Cottage food laws in District of Columbia

The limits

Sales cap

There is no annual gross sales cap for DC cottage food businesses. A $25,000 annual revenue cap existed under the original 2013 law, but it was eliminated by the Cottage Food Expansion Amendment Act of 2019 (D.C. Law 23-61), effective March 10, 2020. The current DC Code cottage food section (D.C. Official Code § 7-742.02) contains no sales-limit language, and DC Health's own Cottage Food FAQ does not list any revenue cap among its requirements.

You can sell

Non-potentially-hazardous, shelf-stable foods approved on DC Health's cottage food list (must be pre-approved on the Cottage Food Business Registry Application); homegrown fruits/vegetables may be used if incorporated into a batter and properly baked (not used as garnish)

You cannot sell

Potentially hazardous/TCS foods (raw or heat-treated animal foods, raw seed sprouts, cut melons/leafy greens/tomatoes, certain garlic-in-oil mixtures); beer/alcohol; pet treats/food not for human consumption; canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned vegetable butters, canned salsas; fruit butters (apple butter, pumpkin butter, etc.); dehydrated meat or poultry; pressed juices

Getting set up

Permit / registration

Yes — a Cottage Food Business Registration Certificate obtained by submitting a Cottage Food Business Registry Application to DC Health (no separate "license" required, but registration is mandatory); DC also requires a Home Occupation Permit from DCRA to operate a business from a residence

Cost

$50.00 registration fee, valid for 2 years

Training

Yes — an ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited food manager exam/certification is required

Kitchen inspection

Only on complaint / as needed — DC Health may require a preoperational inspection based on the registry application, may inspect to investigate a foodborne illness outbreak or complaint, or if there is reason to believe the business is violating regulations or operating unsanitarily; not every registrant is inspected automatically

Labeling

Cottage food business identification number; product name; ingredients in descending order by weight; net weight/volume; federally required allergen information (naming specific tree nuts); nutrition information if a nutritional claim is made; and a statement in at least 10-point contrasting type: "Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations."

Where you can sell

Permitted venues

Direct to consumer, at farmers markets and public events, and via online sales — all within the District of Columbia only. Not permitted for sale to restaurants or grocery stores.

Online sales

Yes, within DC only

Delivery in state

Cottage food products may be sold online and delivered/sold within the District of Columbia; DC Health's FAQ authorizes direct-to-consumer, farmers market, public event, and online sales within DC. The only shipping restriction stated is that products may not be sold or shipped outside the District — meaning intra-District delivery/mail is not itself prohibited, only interstate shipment is barred.

Shipping out of state

No — cottage food items may not be sold or shipped outside of the District of Columbia

The fine print

Statute

Cottage Food Amendment Act of 2013 (D.C. Law 20-63; D.C. Official Code §§ 7-742.01 et seq., effective January 25, 2014); implementing regulations at Title 25-K of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR)

Recent changes

Not confirmedDC's cottage food law was amended by the Certificate of Need Improvement Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-7), effective June 10, 2025, which expanded permitted sales channels to include wholesale sales to licensed food establishments (previously, cottage food could only be sold direct-to-consumer, retail, or online). Separately, a food-policy advocacy group (DC Food Policy Council) publicized a March 2026 'action alert' about further cottage food regulation updates; that item could not be confirmed through a DC Health or DC Council primary source as of this review and should be treated as pending/unverified.

Notes

DC Health's FAQ contains a mild internal inconsistency: one answer states sales are allowed "direct to consumer, at farmers markets and public events, and online sales" while another states sales may occur "through direct, retail, and online sales" — both agree DC Health-registered cottage food cannot be sold to restaurants or grocery stores; "retail" here appears to mean the producer's own retail/sale point, not third-party retail placement. A March 2026 food-policy-advocacy post flagged potential regulatory updates to DC's Cottage Food Act that could not be confirmed directly against a DC Health primary source; readers should verify current status with DC Health before relying on this entry. No MEHKO-style program was identified for DC. ---