Are Mushroom Spores Legal in Michigan? Yes — Here’s the Statute (2026)

By The Spore Source · Last checked against the statute: September 25, 2026

Intended use and disclaimer. We sell Psilocybe cubensis spore syringes for microscopy, taxonomy and educational use only. This page is general information, not legal advice; only a lawyer licensed in Michigan can tell you how the law applies to you.

In this guide

• What Michigan law says (and doesn’t say)
• Why spores are legal when the mushrooms are not
• Penalties for the mushrooms themselves
• The paraphernalia law: sale only, with a warning first
• Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale: what local decriminalization means
• State bills and ballot measures
• Buying spores in Michigan
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

What Michigan law says (and doesn’t say)

Michigan’s drug law is Article 7 of the Public Health Code. Section 333.7212 is Schedule 1, and subsection (1)(c), the hallucinogens, lists “Psilocybin” and “Psilocyn” (Michigan’s spelling). The subsection controls “any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of” those substances.

That is where the mushroom compounds live in Michigan law. Section 7212 does not mention spores. Section 7106, the definitions, does not mention them. Section 7451, the paraphernalia definition, does not mention them. Michigan has never written spores, mycelium or mushrooms into its statutes. We found no Michigan court decision, Attorney General opinion or reported prosecution that treats spores as a controlled substance.

Why spores are legal when the mushrooms are not

A spore contains no psilocybin and no psilocyn. Schedule 1 reaches material that “contains any quantity” of a listed substance; a spore contains none, so it is not a Schedule 1 material. The federal government reached the same conclusion: on January 2, 2024, the DEA’s Drug & Chemical Evaluation Section confirmed in writing that mushroom spores that do not contain psilocybin or psilocin are not controlled, and that the material becomes controlled once it contains psilocybin or psilocin, for example after germination. Our state-by-state guide covers the federal letter in detail.

Michigan’s definition of “manufacture” (section 7106) is “the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, conversion, or processing of a controlled substance.” Propagation is germination. The line in Michigan is the same as the federal line: the spore is legal; the germinated material is not.

Penalties for the mushrooms themselves

Psilocybin is a non-narcotic Schedule 1 substance, so the “any other controlled substance” tiers apply.

• Possession (MCL 333.7403(2)(c)): a misdemeanor, up to 1 year in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.
• Use (MCL 333.7404(2)(c)): a misdemeanor, up to 6 months in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.
• Manufacture, delivery or possession with intent (MCL 333.7401(2)(b)(ii)): a felony, up to seven years or $10,000. Because “manufacture” includes propagation, germinating spores falls here.

The paraphernalia law: sale only, with a warning first

Michigan’s paraphernalia sections (MCL 333.7451 to 333.7461) are unusual, and unusually favorable to a hobbyist.

• The definition covers equipment “specifically designed for use in planting; propagating; cultivating; growing; harvesting; manufacturing…” a controlled substance. Note the words “specifically designed.” A syringe, a slide or a microscope is not specifically designed for cultivating anything.
• Simple possession of paraphernalia is not a state crime in Michigan. The only offense (section 7453) is selling or offering to sell paraphernalia “knowing that” it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow or harvest a controlled substance. It is a misdemeanor, up to 90 days or $5,000 (section 7455).
• Sellers get a warning first. Before anyone can be arrested under section 7453, the Attorney General or prosecutor must notify them in writing at least two business days in advance, and a seller who stops is not arrested.

Some Michigan cities have their own paraphernalia-possession ordinances, so local rules can be tighter than the state’s. None of the ones we checked mention spores. Either way, the state law turns on cultivation intent and on what an item is designed for. This is why we sell spores for microscopy only, do not provide cultivation instructions, and cancel orders from customers who tell us they intend to cultivate.

Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale: what local decriminalization means

Michigan has one of the longest lists of local “entheogen” measures in the country. In order:

• Ann Arbor: city council resolution, unanimous, September 21, 2020.
• Washtenaw County: the county prosecutor announced on January 12, 2021 that his office would no longer charge entheogenic plant and fungi cases involving use, possession or small-scale distribution.
• Grand Rapids: a September 2021 resolution that expresses support for decriminalization elsewhere but does not itself change enforcement.
• Detroit: Proposal E, approved by 61 percent of voters on November 2, 2021.
• Hazel Park: March 22, 2022. Ferndale: February 27, 2023, unanimous. Ypsilanti: January 9, 2024, unanimous.

Every one of these is a “lowest law enforcement priority” resolution. None changes state law, none binds state police or county sheriffs outside Washtenaw, and none affects spores, which are legal statewide with or without them. If you read a vendor page claiming Detroit or Ann Arbor “legalized” mushrooms, it is wrong.

State bills and ballot measures

Michigan legislators have introduced a decriminalization bill in four consecutive sessions, and none has received a committee vote.

• SB 631 (2021) and SB 499 (2023), both by Senator Jeff Irwin, would have exempted non-commercial entheogen conduct from criminal penalties. Both died in committee.
• HB 4686 (2025) would allow adults with a PTSD diagnosis to possess up to two ounces of psilocybin. Referred to committee June 25, 2025; no action since.
• SB 802 (2026), Irwin’s latest, was introduced February 26, 2026 and referred to committee, where it remains.

A statewide ballot initiative was attempted for 2022 and again for 2024 and did not qualify. There is no psilocybin measure on Michigan’s 2026 ballot. None of the bills mentions spores.

Buying spores in Michigan

• It is legal to buy and own Psilocybe cubensis spores in Michigan for microscopy, taxonomy and educational use.
• Ordering online is legal. Federal mail rules bar controlled substances and paraphernalia; spores are neither.
• Use spores for study only. Michigan’s manufacturing statute turns on germination and its paraphernalia statute on what an item is designed and sold for. Spores for microscopy are a legal hobby; anything that points toward cultivation is where the law starts.

Our guides for Ohio and Illinois explain the law in nearby states.

For neighboring states, see our guides to Indiana and Wisconsin.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to buy mushroom spores in Michigan?

Yes. Schedule 1 lists psilocybin and psilocyn and says nothing about spores, which contain neither.

Is it legal to order mushroom spores online in Michigan?

Yes. There is no Michigan or federal law against mailing spores; the mail rules cover controlled substances and paraphernalia, and spores are neither.

Are Psilocybe cubensis spores legal in Michigan?

Yes. The species does not change the analysis; no Psilocybe spore contains a Schedule 1 substance.

Are psilocybin mushrooms legal in Michigan?

No. Possessing psilocybin mushrooms is a misdemeanor in Michigan, with up to 1 year in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both (MCL 333.7403(2)(c)). Growing them is manufacturing, a felony punishable by up to seven years.

Didn’t Ann Arbor and Detroit decriminalize mushrooms?

They passed “lowest enforcement priority” measures for their own police. State law did not change, and the measures do not apply outside those cities.

Are mushroom grow kits legal in Michigan?

A kit for culinary species is legal. Selling equipment “specifically designed” for cultivating a controlled substance, knowing it will be used that way, is a misdemeanor under MCL 333.7453, and it is also paraphernalia under federal law. We do not sell cultivation kits or supplies.

Do you ship spore syringes to Michigan?

Yes, to every Michigan address. The only states we exclude are California, Florida, Georgia and Idaho.

Sources

• MCL 333.7212 — Schedule 1 (psilocybin and psilocyn at (1)(c))
• MCL 333.7106 — definition of “manufacture”
• MCL 333.7403 — possession, 333.7401 — manufacture and delivery, 333.7404 — use
• MCL 333.7451 — paraphernalia definition, 333.7453 — sale offense and notice requirement, 333.7455 — penalties
• Ballotpedia: Detroit Proposal E (November 2021); ClickOnDetroit on Ann Arbor (2020), Hazel Park (2022); Metro Times on Ferndale (2023); Eastern Echo on Ypsilanti (2024)
• SB 802 (2026), HB 4686 (2025), SB 499 (2023), SB 631 (2021)
• DEA letter on the federal status of spores (January 2, 2024, PDF)