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Can I sell food from home in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia cottage food law at a glance
| Home food sales allowed | yes Cottage Food Business Registry (DC Health) |
|---|---|
| Law | D.C. Code §§ 7-742.01 to 7-742.03; 25-K DCMR (Cottage Food regulations) |
| Sales cap | No cap (former sales limit removed by the Cottage Food Expansion Amendment Act, D.C. Law 23-61, eff. Mar 10, 2020; the cap subparagraph of § 7-742.01(2) is marked repealed) |
| Permit or registration | registration. Cottage Food Business Registration Certificate from DC Health ($50 for 2 years per DC Health FAQ, Sept 2021) via the Division of Food Safety Portal. Requires a Home Occupation Permit (DC Dept. of Buildings), Certified Food Protection Manager certification and DC CFPM ID card, product list and sample labels. Pre-operational inspection only if DC Health decides; complaint-based inspections allowed. Scale registration if selling by weight. |
| Sell in person | yes |
| Take online orders | yes |
| Ship within the state | unverified |
| Ship to other states | no |
| Sell to shops and cafes | limited |
| Where you can sell, details | Sales only within the District: direct to consumers, farmers markets/events, online, and retail. DC Health says retail excludes restaurants and grocery stores; since June 10, 2025 (D.C. Law 26-7) wholesale to licensed food establishments is also allowed. No selling or shipping outside DC. In-District shipping/delivery rules not explicitly stated. |
yes = allowed; limited = allowed with conditions; no = not allowed; unverified = we could not confirm it from an official source.
What foods can you sell from home in District of Columbia?
Allowed: Non-potentially hazardous foods on DC Health's approved list (25-K DCMR 103.5), e.g., breads, cakes, cookies, muffins, candy, honey (with DOEE registration), dry goods, preserves/jams/jellies, snacks. Unlisted products need lab pH and water-activity results for approval.
Not allowed: TCS/potentially hazardous foods; meat, poultry, dehydrated meat; alcohol; pet treats; canned fruits/vegetables, canned vegetable butters and salsas; fruit butters; pressed juices; garnishes with fresh fruit; hermetically sealed jars or reduced-oxygen packaging.
Label requirements in District of Columbia
Required statement: Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations. exact wording from an official source
Other label items: Statement in at least 10-point type in contrasting color. Also: cottage food business ID number; product name; ingredients in descending order by weight (specific tree nuts named); net weight or volume; allergen info per 21 CFR 101; nutrition info if a nutritional claim is made.
Selling from home in District of Columbia? The Cottage Kitchen Toolkit prices your recipes for markets, pre-orders and shops. It scales batches and prints ingredient and allergen labels with District of Columbia's required statement filled in. It also has this guide for all 50 states and DC. One-time price, and it works offline.
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Law effective Jan 25, 2014 (D.C. Law 20-63); 2020 amendments removed the sales cap and broadened sales/inspection rules; online and retail sales added in 2020 (per secondary source); wholesale to licensed food establishments added June 10, 2025. Food must be made and stored in the owner's primary-residence kitchen in DC (no rented kitchens, sheds, or garages).
Sources
- DC Code § 7-742.01 (Definitions) official
- DC Code § 7-742.02 (Cottage food businesses) official
- D.C. Law 26-7 (Certificate of Need Improvement Amendment Act of 2025) official
- DC Health - Cottage Food Businesses official
- DC Health - Cottage Food FAQs (Sept 2021) official
- Forrager - DC Cottage Food Law secondary
Last checked: 2026-10-24 · confidence: high (high = key facts confirmed on an official page; medium = partly confirmed or secondary sources agree; low = a single secondary or outdated source). Summaries are our own wording, not the text of the law.
This page is a research summary, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm with your state agency and local health department, using the official sources below, before you sell.