Plants & Nursery

How to Sell Plants & Nursery Stock in Oregon

You've got seedlings on every windowsill. The greenhouse is overflowing. Your neighbors keep asking if you have any extra tomato starts, and your answer is always yes — because you always grow three times more than you need.

At some point, giving them away starts feeling like a missed opportunity. Not in a greedy way — in a "this could actually be a thing" way. And in Oregon, it can be. You just need to know where the line is between sharing extra plants and running a nursery.

The short version: if you sell more than $250 of plants in a year, you need an ODA nursery license. Below that, you're fine. And even above it, the licensing is more affordable and less intimidating than it sounds.

8 steps below — most people get through this in a weekend.

The Bottom Line

Startup cost

$0 if under $250/year in sales. $186/year minimum for an ODA nursery license if over.

Timeline

License application can be submitted anytime. Growing season determines when you're actually selling.

What you DON'T need

✕A commercial greenhouse — your backyard, patio, or garage setup works
✕A business degree or horticulture certification
✕To collect sales tax — Oregon doesn't have one
✕A retail storefront

What you DO need

An ODA Nursery License if you sell more than $250 of nursery stock per year. And patience — plants grow on their own schedule.

A note on taxes: Oregon has no sales tax, but your business income is subject to Oregon state income tax and federal self-employment tax. Keep records of your income and expenses for tax time.

The Steps

Know what counts as "nursery stock"

This is the key distinction. Oregon defines nursery stock as any botanically classified plant or part thereof that's grown or kept for propagation or sale. That includes:

Vegetable and flower starts/seedlings
Houseplants
Shrubs and trees
Bulbs, corms, and tubers
Rooted cuttings
Berry plants
Herbs (if sold as live plants)
Native plants collected from the wild
Succulents and cacti

What does NOT count as nursery stock:

Cut flowers (stems, bouquets — no roots) — no license needed
Dried flowers and arrangements — no license needed
Seeds (sold as seeds, not as growing plants) — different rules, generally no nursery license needed
Produce (fruits, vegetables harvested for eating) — that's farm direct, not nursery

If what you're selling has roots, it's probably nursery stock.

Understand what counts as nursery stock (live plants with roots)

Figure out if you need a license

Under $250 in nursery stock sales per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30): No ODA nursery license required. You can sell casually at this level.

Over $250 in nursery stock sales per fiscal year: You need an ODA Nursery License.

$250 might sound like a lot, but it goes fast. Thirty tomato starts at $4 each and you're almost halfway there. Fifty plants and you're over. If you're serious about selling plants — even at a small scale — plan on getting the license.

Estimated whether I'll exceed $250 in sales this fiscal year

Apply for your ODA Nursery License

The application is straightforward. Here's what to know:

Cost: $186/year minimum for the 2026–27 season — a $176 base fee plus a $10 research assessment. Scales based on gross sales — the max is $25,000/year (you'd need to be doing serious volume to get anywhere near that). For a small home grower, you're paying $186.

License period: July 1 through June 30. Renew annually.

Renewing for 2026–27? ODA added a one-time fee to this year's renewal to replenish the Plant Pest and Disease Emergency Response Fund after Japanese beetle trapping drew it down: $50.03 for grower licenses, $8.34 for dealer licenses. It'll show up at online checkout — it's not an error.

New applicants: You can report $0 for previous season sales on your first application. Your fee is based on the minimum.

What the application asks for:

Your contact info and growing location
What types of plants you grow/sell
Estimated sales volume
Growing area details

→ ODA Nursery Licensing

→ Nursery License Application (2026–2027 PDF)

If over $250: applied for ODA Nursery License ($186/year minimum)

Understand the inspection

ODA may inspect your growing operation. This isn't a "gotcha" — it's to make sure plants leaving your property are healthy and pest-free. Oregon takes plant health seriously because the nursery industry is massive here (Oregon is one of the top nursery states in the country).

What they're looking for:

Plants are healthy and free of regulated pests and diseases
Plants are properly labeled
Growing conditions are reasonable
You're following any quarantine rules (relevant if certain pests are active in your area)

For a small home operation, this is usually a straightforward visit. Be organized, keep things clean, and label your plants. You'll be fine.

Understand inspection expectations (healthy plants, proper labeling)

Label your plants

Every lot of plants you sell needs proper identification:

Common and botanical name (species and variety)
Your nursery license number
Growing container size or plant grade (if applicable)

You don't need fancy tags for every individual plant at a farmers market — but groups or lots should be clearly labeled. Handwritten stakes work at markets. For online sales or larger orders, printed tags look more professional.

Reviewed plant labeling requirements (name, variety, license number)

If you bring plants from out of state

Even if you're not a licensed nursery, Oregon requires notification to ODA if you import live plants from other states. This is about pest management — Oregon is vigilant about keeping invasive pests out of its nursery industry.

If you buy starts or stock from an out-of-state wholesaler, give ODA a heads up.

If importing from out of state: notified ODA

Get your local business license

Same as every other category — Oregon has no state business license, but your city probably requires one.

Portland: Business license tax required.
→ Portland Business Licenses

Hillsboro: General business license required.
→ Hillsboro Business Licenses

Beaverton: Business license fee required.
→ Beaverton Business Licenses

Other cities: Search for "[your city] Oregon business license" or check the Oregon SOS business resources.

Got my local business license (check with your city)

No sales tax setup needed (Oregon has no sales tax)

Get found by your neighbors

Plant people want to buy local. They want starts that are adapted to the Willamette Valley climate, grown by someone who knows the soil and the seasons here. They want to ask "when should I plant these?" and get an answer from someone who lives five minutes away.

That's you. List on Marketless Farmer.

$10/month for a producer listing. Cancel anytime. Oregon-first.

→ Join Marketless Farmer

Launch Readiness

Decided what plants I'm selling (starts, seedlings, houseplants, natives, etc.)Know my growing schedule — what's available whenSet my prices (check local nurseries and farmers markets for reference)Have containers and pots figured out (sizes, materials, costs)Created plant labels or tags (species, variety, care basics)Have care instruction cards (or print a simple sheet for customers)Took quality photos of my plants (healthy, well-lit, show variety)Wrote a short bio — who I am, what I grow, where I'm locatedHave a logo or wordmark (even a simple one)Set up a display or staging area (if selling from home)Have a way to accept payment (cash, Venmo, Square, Zelle)Looked into local farmers markets that accept plant vendorsCreated my Marketless Farmer listingTold my neighbors I'm selling plantsMade my first sale

Ready to start selling?

Create a seller listing on Marketless Farmer to get discovered by neighbors in your area. $10/month, cancel anytime. No contracts.

Create your listing

Common Questions

If you stay under $250 in nursery stock sales per fiscal year (July 1–June 30), no. But $250 goes fast — track your sales and get the license if you think you'll cross it. Better to have it and not need it.

Yes. Cut flowers (without roots) are not nursery stock. You can sell bouquets, stems, and dried arrangements without an ODA nursery license. This is a great way to start if you grow flowers.

Seeds are generally not classified as nursery stock and don't require a nursery license. However, if you're selling seeds commercially at scale, there may be separate ODA seed regulations. For small-scale local seed sales, you're typically fine.

Yes — many farmers markets across Oregon welcome plant vendors, including markets in Portland, Hillsboro, Beaverton, and throughout the state. Each market has its own application process and fees. If you have an ODA nursery license, mention it in your application — it demonstrates legitimacy.

Yes. There's no minimum acreage or facility requirement. If you can grow healthy plants in your space and meet the labeling and licensing requirements, you're good.

It covers your annual nursery license and the potential for ODA inspection. It goes toward Oregon's plant health and pest management programs — which honestly benefit you too, since they keep the broader growing environment healthy.

No. Your ODA nursery license covers all nursery stock you grow and sell. You don't need separate permits for vegetables vs. flowers vs. shrubs.