the washington, d.c. cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in washington, d.c., who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.

by tommy + omarchecked october 14, 2026

washington, d.c.: register first, no sales cap, sell online, unclear on shipping within the state. tap any state to see its rules.

on this page

1at a glance 2what you can sell 3how to start 4where you can sell 5labels 6what’s changed 7good to know 8questions 9sources

the short answer

yes, you can run a home bakery in washington, d.c. get a home occupation permit and a certified food protection manager certificate, then register as a cottage food business with dc health: it’s $50 and good for 2 years. there’s no sales cap, and you can sell to customers in d.c. in person, at markets and events, or online, and since june 2025 you can also sell wholesale to licensed food businesses in d.c. you can’t sell or ship outside d.c., and only foods on dc health’s approved list, like breads, cakes, cookies and candy, are allowed.

washington, d.c. cottage food rules at a glance

washington, d.c. cottage food rules at a glance
the law	washington, d.c. cottage food act (d.c. code, sections 7-742.01 to 7-742.03)
who runs it	dc health (department of health), division of food safety
registration	yes cottage food business registration ($50). renewed every 2 years
kitchen inspection	limitedsometimes
training	yesa certified food protection manager certificate, plus a dc health food protection manager id card
yearly sales cap	no sales cap
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets and public events in washington, d.c.
selling online orders	yesto buyers in washington, d.c.
selling delivering it yourself	unclearonline sales in d.c. are allowed, but the rules don’t spell out delivery
selling shipping within the state	uncleardc health says you can’t ship outside d.c.; it doesn’t say whether mailing inside d.c. is ok
selling shipping to other states	noyou can’t sell or ship outside washington, d.c.
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	yesto licensed food businesses in d.c., since june 10, 2025

what can you sell from home in washington, d.c.?

you can sell

breads, biscuits, muffins and scones
cakes, including birthday and wedding cakes
cookies, brownies, pies and pastries
candy, fudge and chocolates
jams and jellies
granola, trail mix and nuts
roasted coffee and dry tea blends
honey, if you’re a registered beekeeper

you can’t sell

cream, custard or meringue pies
cream cheese icing or fillings
meat or poultry, including jerky
canned or pickled foods
fruit and pumpkin butters
sugar-free jams and syrups
pet treats

these are examples, not the full list. check the dc health (department of health), division of food safety before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in washington, d.c.?

register: a cottage food business registration from the dc health (department of health), division of food safety. it costs $50. you renew it every 2 years. start here.
get your kitchen inspected if the agency asks.
take the training: a certified food protection manager certificate, plus a dc health food protection manager id card.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways washington, d.c. allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in washington, d.c.?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets and public events in washington, d.c.
online orders	yesto buyers in washington, d.c.
delivering it yourself	unclearonline sales in d.c. are allowed, but the rules don’t spell out delivery
shipping within the state	uncleardc health says you can’t ship outside d.c.; it doesn’t say whether mailing inside d.c. is ok
shipping to other states	noyou can’t sell or ship outside washington, d.c.
to stores, cafes and restaurants	yesto licensed food businesses in d.c., since june 10, 2025

on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.

what goes on a cottage food label in washington, d.c.?

“Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia’s food safety regulations.”
the statement washington, d.c. requires on your label

the label also needs:

your dc health cottage food id number
product name
ingredients, in order by weight
net weight or volume
allergens
nutrition facts if you make a nutrition claim
the statement in 10-point type or larger

what’s changed in washington, d.c., and what’s coming?

when	what
june 10, 2025	cottage food businesses can now sell wholesale to licensed food businesses in d.c.
2020	the $25,000 sales cap was removed, sales opened up beyond farmers markets and events (including online sales in d.c.), and kitchen inspections became optional

what else should you know in washington, d.c.?

before you apply, get a home occupation permit from the department of buildings.
if you sell by weight, your scale has to be certified.
to add a product later, you file a new application and pay the $50 fee again.
a food that isn’t on dc health’s approved list needs a lab test for ph and water activity before dc health will consider it.
pet treats: not allowed: dc health says cottage food businesses can’t make food that isn’t meant for people, including pet treats.

questions people ask

do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in washington, d.c.?

yes. you need a cottage food business registration from the dc health (department of health), division of food safety. it costs $50.

can i sell cottage food online in washington, d.c.?

yes. to buyers in washington, d.c.

can i ship cottage food in washington, d.c.?

the rules aren’t clear on shipping within washington, d.c.: dc health says you can’t ship outside d.c.; it doesn’t say whether mailing inside d.c. is ok. you can’t ship to other states. you can’t sell or ship outside washington, d.c.

how much can i sell from home in washington, d.c.?

there’s no yearly sales cap.

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in washington, d.c.?

yes. to licensed food businesses in d.c., since june 10, 2025.

what can’t i sell from home in washington, d.c.?

the usual no’s: cream, custard or meringue pies, cream cheese icing or fillings, meat or poultry, including jerky, canned or pickled foods, fruit and pumpkin butters. check with the dc health (department of health), division of food safety before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against washington, d.c.’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the dc health (department of health), division of food safety (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.

written by tommy + omar

we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story