What 9 states require before you sell compost, biochar, worm castings, mycorrhizal or microbial inoculants, seaweed or humic products: the agency, the categories the state uses, whether each product must be registered, the fees, renewal dates, tonnage reports, data and label rules. Every fact links to the statute, rule or agency page it comes from. Checked on October 4, 2026.
Category is the state's call. Whether a product is a fertilizer, soil amendment, plant amendment or beneficial substance depends on what its label claims, and each state decides; the same product can fall in different categories in different states. This site lists what each state's law and agency say. It does not say which category any product is in.
| State | Product categories the state defines | Product registration required | Registration fee per product | Renewal period and date | Efficacy or data requirements | AAPFCO Uniform Beneficial Substances Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Beneficial substance (chemical/biological or physical); OIM | Yes: each packaged beneficial substance label | $200/label new (4-yr); $100 renewal; OIM $1,000 | Licence 2 yrs (odd Jan); registration up to 4 yrs by firm group | Proof of claims may be required; data for novel claims; heavy metals | Yes: SB 1522, from 2025-01-01 |
| Colorado | Commercial fertilizer; soil conditioner; plant amendment | Yes: each soil conditioner or plant amendment | $40/product/yr | Annual; renew by Jan 31 | Proof of claims may be required (CO conditions) | No unverified |
| Florida | Fertilizer (incl. soil enrichment, beneficial substances); specialty | Yes for home/garden ≤49 lb; licence for all | $200/specialty product/yr ($100 + $100) | Annual; expires June 30 | Efficacy studies if not an AAPFCO-defined material | Yes by rule: 5E-1.002, from 2026-01-27 |
| Minnesota | Soil amendment; plant amendment; specialty fertilizer | Yes: each soil or plant amendment brand | $200/brand/yr | Annual; renew by Dec 31 | May be required (research data, MN conditions) | Definition only; registered as soil/plant amendments unverified |
| Nebraska | Fertilizer; soil conditioner (to 2026); beneficial substance (2027) | Yes: soil conditioners now; all products from 2027-01-01 | $50/product/yr | Annual; expires Dec 31 | No data listed for the application; must be provable by research | Yes: LB948; registration from 2027-01-01 |
| New York | Commercial fertilizer; soil or plant inoculant | No for amendments; inoculants need a licence | None (inoculant licence free) | 2 years; Dec 31 of even years | Inoculants: sample; must satisfy commissioner | No unverified |
| Ohio | Agricultural additive (ag use only); specialty fertilizer | Yes for ag additives (registered by the manufacturer) | $50/product/yr | Annual; expires Dec 31 | Yes: lab and field efficacy evidence required | No (1981 agricultural additive law) unverified |
| Oregon | Fertilizer; agricultural amendment; agricultural mineral; lime | Yes: each agricultural amendment product | $35/product/yr (+$35 inoculum review) | Annual; expires Dec 31 | Lab analysis + heavy metals; proof of claims on request | No (agricultural amendment law) unverified |
| Washington | Commercial fertilizer only; soil amendments case by case | Yes if a commercial fertilizer; amendments case by case | $150/product new; $120 renewal (2 yrs) | 2 years, July 1 | Claims may need NW trial data; metals lab report always | No |
Short forms of each state's facts. Open a state for the full wording, the exemptions, label rules, tonnage reports, the portal, every source and the exact words quoted from it.