Cottage food rules
Maryland Cottage Food Label Template: What to Put on Yours
A fill-in label template built from Maryland's own label rule, not a guess.
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What to remember
- Maryland allows a cottage food business to run from a residential kitchen without a Department of Health license if annual revenue stays under $50,000 and the products are approved non-potentially-hazardous foods.
- Cottage food businesses in Maryland are not licensed, but they must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances for preparation, processing, storage, and sale.
- Maryland’s label rules sit under MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 and cover required elements, the exact disclaimer, and the nine federal allergens.
- If a unique ID number is used, the label must also include the name and phone number of the cottage food business.
- To get a unique ID number, submit a request to the Maryland Department of Health.
Start with the state rule, then build your template. A label copied from another state can miss Maryland’s exact wording. You can look at other states for layout ideas, such as Illinois cottage food law label requirements, Indiana cottage food law label requirements, or Georgia cottage food labeling requirements, but the words on your Maryland label need to come from Maryland’s rule.
What Maryland’s label rule covers
MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 sets out the required label elements, the exact disclaimer wording, and the nine federal allergens. Use that rule as your source, then make a template with one line for each required element. Do not shorten the disclaimer or swap in your own words.
A fill-in template you can build
List the required elements
Open MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 and write down each required label element. Your template should have a place for every one.
Set the exact disclaimer
Use the exact disclaimer wording from the rule. Keep the punctuation and capitalization as written.
Add an allergen line
The rule covers the nine federal allergens. Build an allergen line into your template and check each bake before you print.
Decide whether to use a unique ID
The name and phone number requirement applies only if you use a unique ID number. If you do, add both to the label.
Request the ID from the state
To obtain a unique ID number, submit a request to the Maryland Department of Health.
Check county and city rules
Maryland cottage food businesses are not licensed by the Department of Health, but they must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances for preparation, processing, storage, and sale.
Your template does not need a design tool. A plain text block works: one line for each required element, one line for the exact disclaimer, one line for allergens, and a name and phone line only if you use a unique ID. Print it on your labels and keep the master copy where you can find it.
Where to check the official wording
The Maryland Department of Health publishes cottage food guidance and comprehensive labeling guidelines. Use those documents for the exact disclaimer and the full list of label elements, then compare your finished label to them before you print. Your county or city may also have rules for preparation, processing, storage, and sale, so check those before you sell.
Keep your label template with your business records. When you change a product or add a new bake, check the template again against MD COMAR 10.15.03.27. That way your label stays tied to the rule, not to an old copy you found online.
Common questions
Do I need a Department of Health license to sell cottage food in Maryland?
Maryland allows a cottage food business to operate from a residential kitchen without a Department of Health license if annual revenue stays under $50,000 and the products are approved non-potentially-hazardous foods. You still must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances.
Is a unique ID number required on a Maryland cottage food label?
The rule is conditional. If a unique ID number is used, the label must also include the name and phone number of the cottage food business. To obtain a unique ID number, submit a request to the Maryland Department of Health.
What does MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 cover?
It covers the required label elements, the exact disclaimer wording, and the nine federal allergens.
Can I use a label template from another state?
You can look at other states for layout ideas, but Maryland's required elements and exact disclaimer come from MD COMAR 10.15.03.27. Check your finished label against Maryland's rule before you print.
What local rules apply to Maryland cottage food businesses?
Cottage food businesses in Maryland must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances regulating the preparation, processing, storage, and sale of cottage food products.
Where do I get the exact disclaimer wording?
Use MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 or the Maryland Department of Health comprehensive cottage food labeling guidelines. The rule covers the exact disclaimer wording.
Sources
This is general information for home bakers, not legal advice. Label rules can change, so check MD COMAR 10.15.03.27 and the Maryland Department of Health guidance before you print.