National rules

Can you sell backyard eggs in Germany?

Germany exempts your own ungraded eggs from EU egg marketing standards if you sell straight to consumers at the farm, or within 100 km door to door or at a local market. Market eggs still need the producer code.

Read from 3 official sources19 passages quotedChecked October 25, 2026

At a glance

License

Depends how you sell

Small-flock line

Under 350 laying hens: the egg register applies when you sell stamped eggs

Farmers markets

With conditions

Cartons

Not stated

In plain English

Your own ungraded eggs sold straight to consumers at the farm, or door to door within 100 km of it, are exempt from the EU egg marketing standards (EiMarktV § 1a(1) and (2)). Selling at a market brings in the producer code, and LegRegG makes businesses under 350 hens that sell eggs needing that code notify the authority made competent by Land law before they start.

A sourced reading of the rules in Germany, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority made competent by Land law (LegRegG § 3(1)) before you sell.

Do you need a license?

Depends on how and how much you sellUnder 350 laying hens: the egg register applies when you sell stamped eggs
  • The exemption covers eggs from your own hens, sold by you directly to the final consumer at the production site, at a local public market in the region of production, or at the door in that region, and only if the eggs were not sorted into quality or weight grades.EiMarktV § 1a(1)
  • The region of production is the area within 100 km of the production site.EiMarktV § 1a(2)
  • EiMarktV § 1a(1) leaves out Annex VII Part VI III No. 3 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the EU rule that eggs sold by the producer on a local public market are marked with the producer code. A German use of the EU option to waive this for up to 50 hens was not found in the sections read.EiMarktV § 1a and § 1b; LegRegG § 1, § 3 and § 6
  • Businesses with fewer than 350 laying hens come under LegRegG when they market eggs that must be marked under Annex VII Part VI III No. 1; they must notify the authority made competent by Land law before starting (§ 3(1)), and may market eggs only from a henhouse that has been given an identification number (§ 6). The act also applies to businesses with at least 350 laying hens.§ 1(2)
  • Small-quantity hygiene rules apply to anyone supplying small quantities of eggs directly to consumers or to local retailers who sell straight to consumers; for eggs, small quantities are own eggs from businesses with fewer than 350 laying hens.Tier-LMHV § 3
  • Everyone who keeps chickens must first notify the competent authority (ViehVerkV § 26); see Keeper registration.
The exact wording
“Betriebe mit weniger als 350 Legehennen, sofern die Betriebe Eier in den Verkehr bringen”

Where you can sell

From home or the farm

With conditions

Your own ungraded eggs, sold by you directly to the final consumer at the production site, are exempt from the EU egg marketing standards in Annex VII Part VI of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 (EiMarktV § 1a(1)).

Farmers markets

With conditions

The same exemption covers sales at a local public market within 100 km of the production site, but the eggs must still carry the producer code (EiMarktV § 1a(1) keeps Annex VII Part VI III No. 3).

Stores and restaurants

Needs a license or isn't exempt

Shops and restaurants are not among the three channels in EiMarktV § 1a(1), so the exemption does not cover them; EiMarktV § 1b(2) No. 2 bans marketing eggs that were not sorted, packed and marked in an approved packing centre.

Also check with: Land food-control and egg-marketing authorities (competence set by Land law)

Cartons, labels and handling

Cartons

The sources we read don't set a carton rule.

Refrigeration

“Die Eier müssen bei einer – möglichst konstanten – Temperatur aufbewahrt und befördert werden, die eine einwandfreie hygienische Beschaffenheit der Erzeugnisse gewährleistet.”

The label must show

  • Producer code on eggs sold at a local public market (EiMarktV § 1a(1) keeps Annex VII Part VI III No. 3)

Grading

Ungraded sales are allowed only in some cases.

The direct-sale exemption applies only if the eggs were not sorted into quality or weight grades (EiMarktV § 1a(1)); eggs sold outside it fall under the EU marketing standards.

Washing

The small-quantity hygiene rules say eggs must be kept clean, dry, free of foreign odours and protected from knocks and sunlight from laying until sale (Tier-LMHV Anlage 2 No. 1); a washing rule was not found in the sections read (EiMarktV § 1a and § 1b; Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22 and Anlage 2).

Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.

Keeping chickens in Germany? →Registration, bird-flu housing powers and welfare rules, on their own page.Registration required

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Germany?
Germany exempts your own ungraded eggs from EU egg marketing standards if you sell straight to consumers at the farm, or within 100 km door to door or at a local market. Market eggs still need the producer code. Small-flock line: under 350 laying hens: the egg register applies when you sell stamped eggs. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Germany?
Allowed with conditions. The same exemption covers sales at a local public market within 100 km of the production site, but the eggs must still carry the producer code (EiMarktV § 1a(1) keeps Annex VII Part VI III No. 3). Also check with Land food-control and egg-marketing authorities (competence set by Land law).
Can I reuse egg cartons in Germany?
The sources we read do not say; ask the authority made competent by Land law (LegRegG § 3(1)) before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
What has to be on the carton label in Germany?
Producer code on eggs sold at a local public market (EiMarktV § 1a(1) keeps Annex VII Part VI III No. 3). The rule reads: "Die Bestimmungen des Anhangs VII Teil VI, ausgenommen Abschnitt III Nummer 3, der Verordnung (EU) Nr. 1308/2013"
Do eggs I sell in Germany have to be kept cold?
The rule reads: "Die Eier müssen bei einer – möglichst konstanten – Temperatur aufbewahrt und befördert werden, die eine einwandfreie hygienische Beschaffenheit der Erzeugnisse gewährleistet."
Sources
Read the 19 passages this page is built on
  • “Die Bestimmungen des Anhangs VII Teil VI, ausgenommen Abschnitt III Nummer 3, der Verordnung (EU) Nr. 1308/2013”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “in der jeweils geltenden Fassung müssen nicht eingehalten werden bei Eiern, die der Erzeuger an der Produktionsstätte, auf einem örtlichen öffentlichen Markt im Erzeugungsgebiet oder im Verkauf an der Tür im Erzeugungsgebiet unmittelbar an den Endverbraucher abgibt, sofern die Eier aus der Erzeugung dieses Erzeugers stammen und keine Sortierung nach Güte- und Gewichtsklassen vorgenommen worden ist.”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “Erzeugungsgebiet im Sinne des Absatz 1 ist das Gebiet, das im Umkreis von nicht mehr als 100 km vom Ort der Produktionsstätte gelegen ist.”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “(2) Es ist verboten,”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “2. Eier zum Verkauf vorrätig zu halten, anzubieten, feilzuhalten, zu liefern, zu verkaufen oder sonst in den Verkehr zu bringen, die nicht in einer nach Artikel 3 Absatz 1 der Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2023/2466 zugelassenen Packstelle sortiert, verpackt und gekennzeichnet worden sind,”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “Die Vorschriften dieses Gesetzes gelten für 1. Betriebe mit mindestens 350 Legehennen und”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “2. Betriebe mit weniger als 350 Legehennen, sofern die Betriebe Eier in den Verkehr bringen, die nach Anhang VII Teil VI Abschnitt III Nr. 1 der Verordnung (EU) Nr. 1308/2013”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “(ABl. L 347 vom 20.12.2013, S. 671) zu kennzeichnen sind.”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Ein Betrieb im Sinne des § 1 Abs. 2 darf erst aufgenommen werden, wenn der Inhaber des Betriebes diesen zuvor nach Maßgabe des Absatzes 2 der nach Landesrecht zuständigen Behörde unter Angabe der bei Betriebsaufnahme vorhandenen Ställe angezeigt hat.”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Ab dem 1. Januar 2004 darf der Inhaber eines Betriebes im Sinne des § 1 Abs. 2 Eier nur aus einem Stall in Verkehr bringen, für den ihm eine Kennnummer mitgeteilt worden ist.”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Wer kleine Mengen der in Absatz 2 genannten Primärerzeugnisse oder Lebensmittel tierischen Ursprungs direkt an Verbraucher oder an örtliche Betriebe des Einzelhandels zur unmittelbaren Abgabe an Verbraucher abgibt, hat unbeschadet der Anforderungen der Lebensmittelhygiene-Verordnung bei der Herstellung oder Behandlung im Falle von”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “3. Eiern die Anforderungen der Anlage 2,”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “2. Eiern: Eier aus eigener Erzeugung von Betrieben mit weniger als 350 Legehennen,”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Die Eier müssen unmittelbar nach dem Legen bis zur Abgabe an Verbraucher sauber, trocken und frei von Fremdgeruch gehalten sowie wirksam vor Stößen und vor Sonneneinstrahlung geschützt werden.”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Die Eier müssen bei einer – möglichst konstanten – Temperatur aufbewahrt und befördert werden, die eine einwandfreie hygienische Beschaffenheit der Erzeugnisse gewährleistet.”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Es ist verboten, Eier nach Ablauf des 28. Tages nach dem Legen an Verbraucher abzugeben.”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

  • “zuletzt geändert durch Art. 1 V v. 21.5.2026 I Nr. 168”

    EiMarktV §§ 1a and 1b · read 2026-10-25

  • “Zuletzt geändert durch Art. 2 G v. 28.7.2014 I 1308”

    LegRegG §§ 1, 3 and 6 · read 2026-10-25

  • “Zuletzt geändert durch Art. 1 V v. 11.4.2024 I Nr. 129”

    Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22(3) and Anlage 2 · read 2026-10-25

What we couldn't confirm
  • Federal texts are quoted from the official consolidated versions at gesetze-im-internet.de as of 25 October 2026; Land rules were not read.
  • Rules on reusing cartons were not found in the sections read (EiMarktV § 1a and § 1b; Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22 and Anlage 2).
  • Eggs may not be handed to consumers after the 28th day after laying (Tier-LMHV § 22(3)); a numeric storage temperature was not found in the sections read (Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22 and Anlage 2).
  • Whether any housing order applies now, and where, is not shown here; check your district's announcements.
  • Apart from the producer code on market eggs, other label rules for direct sales were not found in the sections read (EiMarktV § 1a and § 1b; Tier-LMHV § 3, § 22 and Anlage 2).

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