Can I Bring My Plants? Moving to Michigan
Can I bring my plants into Michigan?
Michigan's rule is about nursery stock shipped in from another state: shrubs, fruit trees, bulbs and potted perennials hardy enough to live outdoors here need a certificate from the state of origin. What that means for someone driving those same plants in personally is something we have not found written down — see the categories below for what is and isn't answered. Houseplants and citrus sit outside the rule either way, and firewood is the strict one.
- Checked Sep 2026
What Michigan asks for
- HouseplantsHouseplants (no outdoor soil)Fine
- Potted plants in soilPotted plants in soilDepends
- Citrus treesCitrus treesDepends
- Other fruit treesOther fruit treesDepends
- Nursery stock & shrubsNursery stock & shrubsDepends
- Cut flowers & bouquetsCut flowers & bouquetsNo data
- Seeds & bulbsSeeds & bulbsNo data
- FirewoodFirewoodConditional
- Hay & strawHay & strawDepends
- Soil & compostSoil & compostDepends
6 of these change depending on where you're leaving. Pick a state to see which.
Plant by plant
Houseplants (no outdoor soil)
Fine
Michigan only asks for an inspection certificate on plants hardy enough to live outdoors here. A houseplant isn't one, so bring it.
Source & details
Nursery stock means all botanically classified hardy perennial or biennial trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, either domesticated or wild, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, bulbs, rhizomes, or roots thereof, fruit pits; also, such plants and plant parts intended and/or used for propagative purposes.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 15 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Potted plants in soil
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: What Michigan publishes about potted plants in soil is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Golden nematode (7 CFR 301.85): Golden nematode is regulated in parts of a few New York counties, not the whole state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of New York, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of New York. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart R: Golden Nematode (eCFR)
Such stock shall be live, in vigorous condition of the specified grade, and shall be accompanied with an official certificate of inspection issued from the state, territory, province, or country of shipment origin.
Nursery stock means all botanically classified hardy perennial or biennial trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, either domesticated or wild, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, bulbs, rhizomes, or roots thereof, fruit pits; also, such plants and plant parts intended and/or used for propagative purposes.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 14 Sep 2026
Citrus trees
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 2 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: Citrus isn't hardy enough to live outdoors in Michigan and only ever lives in a pot, so no inspection certificate is needed. Bring it.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Citrus greening and Asian citrus psyllid (7 CFR 301.76): Citrus plants may not be moved interstate out of a citrus greening quarantine area unless a specific provision allows it. APHIS asks people not to mail or carry home-grown citrus plants out at all. Leaving Georgia, Florida, or parts of Alabama, California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart N: Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid (eCFR)
Nursery stock means all botanically classified hardy perennial or biennial trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, either domesticated or wild, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, bulbs, rhizomes, or roots thereof, fruit pits; also, such plants and plant parts intended and/or used for propagative purposes.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 15 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Other fruit trees
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 12 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: What Michigan publishes about fruit trees other than citrus is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
Such stock shall be live, in vigorous condition of the specified grade, and shall be accompanied with an official certificate of inspection issued from the state, territory, province, or country of shipment origin.
Nursery stock means all botanically classified hardy perennial or biennial trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, either domesticated or wild, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, bulbs, rhizomes, or roots thereof, fruit pits; also, such plants and plant parts intended and/or used for propagative purposes.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 14 Sep 2026
Nursery stock & shrubs
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 18 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: What Michigan publishes about nursery stock and shrubs is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Such stock shall be live, in vigorous condition of the specified grade, and shall be accompanied with an official certificate of inspection issued from the state, territory, province, or country of shipment origin.
Any nursery stock shipped into Michigan must bear a statement, tag, or other device showing the names and addresses of both the consignor or shipper, and the consignee or recipient, along with the general nature of the contents.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 14 Sep 2026
Cut flowers & bouquets
No data
No data yet on bringing cut flowers and bouquets into Michigan.
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is the office that answers this one.
Seeds & bulbs
No data
What Michigan publishes about seeds and bulbs is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.
Source & details
Such stock shall be live, in vigorous condition of the specified grade, and shall be accompanied with an official certificate of inspection issued from the state, territory, province, or country of shipment origin.
Nursery stock means all botanically classified hardy perennial or biennial trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, either domesticated or wild, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, bulbs, rhizomes, or roots thereof, fruit pits; also, such plants and plant parts intended and/or used for propagative purposes. This definition does not include corms, tubers, or field, vegetable, and flower seeds.
Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Summary of Plant Protection Laws and Regulations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · checked 14 Sep 2026
Firewood
Conditional
- Treatment
- Certificate
Firewood can't come in from an area with one of several tree pest problems unless it's certified heat-treated. Taking untreated firewood out of Michigan can break federal law too.
Because of: State firewood rules.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Gypsy moth (outdoor household articles) (7 CFR 301.45): Firewood counts as an outdoor household article. Moving it out of a gypsy moth quarantine area needs a certificate, or the self-inspection checklist from the "Don’t Move Gypsy Moth" program aid. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
It is illegal to bring firewood into Michigan from areas quarantined for Asian longhorned beetle , thousand cankers disease , basalm woolly adelgid , hemlock woolly adelgid , and/or mountain pine beetle – unless it is certified, heat-treated firewood.
MI firewood rules, Don’t Move Firewood (The Nature Conservancy) · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Hay & straw
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: No data yet on bringing hay and straw into Michigan.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Soil & compost
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: No data yet on bringing soil and compost into Michigan.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Golden nematode (7 CFR 301.85): Golden nematode is regulated in parts of a few New York counties, not the whole state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of New York, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of New York. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart R: Golden Nematode (eCFR)
Still stuck? The people who answer this in Michigan are Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.