Cottage food in the District of Columbia: the checklist

Not legal advice. This is a starting checklist, checked 2026-09-25. Rules change, and some agencies read them differently. Talk to a lawyer and confirm with DC Health before you sell a ticket or open your space.

At a glance

• Covers: shelf-stable (non-TCS) foods from an approved list, prepackaged, sold in DC only. § 7-742.01 § 7-742.02
• Sales cap: none since 2020. The old $25,000 cap still printed in the rules no longer applies. D.C. Law 23-61 25-K DCMR
• Registration and fee: $50 for 2 years, plus a $35 CFPM ID card and a Home Occupation Permit. DC Health checklist
• Doesn't cover: your half-smokes. Only packaged, shelf-stable food is allowed, so ticketed or plated dinners are out. § 7-742.02
• Home-kitchen meal law: exists, but the MEHK permit is street vending only, in Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights. DC Health

Quick answers

What does cottage food cover in the District of Columbia? Shelf-stable (non-TCS) foods from an approved list, prepackaged and sold in DC only. Registration is $50 for 2 years, plus a $35 CFPM ID card and a Home Occupation Permit. § 7-742.01 § 7-742.02 DC Health checklist

Is there a sales cap on cottage food in the District of Columbia? No, not since 2020. The old $25,000 cap still printed in the rules no longer applies. D.C. Law 23-61 25-K DCMR

Does cottage food in the District of Columbia cover a ticketed dinner? No. Only packaged, shelf-stable food is allowed. For a ticketed dinner, use a licensed venue or your own DLCP Food Services licence, $99 for 2 years. § 7-742.02 DLCP

What this means for a dinner

• Start with a free dinner for friends at home. The licence question starts when money changes hands, or when it's advertised to the public, charge or not. DC Health With alcohol there, a ticket or food sold for money needs a liquor licence, BYOB included. ABCA guide
• Catered and temporary events fall under the food code, "regardless of whether there is a charge." 25-A DCMR
• Food made in a private home can't be served in a food establishment, so cook in a licensed kitchen or venue. 25-A DCMR
• Your route to a micro hospitality night: a licensed venue, or your own DLCP Food Services licence, $99 for 2 years. DLCP

Your city

• Washington: organizer checklist · venue host checklist

Learn more

• DC Health: cottage food businesses
• D.C. Code § 7-742.01
• DC Health: MEHK program
• DLCP: food services licence

Not legal advice. Confirm with a lawyer and DC Health before you act.