Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
How much does it cost to sell dog treats in Michigan?
Verified September 7, 2026. Figures quoted from the statute, rule, fee page or form.
Michigan charges $100 per year, or $25 for 5 lb or less for the firm instrument, which is the Commercial Feed License. There is no per-product fee in Michigan, so the number of flavors does not change the total. The first table adds up the first year for one to ten products from the printed figures. The second table shows every figure with the citation it was read from. Laboratory work, packaging, a sales tax permit and a business filing are separate costs from separate agencies and are not counted.
First year in Michigan, added up
| Products | Every package 5 lb or less | Some packages over 5 lb |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $25 | $100 |
| 2 | $25 | $100 |
| 3 | $25 | $100 |
| 5 | $25 | $100 |
| 10 | $25 | $100 |
Where a row says plus tonnage, the per-ton inspection fee depends on how much you ship and is not added up here. Laboratory work for the guaranteed analysis, packaging, a sales tax permit and a business entity filing are separate costs from separate agencies.
Every Michigan fee, with its citation
| Item | What Michigan says | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| Firm fee | Yes$100 per manufacturing facility per year, or $25 per license per year where the firm distributes in containers of only 5 pounds or less, plus a $50 late fee (license year July 1 to June 30, license expires June 30) | MCL 287.524(3)(a)-(b) and 287.524(4) (Persons required to be licensed; application; fee; late fee) |
| Firm fee period | YesAnnual, license year ending June 30; a license is not transferable between persons, owners or locations | MCL 287.524(8) |
| Fee per product | NoneMichigan has no per-product registration, so no per-product fee exists; the only license fees are the $100 and $25 firm tiers and the $50 late fee | MCL 287.524(3)(a)-(b) and 287.524(4), the fee provision that would carry a per-product charge |
| Product registration period | NoneNo product registration exists, so there is no product period; the firm license runs annually and expires June 30 | MCL 287.524(8), the period provision that would carry a product term |
| Small package threshold | DependsContainers of 5 pounds or less, and on the MDARD application the reduced license fee tier is available only if the firm distributes in containers of ONLY 5 lbs or less, so the same recipe sold in a two pound bag and a six pound bag leaves the firm on the $100 tier; the license itself and the tonnage inspection fee are unaffected by package size | MCL 287.524(3)(a) |
| Small package fee | Depends$25 per license per year in place of $100 where the firm distributes in containers of only 5 pounds or less (license year July 1 to June 30); there is no separate per-package or per-product small-package fee of the Illinois kind | MCL 287.524(3)(a)-(b) |
| Tonnage rate | Yes$0.30 per ton of commercial feed distributed in Michigan; $0.15 per ton on feed ingredients that are by-products of manufacturing processes with a moisture content equal to or greater than 60 percent | MCL 287.526(1) (Inspection fee per ton) |
| Tonnage minimum | DependsThe statutory minimum inspection fee is $50.00 per July 1 to June 30 annual period (MCL 287.526(1)(c)), but on form PI-135 (Rev. 5/2026) line [33] the minimum is charged only where tons have been reported on line [28] or [29], and Section L tells a Pet Treat and Small Quantity Manufacturer that if zero tons are reported no minimum fee is due; whether a sub-ton maker can report zero is unresolved inside the same form, because Section B line [7] says to enter 1 if less than 1 ton while the form header says amounts under half a ton round to zero on the electronic form | MCL 287.526(1)(c) (Minimum inspection fee) |
| Tonnage reporting | YesAn annual statement filed by the last day of July for the preceding July 1 to June 30 period; a report not filed by the due date carries a penalty of $50.00 or 10 percent of the amount due, whichever is greater, and records must be kept two years | MCL 287.526(2)(a) |
| Penalties and late charges | YesAn administrative fine of not more than $1,000.00 for each violation or attempted violation after notice and an opportunity for a hearing (MCL 287.536(2)), and a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both, for each violation, in addition to any administrative fine (MCL 287.536(5)) | MCL 287.536(2) (Violation of act or rules; administrative fine) |
More for Michigan
Michigan questions on this topic
What does one flavor cost in Michigan in the first year?
$25 in state fees for the first year. The lines: Firm fee (per year, July 1 to June 30) (containers of 5 lb or less): $25. Every figure is multiplied out from the values quoted in the fee table on this page, and nothing else is added.
Does the fee change with more flavors in Michigan?
No. Michigan charges no per-product fee, so ten flavors cost the same $25 in the first year as one. The firm instrument covers every product, and the label side is a filing rather than a fee.
When does the firm instrument renew in Michigan?
Yes. Annual, license year ending June 30; a license is not transferable between persons, owners or locations. Source: MCL 287.524(8).
What if my bags are larger than 5 lb in Michigan?
Yes. An inspection fee of $0.30 per ton on commercial feed distributed in Michigan, paid by the person whose name appears on the label as manufacturer, guarantor or distributor; pet treat makers file too. Source: MCL 287.526(1) (Inspection fee per ton).
Keep reading
DogTreatLicense is an informational reference about state commercial feed laws as they apply to people who make and sell pet treats in the United States. It reprints instrument names, fees, thresholds, label items and citations from state statutes, rules, fee schedules and agency forms, together with the date each state was last verified. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and fees and rules change. Confirm with the state feed control office before you register or sell.
Read the terms before you rely on any figure here.