Cottage Food Law Map › Handouts › District of Columbia

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Cottage food quick guide · Last reviewed October 2026

Selling homemade food in District of Columbia

Mendocino
Food Consulting

Sales cap
Not confirmed (was $25,000)
Permit or registration
DC Health registry ($50); food protection manager; inspection
Online & shipping
Online sales within DC (since June 2025)
Sell through stores
Retail and wholesale to licensed DC establishments
Refrigerated foods
No

Allowed from a home kitchen

Sourdough bread · Cookies & brownies · Fruit pie · Granola · Spice rubs & seasoning blends · Roasted coffee · Freeze-dried candy · Chocolates & truffles · Toffee, fudge & caramels

Needs a commercial kitchen or other license

Pumpkin pie · Cheesecake · Cake with cream cheese frosting · Meat tamales · Pepper jelly · Shelf-stable salsa · Fresh salsa (refrigerated) · Hot sauce · Canned pickles · Sauerkraut & kimchi · Canned tomato sauce · Vanilla extract · Garlic or herb-infused oil‡ · Home-cooked meals‡ · Beef jerky · Cheese & yogurt‡ · Cold-pressed juice · Kombucha‡

Ask the agency first

Cake with buttercream · Macarons · Fruit tamales · Strawberry jam · Low-sugar or freezer jam · Loose-leaf tea blends · Dried fruit & fruit leather · Marshmallows · Nut butter · Pure honey · Infused honey · Fruit-infused vinegar · Mustard (no egg)

Every product has conditions, such as registration, training, labeling, and sales limits. See the full guide for each one. ‡ General rule; not specifically addressed in this state's guidance.

Limited sources: the detailed rules for District of Columbia rely on DC Health's 2018 FAQ plus a 2026 Food Policy Council update. Confirm with the state agency.

How to start

  1. Check that the product is shelf-stable and approved by DC Health on your application. Other foods can be added with lab pH and water activity results.
  2. Get a Home Occupancy Permit and a Certified Food Protection Manager certificate and DC ID card.
  3. Apply to DC Health for a Cottage Food Business Registry number ($50) and pass a pre-operational inspection.
  4. Since June 2025, you can sell directly, online within DC, at retail, and wholesale to licensed DC food establishments.
  5. Label every product.

Key label items

Use the exact required wording shown in the full guide and on the agency's site.

  • “Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations.”
  • Cottage food business identification number
  • Product name
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight
  • Net weight or volume
  • Allergens
  • Nutrition facts only if you make a claim

Scan for the full District of Columbia guide: product-by-product rules, label details, and official sources.

your-site.netlify.app/cottage-food-laws/district-of-columbia/

Created by Mendocino Food Consulting (mendocinofoodconsulting.com). Food science questions about your product? Book a call: calendly.com/mendocinofoodconsulting. We are food scientists, not attorneys.

General information only, not legal advice, and no warranty that it is complete or current. Quick facts come from 50-state trackers; product rules come from the state sources listed in the full guide. Cities and counties may add their own rules, and selling across state lines can bring in federal FDA requirements. Confirm with your state agency or local health department before selling. Last reviewed October 2026.

Free to print and share. Read the full District of Columbia guide

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