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D.C. Law 20-63 (amended by Law 23-61); D.C. Official Code § 7-742.01; DCMR Title 25-KHigh confidence

Cottage food law · District of Columbia

District of ColumbiaCottage Food Law

District of Columbia cottage food law — what actually applies when you sell from home.

Here's what District of Columbia allows under current cottage food rules: what you can sell, what you can't, and how to start legally.

Why this matters

What District of Columbia actually allows — and what it doesn't.

D.C. Law 20-63 (2013 Cottage Food Amendment Act); amended by Law 23-61 (2020) to remove $25,000 cap and expand sales channels

Annual revenue cap

District of Columbia sets no cap on cottage food revenue.

Annual gross cap

Unlimited

D.C. Law 20-63 (amended by Law 23-61); D.C. Official Code § 7-742.01; DCMR Title 25-K

Required label language

Every package carries a statutory disclaimer.

The disclaimer below must appear on every package, in the exact casing the statute specifies:

Required on every label

Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations

— D.C. Law 20-63 (amended by Law 23-61); D.C. Official Code § 7-742.01; DCMR Title 25-K

Sales channels

Where you can sell in District of Columbia — and where you can't.

Online ordering

YesYes

Shipping

YesYes

Seller delivery

YesYes

Third-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)

ConditionalConditional

Interstate sales

NoNo

Wholesale to retail stores

NoNo

Registration & permits

District of Columbia requires registration before you sell.

Registration

Required

Type: cfpm

Registration cost

$173

Timeline

About 44 days

Labeling standard

Standard

Inspection

Required

Food safety certification

Required

Type: cfpm

Address privacy

Not available

Prohibited categories

What you can't sell under cottage food rules.

  • Tcs
  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Shellfish
  • Cut Produce
  • Filled Donuts
  • Raw Honey
  • Cannabis Cbd

How to start

Steps to a legal first sale in District of Columbia.

  1. Confirm your products qualify

    Verify your menu fits District of Columbia's cottage food rules. Most states restrict temperature-controlled, meat, seafood, and low-acid canned items; check the prohibited-foods list above.

  2. Register with your state agency

    District of Columbia requires cottage food operators to register before selling. Registration cost is $173. Expect about 44 days for processing.

    District of Columbia registration portal

  3. Complete food safety certification

    District of Columbia requires food safety training before you can sell cottage food. Type: cfpm.

  4. Label every product correctly

    Every label must include your name (or registered ID), product name, ingredients, allergens, and the statute-required disclaimer verbatim.

  5. Start taking orders

    District of Columbia allows online orders, in-state shipping, seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels.

About VibeKitchen

The storefront tool this guide comes from.

VibeKitchen is a storefront and order-management tool for home food sellers — your own ordering page, your own checkout, your own customers. We’re the reason this guide exists: we had to research every state’s cottage food rules to build the product, and we’re publishing what we learned.