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Cottage Food Label Requirements in District of Columbia (2026)

Selling homemade food in District of Columbia means your label has to follow the DC Cottage Food Program — Cottage Food Amendment Act of 2013 (D.C. Law 20-63; D.C. Official Code § 7-742.01 et seq., labeling at § 7-742.02(c)(2)); regulations at Title 25-K DCMR (Cottage Food Regulations), Section 104. Amended by D.C. Law 26-7 (2025). Here is exactly what that label must show in 2026 — the required fields, the allergen rule, and the verbatim disclaimer and its font size — sourced to the statute and dated.

In brief — District of Columbia

Required disclaimer: “Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations.”
Minimum font size: 10-point minimum
Permit number on label: Yes
Program: DC Cottage Food Program — Cottage Food Amendment Act of 2013 (D.C. Law 20-63; D.C. Official Code § 7-742.01 et seq., labeling at § 7-742.02(c)(2)); regulations at Title 25-K DCMR (Cottage Food Regulations), Section 104. Amended by D.C. Law 26-7 (2025).
Last verified: 2026-08-10

What must be on a District of Columbia cottage food label

Product name — the common name of the food
Your business / producer name
The address of the cottage food operation
A complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight (sub-ingredients included)
An allergen declaration — the 9 major FDA allergens, in the ingredient list or a “Contains:” line
Net weight, in US customary and metric units
The state's required disclaimer at a minimum of 10-point type (see below)
Your permit / registration number

The disclaimer District of Columbia requires

Print this statement on the label, word for word:

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

The statement must be printed in ten (10)-point or larger type letters, in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label (D.C. Official Code § 7-742.02(c)(2)(G); 25-K DCMR 104). Verified verbatim against the DC Code, including the terminating period. The regulation's sample label shows the statement in all capital letters, but the statute/regulation mandate only the 10-pt minimum and contrasting color, not capitalization.

What's specific about selling cottage food in District of Columbia

DC is a registration-and-inspection jurisdiction, not a pure exemption — every label must carry a DC Health-issued Cottage Food Business Identification Number, so the number is not optional and cannot be omitted the way a home address can be. The mandated disclaimer is unusually blunt: it tells buyers verbatim that the product is 'not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations,' which many first-time sellers hesitate to print but must include word-for-word. DC also uniquely bans Styrofoam (polystyrene) food-service containers and prohibits home canning, so packaging choices are constrained before you even reach the label.

Common mistakes cottage food sellers make in District of Columbia

You cannot finish a compliant label until DC Health issues your ID number

The Cottage Food Business Identification Number is a required label element, but it is only issued after your Cottage Food registration application (and any pre-operational inspection) is approved. You cannot legally sell — or complete a compliant label — before registration is done.

Generic 'nuts' or 'flour' on the ingredient line fails the allergen rule

DC requires the specific tree nut to be named (e.g. 'almonds,' not 'nuts') and sub-ingredients spelled out (e.g. 'butter (milk, salt)'). A vague ingredient list voids labeling compliance even if the disclaimer is perfect. Sesame is now a 9th federal major allergen and must be disclosed when present.

The disclaimer must be reproduced word-for-word, with a period

The statute fixes the exact sentence — 'Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations.' Paraphrasing it, softening it, or borrowing another state's wording breaks compliance. It must appear in 10-point-or-larger type in a color that clearly contrasts with the label background; light gray on white or shrinking it to fit a small label fails.

Only pre-approved, non-hazardous product types may be sold

DC limits cottage foods to items on the DC Health approved list (25-K DCMR 103.5). No canned goods, no acidified/low-acid foods, no reduced-oxygen packaging, and no refrigeration-required items — selling an unlisted product is prohibited no matter how well it's labeled.

How long it takes and what it costs in District of Columbia

Timeline: Registration approval typically takes a few weeks after submitting the Cottage Food registration application; a pre-operational inspection may be required before you can begin, so budget several weeks. Confirm current processing time with DC Health.

Cost: $50.00 — one-time Cottage Food Business Registration Certificate fee (reprints $5.00 each). Possible added costs: Certified Food Protection Manager certification, a Home Occupancy Permit from the DC Dept. of Buildings, and calibrated-scale proof from DLCP Weights and Measures if selling by weight. Confirm current fees with DC Health.

District of Columbia changes its rules — we'll tell you

Cottage food laws get revised, and a new disclaimer or font size can quietly make your label non-compliant. Leave your email and we'll write to you only when District of Columbia's cottage food label rules change. Nothing else, ever — and you can unsubscribe from any message.

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District of Columbia cottage food labels — FAQ

Does District of Columbia require a “made in a home kitchen” disclaimer?

District of Columbia requires this exact statement on a cottage food label: “Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations.” It must be set at a minimum of 10-point type.

Do I have to print my permit number on the label in District of Columbia?

Yes. In District of Columbia the permit / registration number must appear on the label.

What has to be on a District of Columbia cottage food label?

At minimum: product name — the common name of the food; your business / producer name; the address of the cottage food operation; a complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight (sub-ingredients included); an allergen declaration — the 9 major FDA allergens, in the ingredient list or a “Contains:” line; net weight, in US customary and metric units; the state's required disclaimer at a minimum of 10-point type (see below); your permit / registration number.

Is this legal advice?

No. CottageCompliance gives general information based on each state's published rules, dated to when we last verified them. Always confirm with your state or local agency before selling.

Source: D.C. Official Code § 7-742.02 (https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/7-742.02) — VERIFIED verbatim; Title 25-K DCMR Section 104, Cottage Food Regulations, DC Health (https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Cottage%20Food%20Regs%20-%20as%20published%2012-29-17_0.pdf); DC Health Cottage Food FAQ (https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Cottage%20Food%20FAQ.pdf); DC Health program page (https://dchealth.dc.gov/publication/cottage-food-businesses) Verified 2026-08-10. General information, not legal advice — confirm with your state or local agency before selling.