Can I sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Greenland, and do I need a license?

Greenland: anyone selling food commercially must register before starting; whether a few backyard eggs count was not established. Kept animals must be checked daily, or regularly if free-ranging outdoors. Small-flock line: registration before selling food commercially; whether occasional egg sales are commercial was not established. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.

What has to be on the carton label in Greenland?

Food that is sold, or can be expected to be sold, must carry suitable labelling or identification that makes it easier to trace through relevant documentation or information (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24/2019, § 18(1)). Which other label items apply to eggs was not established. Under Greenland's food-labelling order (Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse nr. 31/2020, for food intended for sale in Greenland), food must be marked with the lot it belongs to (§ 13(1)). This does not apply, among other cases, to farm products sold or delivered from the holding to storage, filling or packing places or the brættet, to food that is not pre-packed in retail shops, to food sold at the brættet, or to food marked with an uncoded best-before or use-by date showing at least day and month (§ 13(2)-(3)). Pre-packed food (packed in retail packaging before sale and meant to be opened first by the buyer) must show the lot mark, the maker's name and place of origin, the product name and ingredients list, net quantity, nutrition content, and durability with any special storage or use instructions (§§ 4 and 14(1)), in Greenlandic, English, Icelandic or Danish and in a conspicuous place (§ 11(2)), each item subject to the rules of its own chapter; food labelled in English or Icelandic may be sold only if a sign translating all required labelling into Greenlandic or Danish is posted next to it in the shop (§ 11(3)). Which of these a small egg seller's eggs need was not established. The rule reads: "§ 18. En fødevare eller et fødevarekontaktmateriale, der sælges eller som kan forventes at blive solgt, skal forsynes med en passende mærkning eller identifikation, der letter sporbarheden ved hjælp af relevant dokumentation eller information."

National rules

Can you sell backyard eggs in Greenland?

Greenland: anyone selling food commercially must register before starting; whether a few backyard eggs count was not established. Kept animals must be checked daily, or regularly if free-ranging outdoors.

Read from 5 official sources32 passages quotedChecked November 2, 2026

License

Depends how you sell

Small-flock line

Registration before selling food commercially; whether occasional egg sales are commercial was not established

Farmers markets

Not stated

Cartons

Not stated

In plain English

Greenland's own food act (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24 of 2019, in force since 1 January 2020) covers the production, processing and sale of food in Greenland, but not food made for your own private use in a private household. Businesses, and anyone who will process, store, transport, sell or import food as a business (i erhvervsmæssigt øjemed), may not start until registered with the competent authority: the Veterinary and Food Authority in Greenland (VFMG) or another control authority Naalakkersuisut appoints. The act defines a food business as any public or private undertaking, with or without profit, in any part of food production, processing, distribution or sale, and lets Naalakkersuisut make separate rules for small-scale production; none of the orders listed under the act on its official page concerns small-scale production. An older food-business order (1998), still shown as in force, requires approval of businesses that commercially handle or sell food but excludes the rearing of livestock and poultry; VFMG's own page says it approves food businesses producing for the home market. The statute says registration, while the 1998 order and VFMG's page say approval. Whether a household selling a few eggs acts as a business was not established; ask VFMG. Denmark's food act as put into force for Greenland (ordinance as published in 2004) does not apply to businesses producing only for the Greenland home market.

A sourced reading of the rules in Greenland, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG, Greenland's Veterinary and Food Authority) before you sell.

Do you need a license?

Depends on how and how much you sellRegistration before selling food commercially; whether occasional egg sales are commercial was not established

Register with the competent authority (VFMG, or another control authority Naalakkersuisut appoints) before you start to process, store, transport, sell or import food as a business (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24/2019, §§ 3(22) and 24); VFMG's page says to contact it before starting or taking over a food business.
Food that, used in the usual way, is likely to transmit or cause illness or lead to poisoning may not be sold or handed over for human consumption.§ 6(2)
Food must be produced, stored and sold hygienically so it is not contaminated or made unfit to eat.§ 7(1)
Food business managers must be able to identify who supplied their food.§ 17

The exact wording

“§ 24. Virksomheder eller den, der i erhvervsmæssigt øjemed vil tilvirke, opbevare, transportere, forhandle eller importere fødevarer eller fødevarekontaktmaterialer, må ikke påbegynde aktiviteten, før de er blevet registreret hos de kompetente myndigheder.”

Where you can sell

From home or the farm

Not stated

No rule on selling eggs at your home or farm was found in Greenland's food act or its 1998 food-business order. The act covers sale of food in Greenland, and commercial sellers must register with the competent authority before starting; ask VFMG whether your sales count.

Farmers markets

Not stated

The food act lists the brættet among retail places; the rules for selling eggs there were not established. Under the 1998 food-business order, which covers commercial handling and sale of food, food may be sold from the brættet only on an area the municipal council designates (§ 26(1)).

Stores and restaurants

Not stated

No rule on small producers supplying shops or restaurants was found; food businesses must be able to identify who supplied their food (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24/2019, § 17).

Also check with: Fødevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration), for contagious livestock diseases in Greenland other than those that pass from animals to people

Cartons, labels and handling

Cartons

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

Refrigeration

No storage temperature for shell eggs was found in the Greenland texts read. Greenland's food act requires food to be produced, stored and sold hygienically so it is not contaminated or made unfit to eat.

The label must show

Food that is sold, or can be expected to be sold, must carry suitable labelling or identification that makes it easier to trace through relevant documentation or information (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24/2019, § 18(1)). Which other label items apply to eggs was not established.
Under Greenland's food-labelling order (Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse nr. 31/2020, for food intended for sale in Greenland), food must be marked with the lot it belongs to (§ 13(1)). This does not apply, among other cases, to farm products sold or delivered from the holding to storage, filling or packing places or the brættet, to food that is not pre-packed in retail shops, to food sold at the brættet, or to food marked with an uncoded best-before or use-by date showing at least day and month (§ 13(2)-(3)).
Pre-packed food (packed in retail packaging before sale and meant to be opened first by the buyer) must show the lot mark, the maker's name and place of origin, the product name and ingredients list, net quantity, nutrition content, and durability with any special storage or use instructions (§§ 4 and 14(1)), in Greenlandic, English, Icelandic or Danish and in a conspicuous place (§ 11(2)), each item subject to the rules of its own chapter; food labelled in English or Icelandic may be sold only if a sign translating all required labelling into Greenlandic or Danish is posted next to it in the shop (§ 11(3)). Which of these a small egg seller's eggs need was not established.

Grading

No egg grading or egg marketing standard for Greenland's home market was found in the texts read.

Washing

Not stated in the sources we read.

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

Keeping chickens in Greenland? →Registration, bird-flu housing orders and welfare rules, on their own page.Not established

Common questions

Can I sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Greenland, and do I need a license?: Greenland: anyone selling food commercially must register before starting; whether a few backyard eggs count was not established. Kept animals must be checked daily, or regularly if free-ranging outdoors. Small-flock line: registration before selling food commercially; whether occasional egg sales are commercial was not established. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Greenland?: Not stated in the sources we read. The food act lists the brættet among retail places; the rules for selling eggs there were not established. Under the 1998 food-business order, which covers commercial handling and sale of food, food may be sold from the brættet only on an area the municipal council designates (§ 26(1)). Also check with Fødevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration), for contagious livestock diseases in Greenland other than those that pass from animals to people.
Can I reuse egg cartons in Greenland?: The sources we read do not say; ask Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG, Greenland's Veterinary and Food Authority) before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
What has to be on the carton label in Greenland?: Food that is sold, or can be expected to be sold, must carry suitable labelling or identification that makes it easier to trace through relevant documentation or information (Inatsisartutlov nr. 24/2019, § 18(1)). Which other label items apply to eggs was not established. Under Greenland's food-labelling order (Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse nr. 31/2020, for food intended for sale in Greenland), food must be marked with the lot it belongs to (§ 13(1)). This does not apply, among other cases, to farm products sold or delivered from the holding to storage, filling or packing places or the brættet, to food that is not pre-packed in retail shops, to food sold at the brættet, or to food marked with an uncoded best-before or use-by date showing at least day and month (§ 13(2)-(3)). Pre-packed food (packed in retail packaging before sale and meant to be opened first by the buyer) must show the lot mark, the maker's name and place of origin, the product name and ingredients list, net quantity, nutrition content, and durability with any special storage or use instructions (§§ 4 and 14(1)), in Greenlandic, English, Icelandic or Danish and in a conspicuous place (§ 11(2)), each item subject to the rules of its own chapter; food labelled in English or Icelandic may be sold only if a sign translating all required labelling into Greenlandic or Danish is posted next to it in the shop (§ 11(3)). Which of these a small egg seller's eggs need was not established. The rule reads: "§ 18. En fødevare eller et fødevarekontaktmateriale, der sælges eller som kan forventes at blive solgt, skal forsynes med en passende mærkning eller identifikation, der letter sporbarheden ved hjælp af relevant dokumentation eller information."
Do eggs I sell in Greenland have to be kept cold?: In short: No storage temperature for shell eggs was found in the Greenland texts read. Greenland's food act requires food to be produced, stored and sold hygienically so it is not contaminated or made unfit to eat.

Sources

§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · Inatsisartutlov nr. 24 af 28. november 2019 om fødevarer
§§ 1, 3, 9 · Inatsisartutlov nr. 12 af 6. juni 2016 om bekæmpelse af zoonoser og zoonotiske agens
§§ 2, 3, 4, 5, 23 · Landstingslov nr. 25 af 18. december 2003 om dyreværn (Selvstyrets lovbekendtgørelse nr. 56 af 15. juli 2025)
§§ 1, 12 · Landstingslov nr. 5 af 2. maj 1996 om landbrug (Selvstyrets lovbekendtgørelse nr. 68 af 30. september 2025)
§§ 1, 3, 26 · Hjemmestyrets bekendtgørelse nr. 21 af 27. juli 1998 om levnedsmiddelvirksomheder
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse nr. 31 af 17. august 2020 om mærkning af fødevarer
§§ 5, 8, 14, 44, Bilag 1-2 · Anordning nr. 524 af 8. juni 2004 om ikrafttræden for Grønland af lov om sygdomme og infektioner hos dyr (as published 2004)
§ 2 · Anordning nr. 523 af 8. juni 2004 om ikrafttræden for Grønland af lov om fødevarer m.m. (as published 2004)
Naalakkersuisut.gl, Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG) page (agency page, not law) · Naalakkersuisut (Government of Greenland): Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland page, Arbejdsområder (the authority's own description of its work; agency page, not law)
Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG, Greenland's Veterinary and Food Authority) · Food business registration and approval for the home market

Read the 32 passages this page is built on

“Nr. 24 28. november 2019 Gældende”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 56. Denne inatsisartutlov træder i kraft den 1. januar 2020.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 1. Denne inatsisartutlov finder anvendelse på produktion, tilvirkning og salg af fødevarer på Grønlands territorium jf. dog stk. 3 og 4.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 3. Loven finder ikke anvendelse på fremstilling af fødevarer til eget privat brug i private husholdninger, jf. dog § 8, stk. 3.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“3) ”Fødevarevirksomhed” ethvert offentligt eller privat foretagende, som med eller uden gevinst for øje udfører en hvilken som helst aktivitet, der indgår i produktionen, tilvirkningen, distribution og salg af fødevarer.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“22) ”Kompetente myndigheder” Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland eller den af Naalakkersuisut udpegede kontrolmyndighed.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 24. Virksomheder eller den, der i erhvervsmæssigt øjemed vil tilvirke, opbevare, transportere, forhandle eller importere fødevarer eller fødevarekontaktmaterialer, må ikke påbegynde aktiviteten, før de er blevet registreret hos de kompetente myndigheder.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 28. Naalakkersuisut kan fastsætte særskilte regler om salg og produktion af traditionelt tilvirkede fødevarer og småproduktion.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“Hjemmelslov til Hjemmestyrets bekendtgørelse om bekæmpelse af rabies (hundegalskab) - (22/1997) Hjemmestyrets bekendtgørelse om levnedsmiddelvirksomheder - (21/1998) Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse om ophævelse af bekendtgørelse om tvungen trikinkontrol i Grønland - (10/2017) Selvstyrets bekendtgørelse om undtagelser fra forbuddet om salg af datoudløbne fødevarer - (49/2020)”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 2. Fødevarer må ikke sælges eller overdrages til human konsum, hvis de ved anvendelse på sædvanlig måde må antages at kunne overføre eller fremkalde sygdom, vil kunne medføre forgiftning,”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 7. Forarbejdning, tilvirkning, produktion, opbevaring, distribution og salg af fødevarer og fødevarekontaktmaterialer skal foregå på hygiejnisk forsvarlig vis og skal gennemføres således, at fødevarerne og fødevarekontaktmaterialer ikke udsættes for forurening eller anden skadelig påvirkning, der gør fødevarerne uegnede til menneskeføde.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 17. Ledere af fødevarevirksomheder skal være i stand til at identificere, hvorfra de har fået leveret specifikke fødevarer og fødevarekontaktmaterialer eller dyr, der anvendes i fødevareproduktionen, og ethvert stof, der er bestemt til, eller som kan forventes at blive tilsat en fødevare.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 18. En fødevare eller et fødevarekontaktmateriale, der sælges eller som kan forventes at blive solgt, skal forsynes med en passende mærkning eller identifikation, der letter sporbarheden ved hjælp af relevant dokumentation eller information.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“5) ”Detailhandel” håndtering eller forarbejdning af fødevarer og deres oplagring på det sted, hvor de sælges eller leveres til den endelige forbruger, herunder, men ikke begrænset til, distributionsterminaler, brættet, cateringvirksomheder, virksomhedskantiner, institutionskøkkener, restauranter og andre tilsvarende madserviceordninger samt forretninger.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 1. Denne bekendtgørelse omfatter erhvervsmæssig tilvirkning, opbevaring, forhandling og transport af levnedsmidler.”
§§ 1, 3, 26 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 9. Undtaget fra bestemmelserne i denne bekendtgørelse er fangst og fiskeri, dyrkning af afgrøder i gartneri og lign. samt opdræt af husdyr, fjerkræ og lign.”
§§ 1, 3, 26 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 3. Virksomheder, der erhvervsmæssigt tilvirker, opbevarer, transporterer eller forhandler levnedsmidler skal være godkendt af landsstyret.”
§§ 1, 3, 26 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 3. Regler udstedt eller opretholdt i medfør af landstingsforordning jf. stk. 2, forbliver i kraft, indtil de ophæves eller erstattes af nye regler.”
§§ 1, 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 28, 56 · read 2026-11-02
“Fødevarevirksomheder og primærproducenter - godkendelse, vejledning og tilsyn med fødevarevirksomheder der producerer til hjemmemarkedet,”
Naalakkersuisut.gl, Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG) page (agency page, not law) · read 2026-11-02
“Kontakt VFMG, hvis du skal opstarte eller overtage en fødevarevirksomhed.”
Naalakkersuisut.gl, Veterinær- og Fødevaremyndigheden i Grønland (VFMG) page (agency page, not law) · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 3. Loven finder ikke anvendelse for virksomheder, der alene producere fødevarer bestemt til det grønlandske hjemmemarked.”
§ 2 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 26. Forhandling af levnedsmidler fra "Brædtet" må kun finde sted på et af kommunalbestyrelsen anvist areal. Kommunalbestyrelsen skal sikre, at de nødvendige faciliteter forefindes og skal sikre, at nedenstående bestemmelser er opfyldt.”
§§ 1, 3, 26 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 1. Denne bekendtgørelse finder anvendelse for mærkning af fødevarer, som er bestemt til salg i Grønland.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 48. Bekendtgørelsen træder i kraft den 15. august 2020.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 13. Fødevarer skal være mærket med oplysninger om, hvilket fødevareparti de tilhører.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 2. Stk. 1 finder ikke anvendelse på landbrugsprodukter, der fra bedriftens område, ferske fisk og ferske fiskevarer, der fra et fiskefartøj, samt ferske fangstdyr der fra fangere: 1) sælges eller leveres til oplagrings-, påfyldnings- eller emballeringssteder eller brættet, 2) transporteres til produktionsorganisationer eller 3) afhentes med henblik på at indgå i en tilberednings- eller forarbejdningsproces”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 3. Stk. 1 finder ligeledes ikke anvendelse på 1) ikke-færdigpakkede fødevarer i detailforretninger, samt ved salg af fødevarer på brættet, 2) fødevarer i emballager og beholdere, hvis største overflade er mindre end 10 cm2,”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“3) fødevarer, som er mærket med dato for mindste holdbarhed eller sidste anvendelsesdato, såfremt denne dato er anført ukodet og mindst omfatter dag og måned i nævnte rækkefølge, og 4) konsumis i individuelle portioner, såfremt oplysningen gives på gruppeemballagen.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 4. Ved ”færdigpakkede fødevarer” forstås i denne bekendtgørelse fødevarer, som før og uden direkte sammenhæng med salg er indesluttet i detailemballage, der er bestemt til først at brydes af forbrugerne, eller af storkøkkener, cateringvirksomheder, restauranter, institutioner eller lignende.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“§ 14. Færdigpakkede fødevarer skal mærkes med følgende oplysninger: 1) identifikationsmærkning, jf. kapitel 3, 2) fabrikantnavn m.v. og oprindelsessted, jf. kapitel 5, 3) varebetegnelse og ingrediensliste, jf. kapitel 6, 4) nettoindhold, jf. kapitel 7, 5) næringsindhold, jf. kapitel 8, og 6) holdbarhedsangivelser samt særlige opbevarings- og anvendelsesforskrifter, jf. kapitel 9.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 2. Mærkning i henhold til kapitel 4-9 skal endvidere være: 1) anført på grønlandsk, engelsk, islandsk eller dansk eller på andre sprog, der i det konkrete tilfælde kun ved uvæsentlige forskelle i stavning adskiller sig fra dansk, og 2) anført på et iøjnefaldende sted.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02
“Stk. 3. Det er en betingelse for salg af fødevarer med engelsk eller islandsk mærkning, at der i umiddelbar nærhed af fødevarens placering i forretningslokalet er opsat skiltning med oversættelse af al mærkning, som er påkrævet efter denne bekendtgørelse, til grønlandsk eller dansk.”
§§ 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 48 · read 2026-11-02

What we couldn't confirm

Whether a household selling a few eggs is acting as a business that must register with VFMG was not established.
Greenland's food act says commercial food sellers must register, while the 1998 food-business order and VFMG's page speak of approval; which applies to a small egg seller was not settled.
No Greenland egg grading, egg marketing, carton or egg storage-temperature rule for the home market was found, and which label items apply to eggs was not established.
Who may order bird-flu measures in Greenland was not settled: Fødevarestyrelsen handles contagious livestock diseases except those that pass to people, and VFMG handles zoonoses. No official bird-flu status page was found.
The animal diseases ordinance was read as published in 2004; later amendments were not checked, and Annex 2 Group I as printed in the copy read lists no poultry diseases.
Municipal rules on keeping poultry were not researched.

More countries in North America

Canada13 provinces and territories checked

Elsewhere in the world

Legal where you live? Then keep the books.

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Can you sell backyard eggs in Greenland?

At a glance

In plain English

Do you need a license?

Where you can sell

Cartons, labels and handling

Common questions

More countries in North America

Elsewhere in the world

Legal where you live? Then keep the books.