Firewood Restrictions

MNDNR Approved Firewood Vendors photo: EAB beetle

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Being a MNDNR approved vendor does not "certify" you or your firewood, nor does it guarantee that you can sell your firewood to those using it on lands managed by other entities or in other states. It simply means that those buying your firewood can use it on MNDNR administered lands according to Minnesota state statute.

  • Being a MNDNR approved firewood vendor does not guarantee that your wood is pest free. Unless it is heat-treated according to federal guidelines, it only means that your firewood is less likely to move pests not already found at its destination. So advertising it as "safe" or "pest-free" is stretching the truth.

  • If you wish to have your firewood certified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) so it can be used at any MNDNR facility, you must contact the MDA Plant Protection Division at 651-201-6448. MDA staff will explain their requirements and make any arrangements necessary to test and/or inspect your wood.

  • If you are already MDA certified, you must still apply to become a MNDNR approved vendor. Include your MDA documentations with your MNDNR application.

  • MNDNR firewood regulations do not apply to wood used on non-MNDNR lands. However, some other organizations such as county parks and private campground have similar firewood restrictions. So you may want to check with them if you plan to sell wood for use at their facilities.

  • Unless it is MDA certified, ash firewood is not allowed on MNDNR administered lands and must be kept separate and out of any firewood sold to the public for use on MNDNR administered lands.

  • Firewood harvested outside Minnesota is not allowed on MNDNR administered lands, whether it is USDA certified or not.

  • Firewood harvested in Minnesota that has been MDA certified may be used on any MNDNR administered land without regard to the distance from the harvest site.

  • Note that being certified by MDA is not necessarily the same thing as being federally certified. Federal certification is only for those vendors harvesting wood within a quarantined county in another state under a federal compliance agreement.

  • Whether or not you are MNDNR approved, you must comply with state and federal regulations, including the Department of Commerce labeling statute. More information external link

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