Selling homemade food in Maine

Allowed from a home kitchen

Sourdough bread · Cookies & brownies · Fruit pie · Strawberry jam · Pepper jelly · Shelf-stable salsa · Hot sauce · Canned pickles · Canned tomato sauce · Granola · Spice rubs & seasoning blends · Roasted coffee · Loose-leaf tea blends · Dried fruit & fruit leather · Freeze-dried candy · Chocolates & truffles · Toffee, fudge & caramels · Marshmallows · Pure honey · Fruit-infused vinegar · Mustard (no egg)

Home kitchen, with a special license or program

Home-cooked meals

Needs a commercial kitchen or other license

Pumpkin pie · Cheesecake · Cake with cream cheese frosting · Meat tamales · Fresh salsa (refrigerated) · Garlic or herb-infused oil^‡ · Beef jerky^‡ · Cheese & yogurt · Cold-pressed juice^‡ · Kombucha^‡

Ask the agency first

Cake with buttercream · Macarons · Fruit tamales · Low-sugar or freezer jam · Sauerkraut & kimchi · Nut butter · Infused honey · Vanilla extract

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.

How to start

1. Check that the product is shelf-stable and doesn't need refrigeration or freezing.
2. Apply for a DACF home food license ($20 a year) and pass one initial inspection. Test private well water yearly for coliform and nitrates.
3. Acidified canned goods like pickles, relishes, and BBQ sauce need a review by the University of Maine Food Testing Service or another process authority before licensing.
4. Sell from home without a label, or at stores with full labels. Farmers markets and craft fairs need a mobile vending license.
5. Label food sold outside your home.

Key label items

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

• Common or usual name
• Ingredients in order of predominance
• Net weight, volume, or count
• Producer's name, address, and ZIP code
• Allergens