Cottage Food Laws by State
Maryland Cottage Food Laws
Maryland has a welcoming cottage food law with a $50,000 annual cap and no permit requirement. Home producers can sell at farmers markets and community events as well as directly from home, making it a solid state for home food entrepreneurs.
Annual cap
$50,000
Permit required
No
Venues
3
Last updated
2026
What You Can Sell
The following product types are permitted under the Maryland cottage food law.
Baked Goods
Permitted- Cakes and cupcakes
- Cookies and brownies
- Muffins and quick breads
- Yeast breads and rolls
- Fruit pies (cream and custard pies require refrigeration and are not permitted)
- Cake pops and dipped treats
- Donuts and pastries
Candies and Confections
Permitted- Chocolates and fudge
- Hard candies and lollipops
- Toffee and caramel (shelf-stable)
- Cake truffles
Preserved and Dry Goods
Permitted- Jams, jellies, and preserves
- Honey and honeycomb
- Dried herbs and spices
- Roasted nuts and trail mix
- Granola and cereal
- Popcorn and flavored popcorn
- Dried pasta (no egg)
Beverages
Permitted- Coffee (roasted or ground, not brewed)
- Dry tea blends
What You Cannot Sell
These product types are not covered by the Maryland cottage food law and require a commercial kitchen license.
- Meat, poultry, and seafood products
- Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter)
- Items requiring refrigeration (cream pies, cheesecakes)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Fruit and vegetable juices
- Canned low-acid vegetables
Where You Can Sell
Maryland permits cottage food sales at the following venues.
Direct from your home
Farmers markets
Community events
Direct consumer sales at community events are permitted.
Annual Sales Cap
$50,000
Gross annual revenue from all cottage food sales.
Permit and Registration
No permit or registration required
No permit or license is required for cottage food operations in Maryland.
What a Compliant Maryland Label Looks Like
Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.
Product
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Pops
Net Wt: 8 oz (227g)
Sunflower Home Bakery
412 Maple Ave, Springfield, MD
Ingredients:
Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Corn Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil; Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla; Sugar, Corn Starch, Vegetable Oil (Palm), Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax, FD&C Colors; Water, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red 40.
Contains:
Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland's food safety regulations.
Label Requirements
Every cottage food product sold in Maryland must have a label that includes the following.
| Required field |
|---|
| All 9 FDA major allergens present |
| Complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight |
| Business name |
| Business address |
| Product name |
| Net weight |
| "Not inspected" disclosure statement |
Required Label Disclosure
This exact text must appear on every label you sell in Maryland.
Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland's food safety regulations.
Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.
Generate your Maryland label in minutes
Ingredient lists, allergens, and the required disclosure — built in automatically.
Maryland Cottage Food — Common Questions
No. Maryland does not require any permit or license for cottage food producers operating under the $50,000 annual cap.
You can take orders online, but transactions must be completed in person. Carrier shipping is not permitted under the cottage food exemption.
Yes. Farmers markets are a permitted and popular venue for Maryland cottage food sellers.
All cottage food products must display the product name, producer name and address, net weight, ingredient list, allergens, and the required state disclosure statement.
Law reference: Maryland Cottage Food Law (Maryland Code, Health-General Article, Section 21-322) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.
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