program must address temperature controls.
- Carton reuse: not addressed in the sources read; cartons must carry the producer's egg production identification (s 104).
- Market stalls: whether a council food business licence under the Food Act 2006 is also needed for selling eggs at a market was not checked (local rules out of scope).
- Dollar value of fee units for 2026–27 not confirmed; fees are stated in fee units only.
- Biosecurity Queensland registration threshold (FSANZ SD3 says layer farms with 100 or more birds must register as a biosecurity entity) was not checked on a Queensland source; Safe Food asks every accredited egg farm for a PIC and biosecurity entity registration.
Elsewhere in Australia
- Australian Capital TerritoryNone: no small-flock exemptionRegistration
- New South Wales240 eggs a week or fewerRegistration
- Northern TerritoryNone: no small-flock exemptionRegistration
- South Australia50 birds or fewer, direct salesLicence: depends
- TasmaniaUnder 20 dozen/wk: notify, stampLicence: depends
- VictoriaFewer than 50 birdsLicence: depends
- Western AustraliaNo small-flock exemptionRegistration
Legal where you live? Then keep the books.
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