State rules

Can you sell backyard eggs in Michigan?

Yes. With fewer than 3,000 hens, selling direct and labeling every carton as packed in an uninspected facility, Michigan's Food Law doesn't apply to you.

Read from 5 official sources18 passages quotedChecked October 6, 2026

At a glance

License

Depends how you sell

Small-flock line

Under 3,000 hens

Farmers markets

With conditions

Cartons

Reuse allowed

In plain English

Michigan's Food Law simply does not apply to a producer who meets all four tests: you produce the eggs yourself from fewer than 3,000 hens; you sell only directly to consumers or to a 'first receiver' (a licensed business that candles, grades, sorts or packs eggs); every container carries the label 'packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department'; and you do not sell by internet, mail order or consignment. Meet all four and no MDARD license, grading, sizing or carton rules apply (though the 45°F advice and federal safe-handling label are good practice). Fail any one — for example selling to a store or restaurant — and you need an MDARD Food Establishment License as a shell egg processor, with a non-residential processing room, candled and graded eggs, and full labels.

A sourced reading of Michigan's rules, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) (800-292-3939) before you sell.

Do you need a license?

Depends on how and how much you sellUnder 3,000 hens
  • Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens.
  • Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers (a first receiver is a person who receives eggs from a producer at a place of business and candles, grades, sorts, packs or packages them).
  • Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department" (MDARD's page spells it out as '...not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development').
  • Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.
  • All four must be met; otherwise an MDARD Food Establishment License as a shell egg processor is required (first receivers, retailers and wholesale distributors are always licensed).
  • Licensed processors must: size, grade and candle eggs; wash in potable water warmer than the eggs with an approved detergent/sanitizer and dry before packing; hold at 45°F or below; use clean containers (new cartons recommended); label with name/address, size, grade, last date of sale (recommended within 30 days of packing) or lot code, and the USDA safe handling statement; and process in a building that is not inside a private residence.
The exact wording
“This act does not apply to a person who meets all of the following requirements: (a) Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens. (b) Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers. (c) Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department.". (d) Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.”

Where you can sell

From home or the farm

With conditions

Direct sale to consumers at the farm is squarely inside the § 7114(10) exemption when the flock is under 3,000 hens, each container carries the 'not inspected by the department' label, and there is no internet/mail-order/consignment selling.

Farmers markets

With conditions

A farmers' market is a direct sale to consumers (MCL 289.1107 defines it as farmers 'selling directly to consumers'), so the same four conditions apply and no license is needed. The exemption text names no venue; the only channels barred are internet, mail order and consignment. Local market rules not checked.

Stores and restaurants

License needed

Stores and restaurants are neither 'consumers' nor 'first receivers', so selling to them takes you outside § 7114(10): you need an MDARD Food Establishment License as a shell egg processor and the eggs must be candled, graded (AA/A/B), sized and fully labeled (§ 7114(5)–(8)). Eggs sold to a licensed first receiver for them to grade and pack remain inside the exemption.

Also check with: FDA Egg Safety Rule (21 CFR 118) at 3,000 or more hens; local zoning approval recommended for a processing facility; cage-free law MCL 287.746 applies to eggs from farms with 3,000 or more hens.

Cartons, labels and handling

Cartons

Reused cartons are allowed.

“Package eggs using containers that are clean and suitable for holding eggs. Use of new egg cartons is recommended. Reused egg cartons must not bear labeling that is false or misleading, or eggs will be deemed as misbranded.”

Refrigeration

45°F or colder where the rule applies.

Eggs shall be held and transported at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature beginning 36 hours after time of lay. (Statutory rule binds regulated handlers; the Food Law 'does not apply' to producers who meet § 7114(10). MDARD tells licensed processors to 'Refrigerate eggs at an ambient temperature of 45°F or below'.)

The label must show

  • "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department" (exempt producers, on every container)

The carton label maker prints these lines with the federal safe handling statement.

Grading

Ungraded sales are allowed only in some cases.

The Food Law — including the requirement that eggs sold by a retailer or wholesaler be sized and graded AA, A or B and that eggs below B not be sold in the shell (§ 7114(5)–(8)) — 'does not apply' to a producer who meets all four § 7114(10) conditions, so ungraded eggs may be sold direct to consumers under that exemption. Anyone licensed (including sales to stores/restaurants) must size, grade and candle: 'If you have chickens and plan on selling eggs, grading and sizing is required' (MDARD, addressed to licensees).

Washing

No washing rule for exempt producers. MDARD's licensed-processor guidance: wash in potable water slightly warmer than the eggs, do not submerge, use a detergent or detergent-sanitizer approved for eggs, rinse with sanitizer water slightly warmer than the wash water, dry promptly and do not package wet eggs.

Federal rules apply on top of Michigan's: the four federal egg rules. Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.

What changed recently

  1. 2024-12-31 · Cage-free law took effect for eggs: farm owners may not confine egg-laying hens other than in a cage-free housing system, and businesses may not knowingly sell shell eggs from non-compliant hens — but the sales ban 'does not apply to the sale of shell eggs that are the product of a farm with less than 3,000 egg-laying hens' (MCL 287.746(5),(9); 2009 PA 117). Source
  2. 2026-03-24 · 2025 PA 42/43 and PA 51 amended the Food Law's licensure exemptions (MCL 289.4105) and cottage food section (MCL 289.4102), effective March 24, 2026; neither changes the shell-egg exemption in § 7114(10), which is unamended since 2012 PA 178 (eff. Oct. 1, 2012). MCL 289.1107 (definitions) carries a pending amendment effective 91 days after the 2026 session adjourns. Source
  3. 2012-10-01 · 2012 PA 178 repealed the stand-alone Egg Law (1963 PA 244, MCL 289.321–289.336) and added § 7114 to the Food Law, creating the current fewer-than-3,000-hens direct-sale exemption. Source

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell eggs from my backyard chickens in Michigan?
Yes. With fewer than 3,000 hens, selling direct and labeling every carton as packed in an uninspected facility, Michigan's Food Law doesn't apply to you. Small-flock line: under 3,000 hens. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in Michigan?
Allowed with conditions. A farmers' market is a direct sale to consumers (MCL 289.1107 defines it as farmers 'selling directly to consumers'), so the same four conditions apply and no license is needed. The exemption text names no venue; the only channels barred are internet, mail order and consignment. Local market rules not checked. Also check with FDA Egg Safety Rule (21 CFR 118) at 3,000 or more hens; local zoning approval recommended for a processing facility; cage-free law MCL 287.746 applies to eggs from farms with 3,000 or more hens..
Can I reuse egg cartons in Michigan?
Yes. The rule reads: "Package eggs using containers that are clean and suitable for holding eggs. Use of new egg cartons is recommended. Reused egg cartons must not bear labeling that is false or misleading, or eggs will be deemed as misbranded."
What has to be on the carton label in Michigan?
"packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department" (exempt producers, on every container). The rule reads: "Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department." — Licensed processors must also show name and address of the responsible party, size, grade (AA, A or B), last date of sale or lot code, and the USDA safe handling statement; the unabbreviated size must appear on any container offered to a retailer or consumer (§ 7114(6))." The federal safe handling statement applies as well; our carton label maker prints all of it.
Do eggs I sell in Michigan have to be refrigerated?
Yes, at 45°F or colder. The rule reads: "Eggs shall be held and transported at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature beginning 36 hours after time of lay. (Statutory rule binds regulated handlers; the Food Law 'does not apply' to producers who meet § 7114(10). MDARD tells licensed processors to 'Refrigerate eggs at an ambient temperature of 45°F or below'.)"
Sources
Read the 18 passages this page is built on
  • “(10) This act does not apply to a person who meets all of the following requirements: (a) Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens. (b) Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers. (c) Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department.". (d) Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “First receivers, retailers, and wholesale distributors are required to be licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). A "first receiver" means a person who receives eggs from a producer at any place of business and candles, grades, sorts, or packs eggs for sale into commerce.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “MDARD does not require a license for shell egg processors who meet all the following requirements: Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens. Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating, "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development." Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “"First receiver" means a person who receives eggs from a producer at any place of business and candles, grades, sorts, packs, or packages the eggs.”

    MCL 289.1107 · read 2026-10-05

  • “"Farmers' market" means a public and recurring assembly of farmers or their representatives selling directly to consumers food and products that the farmers have produced themselves.”

    MCL 289.1107 · read 2026-10-05

  • “Eggs shall be held and transported at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature beginning 36 hours after time of lay.”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “All eggs from domesticated chickens sold, offered or exposed for sale, or advertised for sale by a retailer or wholesaler shall be labeled or marked to conform to one of the following grade requirements … (d) Eggs that do not meet the grade requirements of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) shall not be offered for sale or sold in the shell.”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “All advertising of eggs shall include the correct unabbreviated size designation in describing eggs. The correct unabbreviated size designation shall also appear on the exterior of any container, open or closed, in which eggs are offered for sale to the retailer or the consumer.”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “An egg is not considered fresh unless it meets the standards of quality specified for the U.S. AA or A quality, or the equivalent”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “Package eggs using containers that are clean and suitable for holding eggs. Use of new egg cartons is recommended. Reused egg cartons must not bear labeling that is false or misleading, or eggs will be deemed as misbranded.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “Label egg containers with the following minimum information: Name and address of the responsible party. Egg size (i.e., jumbo, extra-large, large, medium, small, or pee wee). Egg grade (i.e., AA, A, or B). Last date of sale (recommended not to be greater than 30 days including the date of packing) and a lot code. … United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) safe handling label statement for eggs.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “An adequately sized building must be used for egg processing. The building cannot be located inside a private residence.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the Egg Safety Final Rule for those egg producers with 3,000 or more laying hens. those producers of table eggs must register and comply with 21 CFR 118.”

    MDARD guidance: Shell Egg Processor (web page) · read 2026-10-06

  • “a business owner shall not knowingly engage in the sale of any shell egg in this state that the business owner knows or should know is the product of an egg-laying hen that was confined in a manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of this section.”

    MCL 287.746 (Animal Industry Act § 46) · read 2026-10-05

  • “(5) Subsection (4) does not apply to the sale of shell eggs that are the product of a farm with less than 3,000 egg-laying hens. … (9) This section does not apply to egg-laying hens or shell eggs until December 31, 2024”

    MCL 287.746 (Animal Industry Act § 46) · read 2026-10-05

  • “History: Add. 2012, Act 178, Eff. Oct. 1, 2012”

    MCL 289.7114 (Food Law, 2000 PA 92, § 7114) · read 2026-10-05

  • “EGGS Act 244 of 1963 289.321-289.336 Repealed. 2012, Act 178, Eff. Oct. 1, 2012.”

    MCL 289.321–289.336 (former Egg Law, 1963 PA 244) · read 2026-10-05

What we couldn't confirm
  • Food Establishment License fee for a shell egg processor is not stated on the MDARD pages fetched (the application/fee schedule was not opened).
  • Whether 'first receivers' who buy from exempt producers must be licensed is clear (yes); whether an exempt producer may sell to a farmers' market vendor who resells is not addressed — resale buyers other than first receivers appear to fall outside 'consumers or first receivers'. Flagged, not asserted.
  • The Food Law 'does not apply' to exempt producers, so the 45°F, grading and 'fresh' rules are read as not binding them; MDARD's pages do not say so explicitly for exempt producers.
  • Michigan administrative rules under the Food Law (if any specific to eggs) were not searched; the Food Code is adopted by the statute.
  • Pending amendment to MCL 289.1107 (effective 91 days after the 2026 session adjourns) was noted but its text (289.1107.amended) was not read; it could change the 'first receiver' or 'farmers' market' definitions.

Other states

Legal in your state? Then keep the books.

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