District of Columbia Cottage Food Law

District of Columbia's cottage food law sets an annual revenue cap of $50,000 and producers must register with the state before the first sale. Direct sales, farmers markets, retail, and online sales permitted.

Watch for: DC's ID-number system is uncommon and useful — it preserves your address privacy on every label.

Annual revenue cap

$50,000

Permit / registration

Registration required

Kitchen inspection

Not required

Food handler training

Required

Acidified foods

Excluded

Interstate shipping

In-state only

Where you can sell

Direct sales, farmers markets, retail, and online sales permitted.

Direct (in-person)
Farmers markets
Online (in-state)
Retail / grocery

What's required before your first sale

Registration plus food handler training required. Labels must include a DC-issued ID number in place of your home address.

Sources

Reference content only — not legal advice. State laws change frequently. Verify against the official source before launching.

Tools that work with District of Columbia

Revenue cap tracker

Enter your year-to-date gross sales and see how close you are to the $50,000 cap.

50-state PDF guide

Printable 17-page reference covering every state with quick-scan cards.

Compare with nearby states

MD High cap

Maryland

$50,000

VA Mid cap

Virginia

$25,000 ($3K for acidified foods)

Run your District of Columbia cottage food business in one place

Ardent Seller tracks ingredients, batches, labels, and revenue against your state's cap — built for cottage food producers.

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