Home Bakery Permit Requirements in Minneapolis, MN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Minnesota Cottage Food Law — MDA Direct Sale Exemption

   Minnesota's Cottage Food Law, overseen by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), allows home bakers to sell shelf-stable, non-potentially hazardous foods (breads, cookies, candies, jams) directly to consumers without a food license. Eligible sales channels include farmers markets, roadside stands, and direct home sales. Producers must register annually with MDA and complete required training before selling; registration is free if sales are $7,665 or less and $50/year if sales exceed that (up to the $78,000 annual cap). All products must be labeled with the producer's name/registration number, date, ingredient list, and the statement 'These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.'

   Official government source

   Free if annual sales ≤ $7,665; $50/year if sales exceed $7,665 (registration required either way)·Complete the required cottage food training and pass the exam, then register with MDA before selling; registration expires every March 31 and must be renewed by April 1

   Free if annual sales ≤ $7,665; $50/year if sales exceed $7,665 (registration required either way)

   Complete the required cottage food training and pass the exam, then register with MDA before selling; registration expires every March 31 and must be renewed by April 1

2. Minnesota Secretary of State Business Registration

   If operating as an LLC or corporation, registration with the Minnesota Secretary of State is required. Many home bakers operate as sole proprietors and are not required to register. An LLC provides liability protection and professional credibility.

   Official government source

   $155 (LLC filing fee, if applicable)·Immediate (online or in-person); 4-7 business days if filed by mail

   $155 (LLC filing fee, if applicable)

   Immediate (online or in-person); 4-7 business days if filed by mail

3. Minnesota Department of Revenue Sales Tax License

   Most bakery sales to end consumers are exempt from Minnesota sales tax when sold as food for home consumption. However, if you sell at events or markets where sales tax may apply to certain items, registering with the Minnesota Department of Revenue ensures compliance.

   Official government source

   Free·1 week

   Free

   1 week

1. Minneapolis Zoning Compliance - Home Occupation

   Minneapolis regulates home-based businesses through the home occupation provisions of the zoning code (Title 20), which limit floor area, employees, customer traffic, signage and outside storage. The city does not issue or charge for a separate home occupation permit - there is no home occupation line in the Minneapolis licence fee schedule and no home occupation land use application - so compliance is verified through the zoning standards themselves and through any building permit you pull. Confirm your property's zoning district and the applicable standards with 311 or CPED before you start baking for sale, and note that commercial food production from a home is separately governed by the Minnesota cottage food exemption administered by the Department of Agriculture.

   Official government source

   No Minneapolis home occupation permit fee·N/A - no city home occupation application

   No Minneapolis home occupation permit fee

   N/A - no city home occupation application

2. City of Minneapolis Food License (if beyond the Cottage Food exemption)

   Minnesota's cottage food exemption lets a home baker sell up to $78,000 a year after registering with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and completing the required food safety training. Above that limit, or when selling wholesale, a food license is required. In Minneapolis that license comes from the City — Business Licenses & Consumer Services, with Environmental Health food plan review — because Minneapolis runs its own food licensing program and is not regulated by Hennepin County Environmental Health for food. A bakery producing for wholesale falls under the city's Food Manufacturer category.

   Official government source

   MDA cottage food registration is free for annual sales up to $7,665 and $50 above that, up to the $78,000 cap. Beyond the exemption, the Minneapolis Food Manufacturer license is charged by floor area: $352 for 1,000 sq. ft. or less, $431 for 1,001-3,000, $499 for 3,001-5,000, $567 for 5,001-7,000, $641 for 7,001-9,000, $719 for 9,001-11,000, $788 for 11,001-13,000, $856 for 13,001-15,000 and $924 for 15,001+ sq. ft., plus a food establishment plan review fee.·Food plans must be submitted to and approved by the City before any work begins; the license is issued after plan review and inspection

   MDA cottage food registration is free for annual sales up to $7,665 and $50 above that, up to the $78,000 cap. Beyond the exemption, the Minneapolis Food Manufacturer license is charged by floor area: $352 for 1,000 sq. ft. or less, $431 for 1,001-3,000, $499 for 3,001-5,000, $567 for 5,001-7,000, $641 for 7,001-9,000, $719 for 9,001-11,000, $788 for 11,001-13,000, $856 for 13,001-15,000 and $924 for 15,001+ sq. ft., plus a food establishment plan review fee.

   Food plans must be submitted to and approved by the City before any work begins; the license is issued after plan review and inspection

Official Sources

• Minnesota Department of Agriculture — Cottage Food
• Hennepin County Environmental Health — Food Businesses
• City of Minneapolis — Zoning

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