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Nursery Stock Inspection Requirements
Laws Regulating Nursery Stock & Invasive Species
Nursery Grower and Dealer inspections are authorized by the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act, Act 189 of 1931, as amended.
During a nursery inspection, your MDARD inspector will:
- Inspect nursery stock known to have a high incidence of pests, viruses, or systemic diseases.
- Inspect imported nursery stock that may harbor pests not known to occur in Michigan or that have limited distribution.
- Review invoices, certificates of inspection, and any applicable phytosanitary certificates for all nursery stock purchased for the last 36 months to ensure nursery stock has been properly certified and meets Michigan’s plant pest quarantine requirements.
- Nursery stock infested with pests or lacking proper documentation may be subject to regulatory action by MDARD, which may include restriction from sale, rejection from the state, or a destruction order.
- Provide you with applicable certification documents (such as a certificate of quarantine compliance, state phytosanitary certificate, certificate of inspection, etc.).
- Review and renew compliance agreements, if required.
Key Information
- If you intend to ship out of state, please visit the National Plant Board website to find each state’s requirements
- Find Michigan’s prohibited and restricted species on MDARD's prohibited/restricted page.
- Updated nursery inspection fees for 2025
- Do you sell aquatic plants? Annual DNR registration and reporting is required by state law. Register to sell aquatic organisms online.
- Do you sell blueberries, hemlock, boxwood or other quarantine-significant plants? Be aware of relevant plant pest quarantines in Michigan.
- Renew your license via the online MDARD nursery licensing portal.
- Have an invoice to pay? Use our online payment portal.
- Subscribe online to receive the MDARD Plant Health Newsletter with news about invasive species that threaten Michigan’s nursery industry and environment, and other industry news.
- For nursery inspection questions, please email MDARD-NurseryCE@Michigan.gov