Everything you need to sell home-made food in Maryland — legally, confidently, and profitably.
Maryland passed its cottage food law in 2012 and has steadily expanded it ever since. The law — officially found at Maryland Health-General Code § 21-330.1 — allows home cooks to produce and sell a defined list of non-perishable foods without a license, permit, or health inspection. As long as your annual gross sales stay under $50,000 and you stick to shelf-stable, non-TCS foods, you can be in business by tomorrow.
What sets Maryland apart from many states is the breadth of where you can sell. Home sellers here can sell directly from their residence, at farmers markets, at public events, by mail, online (delivered within Maryland), and — uniquely — directly to retail food stores like grocery stores and food co-ops. That retail channel requires a one-time MDH review and a food safety certificate, but it's a significant commercial opportunity most states don't offer.
All sales must stay within Maryland — interstate shipping is explicitly prohibited under state law. Products must be made in your home kitchen (not a rented commercial kitchen), stored on-premises, and labeled according to state requirements including the mandatory cottage food disclaimer. No home kitchen inspection is required to start, though MDH may investigate if a consumer complaint is filed.
All sales must be within Maryland. Interstate shipping is prohibited.
Eight detailed pages covering everything Maryland home food sellers need to know — from what you can make to how to label it, structure your business, and grow.
Answer 5 quick questions about your products and sales channels — get an instant compliance rating and a personalized checklist for your Maryland food business.
Create Free Account to Use This Tool →Maryland's food identity is one of the most distinctive in America. The Chesapeake Bay — the largest estuary on the continent — has shaped what Marylanders grow, cook, and celebrate for thousands of years. From the Indigenous Piscataway's smoked oysters and crab harvests, to the colonial kitchens that blended English puddings with Chesapeake bounty, to the German immigrant who invented Old Bay Seasoning in 1939, every plate in Maryland carries a story. The blue crab is king, the Smith Island Cake is the official state dessert, and a backyard crab feast is a sacrament. That deep tradition of home cooking and community food is exactly the spirit that Maryland's cottage food law was built to support.
Start Your Maryland Food Business →Join Maryland home food sellers who are already building real businesses on SellFood.com — the marketplace built for cottage food entrepreneurs. Free to list. No commission on your first $500 in sales.