Guide
Maryland cottage food law for home bakers
What a home baker in Maryland needs before the first sale: registration, the sales cap, online orders, delivery, and the exact label line, each with its source.
“Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland's food safety regulations.”
$100,000sales cap
Noneto register
Onlineorders allowed
Last reviewed September 5, 2026. A plain-language summary, not legal advice.
On this page
The short version
Maryland needs no license for a home baker selling direct, allows orders taken online and delivered in person or by post inside the state, and caps revenue at $50,000 a year until September 30, 2026, then $100,000 from October 1.
A shop may stock your products in their original packaging once the Department has approved your labels.
Registering
The rule is administered by Maryland Department of Health; the guide reads COMAR 10.15.03.27; House Bill 535 of 2026, Chapter 320.
Nothing to file for direct sales. To sell through a retail store you send the Department your labels and proof of food safety training first. You can ask the Department for an identification number and print that instead of your home address.
Where you can sell, and whether online counts
The regulation lists the places: from the residence, by personal delivery, by mail delivery, at a farmers market, at a public event, and to a retail store in the original packaging. Nothing crosses the state line under this rule.
What goes on the label
The statement below, word for word, in 10-point type or larger in a contrasting colour. Selling to a shop adds a phone number, an email address and the production date.
- Your business name and address, or the identification number the Department assigns on request
- The product name
- Ingredients in descending order by weight
- Net weight or net volume
- The allergens, as federal law requires
- For retail sales, also a phone number, an email address and the production date
What you can bake and sell
Baked goods that do not need the fridge, made and packaged in Maryland. The cream-filled and the custard-filled stay home.
- Allowed: Breads, cookies, cakes and other baked goods that are safe at room temperature, made and packaged in Maryland
- Not allowed: Cream or custard fillings, cheesecake, anything that needs refrigeration
The sales cap
Maryland caps cottage food sales at $100,000 a year, counted as annual revenue from the sale of cottage food products.
Work out how much room you have left this year with the cottage food sales cap checker.
What changed
October 1, 2026: Cap rises from $50,000 to $100,000 (HB 535, Chapter 320 of 2026).
Questions people ask
Do I need to register to sell cottage food in Maryland?
No, Maryland does not require registration. No license for direct sales; Department approval before selling to a retail store, with your labels and proof of food safety training. Fee: None for direct sales.
What is the cottage food sales cap in Maryland?
Maryland caps cottage food sales at $100,000 a year, counted as annual revenue from the sale of cottage food products.
Can I take orders online in Maryland?
Yes, you can take orders online. You can mail an order to a customer inside the state.
Can I deliver or ship cottage food in Maryland?
Delivery is allowed. Shipping inside the state is allowed.
What does my Maryland cottage food label need to say?
The label must say: Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland's food safety regulations.
Sources
Laws change; check the linked source before you sell.
- COMAR 10.15.03.27regs.maryland.gov
- COMAR 10.15.03.02, definitionsregs.maryland.gov
- House Bill 535 (2026), Chapter 320mgaleg.maryland.gov
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