CottageFoodTool Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. · Cottage Food

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Washington, D.C. cottage food label requirements and registration checklist

Answer a few plain-English questions about what you make and how you want to sell it. We check it against D.C.'s cottage food registration rules, flag prohibited categories and packaging, and build you a personalized checklist plus a printable label draft.

Free permit walk-through Free label generation Free checklist
Free customized label/checklist after walk-through completion

Built from D.C. Official Code §§ 7-742.01–7-742.03 and DC Health's Cottage Food Business guidance. Not legal advice and not DC Health approval — verify final requirements with DC Health before selling.

  • Free registration walk-throughSee fast whether your product and sales plan fit DC Health's cottage food registration.
  • Free checklistKeep the registration, product-list, and packaging rules tied to your own answers.
  • Free label generationDraft D.C.'s exact disclosure statement plus your ingredient and allergen lines.

Do you need a permit to sell homemade food in Washington, D.C.?

You need to register (not get a license) with DC Health's Cottage Food Business Registry before you sell — a $50 fee covers a 2-year certificate, and DC Health may (but isn't required to) inspect your kitchen first. There's no sales cap: the original 2013 law's $25,000/year cap was repealed in 2020. Direct, retail, wholesale to a licensed DC food establishment (added in 2025), and online sales are all allowed, but every channel has to stay within the District of Columbia — D.C. cottage food can't be sold or shipped to customers outside DC. Products are limited to DC Health's approved list of non-potentially-hazardous foods; meat/poultry, canned fruits/vegetables, low-sugar fruit butters, pressed juice, alcohol, and pet treats are all prohibited outright, along with hermetically sealed jars, reduced-oxygen packaging, and fresh homegrown garnishes.

D.C. Code § 7-742.02 — registration, inspection, labeling DC Health — Cottage Food Business FAQ

D.C. label fields

  • Cottage food business ID number
  • Product name
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight (specific allergen names)
  • Net weight or volume
  • Allergen information
  • Exact statement (10-pt font or larger, contrasting color): Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations.

Common D.C. blockers

  • Selling or shipping to customers outside the District of Columbia
  • Meat, poultry, or dehydrated meat products
  • Canned fruits/vegetables, vegetable butters, or salsas
  • Low-sugar or low-pectin fruit butters, pressed juice, alcohol, or pet treats
  • Hermetically sealed jars, acidified/low-acid canning, or reduced-oxygen packaging
  • Fresh homegrown produce used as a garnish rather than baked/incorporated in

Washington, D.C. rule review

What this Washington, D.C. checker reviews before you print a label

The page is built from D.C. Code § 7-742.02 — Cottage food businesses; registration, inspection, and labeling and the cited official sources below, then turns those rules into a practical pre-sale review.

Sales path

  • Direct from your home or in person to DC customers
  • Farmers markets or other public events in DC
  • Retail sale in DC (e.g. a table, pop-up, or storefront you run yourself)
  • Wholesale to a licensed DC food establishment (store, restaurant)
  • Online orders, as long as delivery/pickup stays within DC

Product fit

  • Shelf-stable baked goods, jams/jellies, candy, dry mixes, or another item on DC Health's approved list
  • A shelf-stable item that isn't obviously on DC Health's approved products list

Label draft fields

  • Product name
  • Ingredients
  • Net weight or volume
  • Business name
  • Cottage food business ID number
  • City
  • Required home-kitchen disclosure
  • Major allergen statement

Final wording should be checked against D.C. Code § 7-742.02 — Cottage food businesses; registration, inspection, and labeling before printing.

Usually blocks the cottage food path

Selling or shipping to customers outside the District of Columbia

D.C.'s cottage food definition is scoped to sales within the District of Columbia. DC Health's own guidance states cottage food businesses may not sell or ship any cottage food item outside the District.

DC Health — Cottage Food Business FAQ

Usually blocks the cottage food path

Meat, poultry, or dehydrated meat products

Meat, poultry, and dehydrated meat products are on DC Health's prohibited-category list for cottage food.

DC Health — Cottage Food Business FAQ

Usually blocks the cottage food path

Canned fruits or vegetables, vegetable butters, or salsas

Canned fruits/vegetables, vegetable butters, and salsas are on DC Health's prohibited-category list for cottage food.

DC Health — Cottage Food Business FAQ

Usually blocks the cottage food path

Low-sugar or low-pectin fruit butter

Low-sugar/low-pectin fruit butters are prohibited because of botulism risk, even though jams and jellies are generally allowed.

DC Health — Cottage Food Business FAQ

Washington, D.C. permit prep

Washington, D.C. cottage food permit steps

Use this order when you prepare the permit packet, label, and direct-sales plan.

Step 1

Check whether your product fits the Washington, D.C. cottage food path

Start with the product category and shelf-stability questions. The wizard flags foods that usually need refrigeration, separate licensing, or extra official review in Washington, D.C..

Step 2

Confirm where and how you plan to sell

Choose every sales channel you expect to use. The result calls out direct-sale limits, shipping issues, wholesale/resale limits, and other channel rules that matter before you take orders.

Step 3

Draft the label from your actual product details

Enter the product name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, producer information, and any Washington, D.C.-specific disclosure or permit field requested by the form.

Step 4

Print the checklist and verify against official sources

A plain-English helper for Washington, D.C. home bakers and cottage food sellers. Not legal advice and not DC Health approval.

Washington, D.C. FAQ

Washington, D.C. cottage food questions

Short answers to the questions people usually ask before they start the wizard.

Can I sell homemade food in Washington, D.C.?

You need to register (not get a license) with DC Health's Cottage Food Business Registry before you sell — a $50 fee covers a 2-year certificate, and DC Health may (but isn't required to) inspect your kitchen first. There's no sales cap: the original 2013 law's $25,000/year cap was repealed in 2020. Direct, retail, wholesale to a licensed DC food establishment (added in 2025), and online sales are all allowed, but every channel has to stay within the District of Columbia — D.C. cottage food can't be sold or shipped to customers outside DC. Products are limited to DC Health's approved list of non-potentially-hazardous foods; meat/poultry, canned fruits/vegetables, low-sugar fruit butters, pressed juice, alcohol, and pet treats are all prohibited outright, along with hermetically sealed jars, reduced-oxygen packaging, and fresh homegrown garnishes.

What does the Washington, D.C. checker do?

It walks through the state-specific blockers, then produces a printable checklist and a label draft using the answers you entered.

What should I verify before selling in Washington, D.C.?

Verify your product category, sales channel, annual limit or registration requirement, and label wording against D.C. Code § 7-742.02 — Cottage food businesses; registration, inspection, and labeling before relying on the checklist.

Is the label draft official approval?

No. It is an informational draft based on the page sources. Check final wording with D.C. Code § 7-742.02 — Cottage food businesses; registration, inspection, and labeling or the responsible local agency before printing labels.